Checking into a hotel usually begins with excitement — you set down your suitcase, look around the room, and get ready to relax. But travel and pest-control experts warn that your first move could actually be the riskiest. Before you unpack, the safest temporary place for your luggage isn’t the luggage rack or the carpet — it’s the bathtub. The logic is simple: bedbugs. Even well-kept hotels can host these tiny pests, which hide in fabric and wood and can easily crawl into bags left on beds or floors.

Bathrooms, however, are rarely where bedbugs settle. They prefer warm, soft environments such as mattresses, rugs, and upholstered furniture, and they struggle to climb smooth, slick surfaces. This makes the hard porcelain of a bathtub a safe spot for your luggage while you check the rest of the room for signs of pests. Entomologist Dr. Katelyn Kesheimer told Reader’s Digest that she always starts by placing her bags in the bathroom, noting that bathrooms tend to have fewer hiding places and are cleaned more thoroughly.

Experts recommend following the acronym S.L.E.E.P. when arriving: Survey the room for dark spots or bug shells; Lift and look under the mattress and bed frame; Elevate your luggage — ideally in the tub; Examine your suitcase before checkout; and Place travel clothing in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes when you return home. To further protect your items, keep clothing sealed in plastic bags, avoid using drawers, and store smaller belongings — such as books or toiletry bags — in hard containers, since bedbugs can hide easily in cloth and paper.

Although placing your luggage in a bathtub may feel unconventional, seasoned travelers highly recommend it. A few minutes of precaution can prevent months of dealing with an infestation. The next time you check in, skip the luggage rack and trust the tub — your suitcase, your belongings, and your peace of mind will all be safer for it.