Ex-Hotel Worker Says Room Glasses Rarely Washed Between Guests

The drinking glasses in your hotel room may look spotless, but a former hotel employee says they are rarely given a proper cleaning between guests.

According to Jannessa Richards, who previously worked at a hotel, glasses in most rooms are left alone unless it is visibly obvious they have been used. The practice, she said, is mainly to save water and electricity as part of cost-cutting.

"At best, we rinse it with some hot water," Richards said, suggesting that even when the glasses are attended to, it amounts to little more than a quick rinse.

She advises guests to avoid them altogether. "I recommend not using them at all because they are neither washed nor changed between reservations as long as they look clean," she said.

New French rules add a twist

The situation becomes trickier under France's AGEC law, which from 1 January 2025 bans single-use plastic packaging — including the protective covers hotels place over glasses.

Without those covers, hotel staff face the challenge of working out whether a glass has already been used, as the plastic wrapping previously served as a handy sign of cleanliness.

Study flags wider contamination

Glassware is only one part of a broader hotel sanitation problem. A study by the University of Houston found an 80% contamination rate of fecal bacteria on various hotel room objects, including TV remotes, toilet seats, shower floors and light switches — items guests touch daily.

Even cleaning tools such as mops and sponges used by housekeeping can carry the bacteria, potentially spreading germs around the room rather than removing them.

What the experts advise

Katie Kirsch of the University of Houston urges guests to wash their hands as soon as they enter the room and to disinfect high-touch items such as remote controls and light switches.

As for drinking glasses, Kirsch suggests either washing them thoroughly first or skipping them entirely to reduce the risk of exposure.