Scientists: There's one thing in this picture you should avoid in hotel rooms - can you guess what it is?

Booking a hotel room for a night or two is something everyone has to do from time to time. The feeling of unpacking your bags, putting on a robe, and getting into a soft, inviting bed.. there’s nothing better.

But the next time you check into a hotel, there’s some information everyone should know.

Scientists have determined the dirtiest thing you’ll find in an average hotel room. And no, it’s not what you think..

Everyone knows that hotel rooms aren’t 100% clean. After all, think about how many thousands of guests have been in the room before you, walked where you walked, slept in the bed you’re sleeping in,showered .. you get the point.

When maids and cleaners do their jobs, it’s reasonable to assume they’ll miss a spot or two from time to time. But what most people don’t think about is the fact that the germs that survive are usually in the scariest places.

When people think of germs from previous guests, they might think of the carpet, the drinking glasses, maybe the toilet.. so it’s certainly surprising to learn that the dirtiest part of a hotel room is something else entirely.

That's according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Houston in the United States. They wanted to know where the most bacteria accumulates, so they tested 19 different hotel rooms in 3 different cities.

They took samples from every inch of each room. Just like that, they didn't miss a thing, including doorknobs, lampshades, light switches, and everything in between.

The result? 81% of the surfaces had bacterial residue - and much to their surprise, they noticed that the greatest accumulation of bacteria was on.. the TV remote control.

This little gadget, like most of the ones we fiddle with a lot and then leave in various places around the room, was so full of bacteria that you’d be surprised. Let’s just say the best thing for you is to wash your hands after you move around in your hotel room.

For those of you wondering, the bathroom sink, as expected, was full of bacteria as well, as was the lampshade by the bed. And what was even scarier was the level of bacteria on the cleaning staff’s cleaning carts.

When the carts are that dirty, it increases the chance of bacteria being transferred from room to room.

So if you’re planning your next hotel vacation, this is probably the last thing you want to read. But at the same time, this study isn’t meant to scare people, but to encourage hotels to monitor their cleanliness.

We would have guessed it was the carpets or the beds, but the fact that the TV remote is so filthy? We had no idea! We’re guessing you didn’t think so either.

Share this article with your friends and family so they can learn the truth about hotel rooms too. Handwashing can definitely help, and we think everyone deserves to know this information before they check in.