Why You Should Always Place Your Luggage in the Bathroom When Checking Into a Hotel

By boom On Feb 8, 2025

When you check into a hotel, your first instinct might be to place your luggage on the bed or a luggage rack while you settle in. However, there’s one crucial step that many travelers overlook: placing your luggage in the bathroom as soon as you enter the room. While this might seem unnecessary, it can protect your belongings from pests, bacteria, and hidden dangers that may be lurking in the room. Here’s why this small habit can save you from big trouble.

1. Avoid Bringing Home Unwanted Guests (Bed Bugs and Other Pests)

One of the biggest risks when staying in a hotel is the possibility of bed bugs. These tiny pests can hide in mattresses, carpets, curtains, and even wooden furniture, waiting to hitch a ride on your clothes and luggage. If your suitcase is placed on an infested bed or carpet, bed bugs can crawl inside, travel home with you, and cause a full-blown infestation.

Why the Bathroom?

Minimal Upholstery: Bed bugs prefer soft materials like mattresses and carpets. The bathroom’s hard surfaces and tile flooring make it an unlikely hiding spot for them.

Easy Inspection: Since bathrooms lack fabric-covered furniture, it’s easier to spot any unwanted pests before placing your belongings elsewhere.
Water Exposure: Bed bugs avoid moisture and humidity, which makes bathrooms an unfavorable environment for them.

How to Check for Bed Bugs in a Hotel Room:

Place your luggage in the bathroom first.

Inspect the mattress by lifting the sheets and checking the seams for small brown spots or live insects.
Look behind the headboard, along the edges of the carpet, and inside drawers.
Check the luggage rack before using it—bed bugs can hide in the straps.

If you see any signs of infestation, request another room (far from the infested one) or change hotels.

2. Reduce Exposure to Germs and Bacteria

Even in the cleanest hotels, high-touch areas harbor bacteria that can easily transfer to your belongings. The bed, couch, and desk are often the dirtiest areas in a hotel room, as guests frequently touch them, sit on them, or place their bags on them.

Why the Bathroom?

Housekeeping regularly disinfects the bathroom, making it one of the cleanest areas in a hotel room.

Hard surfaces like tiles, glass, and sinks are easier to clean and less likely to harbor bacteria compared to carpets and fabric furniture.
Unlike bed linens and towels, which are washed frequently, other soft surfaces in the room (like decorative pillows and chairs) are rarely deep cleaned.

How to Keep Your Belongings Germ-Free in a Hotel:

Use disinfectant wipes to clean high-touch surfaces like the remote control, doorknobs, and light switches.
Keep your toiletries inside a toiletry bag instead of placing them directly on the counter.
Avoid placing your clothes directly on chairs or couches.

3. Protect Your Valuables From Theft

Many hotel rooms come with a safe, but some guests leave their valuable items out in the open or inside an easily accessible bag. Housekeeping staff, maintenance workers, or even other guests could enter your room while you’re away, increasing the risk of theft.

Why the Bathroom?

The bathroom isn’t an obvious place where thieves would look for valuables.
If you’re only stepping out briefly, placing your purse or electronics in a bathroom cabinet or under a towel can deter opportunistic theft.

How to Secure Valuables in a Hotel Room:

Always lock your suitcase when leaving the room.
Use the hotel safe for passports, cash, and jewelry.
Keep electronics out of sight when not in use.

4. Prevent Spills and Leaks Inside Your Luggage

Many travelers have experienced the nightmare of shampoo, lotion, or perfume bottles leaking inside their suitcase, ruining clothes and important documents. Changes in air pressure from flights or improper sealing can cause liquid containers to burst or leak.

Why the Bathroom?

If something leaks, it’s easier to clean up from tile and sink surfaces than inside a suitcase.

You can check your toiletries for leaks before repacking them.
If needed, you can use plastic hotel shower caps or small bags to wrap around liquid containers for extra protection.

How to Prevent Leaks in Your Luggage:

Use ziplock bags or travel pouches for toiletries.
Store liquids upright when packing.
Wrap bottle openings with plastic wrap before screwing on lids.

5. Ensures a Safer and More Organized Start to Your Stay

Arriving at a hotel and immediately placing your bags on the bed, floor, or desk creates clutter and increases the risk of spreading dirt or pests. Placing your luggage in the bathroom first allows you to settle in without contamination concerns.

Best Arrival Routine:

Step 1: Place your luggage in the bathroom.
Step 2: Inspect the bed, mattress, and furniture for any signs of bed bugs.
Step 3: Disinfect high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, and desk areas.
Step 4: Once the room is checked and cleaned, move your luggage to a safe and clean location, like a luggage rack or closet shelf.

Final Thoughts: A Small Habit That Makes a Big Difference

Traveling should be enjoyable and stress-free, but taking a few precautions can prevent unnecessary problems like bed bug infestations, lost valuables, and exposure to bacteria.

By placing your luggage in the bathroom upon check-in, you create an extra layer of protection against pests, spills, and potential theft—all while keeping your belongings clean and organized.

Next time you stay in a hotel, try this simple trick—it could save you from a lot of trouble!