Here's Why You Won't Look At A Hotel Hair Dryer The Same Ever Again

It's a pretty good bet that you're conscious of germs and illness while traveling. Since the pandemic, you probably have plenty of bottles of hand sanitizer floating around. They're great for disinfecting after visiting disgusting airplane bathrooms and getting in and out of taxis and rideshares where you're touching heavily-used surfaces. They're also handy for after you use some of the germiest spots in hotel rooms, like the bathroom sink, the remote control, and the door handles. However, there is another really dirty thing in your hotel room that hand sanitizer can't help with. You may be surprised to hear that it's the hotel hair dryer. 

A study published by ABC News had microbiologist Chuck Gerba test spots for germs in nine Los Angeles hotels that ranged in price from $98 to $500 a night. While you likely wouldn't be surprised by many of the icky areas, like toilets, sinks, and drinking glasses, you may be shocked to know that hotel hair dryers didn't pass the cleanliness test. Unlike some of the other spots that you can just avoid touching, or sanitize after use, the issue here is that this is germy air blowing directly at your face and head. 

While the study didn't break down the exact amount of germs on the dryers, Gerba said, "There must be some things you can do with a hair dryer that I am not aware of because some of them were pretty germy." It's probably best not to think too much about that statement. You can't just hold your breath while you're drying your tresses to avoid it, though. Trichologist and ambassador for Bellissima hair products, Jacqui McIntosh, told The Sun in July of 2024 that hotel hair dryers, "become breeding grounds for bacteria and fungi," and that blowing the air onto your hair and scalp, "can spark infections and irritations, disrupting your hair follicles and slowing down healthy growth." She also mentioned other contaminants like dust and mold. 

Another thing to consider when you're using a hotel hair dryer is that they're sometimes inexpensive ones and may have hot spots with high heat that can cause damage to your hair. We've certainly used some for mere moments, only to notice a burning hair smell from our now-scorched bangs. Or, they can have low power, meaning you have to keep the heat on your hair longer to dry it. Surely we're not the only ones who have felt like using one of these was like having someone wave a paper fan at you for all the good it was doing.