Why the bathtub is safest spot in hotel room to store luggage

Exploring a new hotel room always comes with a sense of adventure. The excitement of discovering your temporary home, with its crisp linens, cozy decor, and all the amenities, is an integral part of the travel experience. But before you get too comfortable, there’s one simple step you should take that could save you from an unwanted and frustrating souvenir: place your luggage in the bathtub.

It might sound strange, but according to travel and hygiene experts, the bathtub is the safest place for your belongings when you check into a hotel. By choosing this unexpected spot, you’re dramatically reducing the risk of taking home more than just the memories of your trip.

So, what’s the first thing you typically do when you enter a hotel room? You might test the mattress for comfort, check out the minibar to see what snacks are available, or maybe take a moment to sniff the toiletries in the bathroom. But one thing many travelers do without thinking is drop their suitcase onto the bed or the luggage rack. While this may feel like the most convenient place to rest your bags, experts argue it’s one of the worst mistakes you can make when it comes to keeping your belongings safe from pests.

Instead of placing your suitcase on the bed or the floor, where bedbugs can easily hitch a ride, there’s a much safer location that will keep these pesky creatures at bay—the cold, hard, smooth surface of the bathtub. It might seem odd, but this simple action can make all the difference in avoiding a potential bedbug infestation.

Why is the bathtub the safest place for your suitcase? The answer is surprisingly simple: bedbugs. These tiny, blood-sucking pests are notorious for being hitchhikers, and hotel rooms—no matter how luxurious or well-maintained—are prime breeding grounds for them. According to pest control experts, such as Orkin, bedbugs are incredibly efficient at moving quickly across a room and climbing onto luggage left on the bed or floor, often within a single night. With the high turnover rate of guests in hotels, bedbugs find these spaces to be an ideal home.

What makes these pests so persistent is their ability to hide in warm, soft areas like mattresses, carpets, and upholstered furniture, making it nearly impossible to eliminate them entirely. Since bedbugs thrive close to the humans they feed on, they tend to seek out spaces where people spend the most time, such as the bed. Placing your luggage in these areas gives bedbugs an easy opportunity to travel home with you.

However, the bathtub is a bedbug-free zone. These pests struggle to climb smooth surfaces, and hotel bathrooms are typically cleaned more thoroughly than other parts of the room. This makes the bathtub an ideal place to temporarily store your luggage during your stay, minimizing the chances of your belongings coming into contact with these unwanted travelers.

Entomologist Dr. Katelyn Kesheimer, a specialist in the study of insects, recommends placing luggage in the bathroom when checking into a hotel room. “I always put my luggage in the bathroom while I carefully inspect the room for any signs of bedbugs,” she shared in an interview with Reader’s Digest. “Once I’m sure the room is clear, I move my suitcase into the main room. But I never put it on the bed just to be cautious.” The reason the bathroom is so much less likely to harbor bedbugs is that it’s a space where humans don’t spend as much time, making it less attractive for the bugs to settle.

When traveling, Orkin suggests using the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to help avoid bringing home bedbugs:

• Survey the room for signs of a bedbug infestation, such as dark stains on the bedding or furniture.
• Lift and look in common hiding spots, including the mattress, box spring, bed skirt, and behind furniture.
• Elevate your luggage away from the bed and wall—again, the bathtub is the safest spot.
• Examine your luggage once you’ve repacked and before you return home.
• Place all dryer-safe clothing in the dryer for at least 20 minutes on the highest setting to kill any bedbugs that may be hiding in your clothes.

After you’ve conducted a thorough inspection and found no signs of bedbugs, it’s still wise to take extra precautions. There are a few simple steps you can take to protect your belongings during your hotel stay:

• Luggage: As mentioned earlier, placing your suitcase in the bathtub is one of the most effective ways to keep your belongings safe from bedbugs.
• Clothing: If you’re concerned about bedbugs hitching a ride on your clothes, consider packing your clothing and shoes in resealable plastic bags. Avoid unpacking your clothes and using the hotel’s drawers or closet, as these areas are more likely to harbor pests.
• Personal items: Bedbugs are also known to hide in non-metallic personal items like books, cloth toiletry bags, and even electronics. Be mindful of where you store these items during your stay.

Although these precautions might seem like a hassle, they are worth it to avoid dealing with a potential bedbug infestation. Bedbugs are resilient creatures—they can survive for months without a blood meal, which means they can live in your suitcase or on your clothing and remain dormant until they find a new food source. This makes them even more difficult to eliminate once they’ve made their way home with you.

While putting your suitcase in the bathtub may feel a bit strange at first, it’s one of the most effective ways to drastically reduce your risk of bringing home these unwanted guests from your travels.

The next time you check into a hotel room, consider skipping the bed and the luggage rack and instead, place your suitcase in the bathtub. It might seem odd, but it could be the key to preventing a bedbug disaster from ruining your trip.

What are your best travel tips to avoid carrying bedbugs home from your travels? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends!