Germs are everywhere. Fear of germs is irrational.
While it's true that germs are everywhere, unless you really just want to get sick or really looking to beef up your immune system, it probably makes sense to avoid or clean items shared by large numbers of people. So while I tend to agree that fear of germs isn't healthy but respect for them perhaps is. Items that can have high concentrations of germs/viruses should be treated with appropriate respect. I bet you wouldn't want to drink water contaminated with fecal bacteria so why would you want to get it on your hands and transfer it to your mouth, nose or eyes? Of course one still has to live in the world and to completely avoid bacteria would mean living in a bubble.
You can google up tests showing that bacteria and viruses can survive for two plus days on dry surfaces and weeks on wet ones. Some testing is interesting. For example if you're paranoid about public bathrooms, you quite likely worry about toilets and door handles but from I've read sinks and urinal flush handles test worse.
If you stay in hotels, many really don't clean the rooms well at all. Some items probably get a quick vacuum at best most of the time unless it becomes stained or a state health inspection is coming up. These include things like the carpet, walls, bedspread and throw pillows. Bedspreads in particular might get cleaned once or twice a year normally. The bathroom is an area that should be thoroughly cleaned but often isn't. Shower curtains, the floor, shower floor and toilet handle in particular.
My take is there's no point in taking a chance when you can quickly wipe down the obvious places that carry germs in a hotel room. Some candidate areas - TV remotes, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom faucets, phones, toilet handle, hair dryer, ice bucket, thermostat, microwaves/refrigerators handles/buttons, alarm clock, pens/pencils, glasses, and room literature. All are touched but are rarely or never cleaned.
I stayed in a rooms last week run by upscale chains but one had glasses not well cleaned and another had some small spots of brown material around the door handle inside of the bathroom. Kinda disgusting once I noticed it. Maybe should have complained but just wiped it off and didn't worry about it. And I always just assume the carpet, throw pillows and bedspread etc are probably dirty.
Am I paranoid? Maybe. But just cause you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you. And I just saw Randy Quaid and his wife interviewed and compared to them I'm not paranoid at all, :wink:.
