You don't even want to know what's tagging along on your vacation
Gross! This Common Travel Item Is 58 Times Dirtier Than a Toilet Seat—Find Out What It Is and How to Clean It
Published on Jul. 30, 2025
When you go on vacation, you know to watch out for infamous hazards like bedbugs and cruise-line virus outbreaks. But a new study reveals there’s a stealth vacation danger that’s probably not even on your radar. This ordinary travel item is positively teeming with bacteria. So is the offender a plane tray table? One of those hotel-germ hotspots? Something else entirely that will now give you nightmares from here till eternity?
As a health reporter, I wanted—er, needed—to find out more. So I dug into the study and consulted microbiologist Jason Tetro, author of The Germ Code, to see how problematic this item truly is. Let’s just say, what I found goes beyond “icky” and right into “really disturbing” territory.
Read on to find out which overlooked travel item is surprisingly filthy, and how to avoid bacterial contamination on your next trip.
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How was the research conducted?
The study was conducted by Insure and Go, a travel-insurance company based in the U.K. They tapped microbiologist Amy-May Pointer to swab 10 hardshelled and softshelled suitcases at a London airport train station. Pointer also swabbed airport surfaces, such as a public toilet seat, a toilet flusher and a luggage trolley handle. Then she let the samples incubate to see what bacteria would grow.
What travel item is 58 times dirtier than a toilet seat?
The germiest item tested was—wait for it!—suitcase wheels. It makes a whole lot of sense, when you think about it, but the point is that we often don’t think about it! How bad were the results? Those little wheels contained 400 CFU/3 cm²—in other words, 400 colony-forming units per 3-square centimeters. That’s a staggering 58 times as much bacteria as a public toilet.
Those small rollers picked up some nasty stuff, including Staphylococcus, a common skin bacteria; Serratia marcescens (often found in bathrooms); and black mold such as Aspergillus.
Now, we’re exposed to these microbes all the time, since they live on us, Tetro notes. But the problem with picking them up through travel is “the specific types of these species won’t be yours, and you may find your immune system contesting their presence.” In other words, you could pick up a skin infection or something else truly awful.
Why do suitcase wheels get so dirty?
Basically, they get around. “Suitcase wheels touch considerably more surfaces than your hands and pick up so many more germs,” Tetro says. Think about where they roll: into a bathroom stall, on filthy escalators, through muddy puddles, over pavement with goose or pigeon poop—the tour of nastiness goes on and on.
What’s the best way to clean suitcase wheels?
Wiping your wheels with a disinfectant wipe or soapy water will reduce the bacterial load, according to the study’s scientist.
Don’t wait until your trip is over to give your bag a once over, though, Tetro stresses. “I put my suitcase in the tub or shower stall when I first arrive at the hotel room to inspect it and give it a wipe down,” he says. Incidentally, keeping your luggage in the bathroom will also cut your risk of bringing home bedbugs.
How else can you prevent spreading germs with your suitcase?
You can’t keep your luggage in a bubble, but you can minimize what you pick up from this travel germ zone with a few simple steps:
Never place your suitcase on the bed
Don’t plop your bags on the hotel bed or your bed at home. You don’t want to spread bacteria and other bugs to the spot where you lay your head. In the hotel, store your bag in the bathroom, as Tetro does, or use the luggage rack, which will lift the bag off the heavily trafficked floor.
Wipe down the trolley handle
As it turns out, the luggage-trolley handle is also bacteria central: It has 40 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, according to this study. When you think about how many travelers grab a luggage trolley each day, it’s no wonder it’s disgusting. So before you use the trolley, give it a quick swipe with a disinfectant wipe, just as you would a shopping cart. If you don’t have one handy, use hand sanitizer after touching the trolley.
Invest in luggage with antimicrobial fabrics
Consider upgrading to suitcases and carry-ons with special antimicrobial fabrics, such as Microban. “These help to reduce the microbial load and the risk to you,” Tetro says.
Control where you roll
Avoid rolling your suitcases into obviously foul places. So, for instance, if you’re traveling with someone and need to hit the restroom, leave your bag with them so you don’t drag it into an icky stall. Not today, fecal contamination.
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About the expert
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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Jason Tetro, microbiologist, author of The Germ Code and The Germ Files, and host of the Super Awesome Science Show podcast; email interview, July 25, 2025
- Insure and Go: “Germs on the go: bacterial study reveals our suitcases are dirtier than the average toilet”
