If you were to ask me to name of of the grossest, most germ-filled places in any given city, I would tell you the airport.

Seriously, how many times have you come down with a cold post-travel?

It turns out, though, that when it comes to potentially gross travel germs, airports have nothing on hotels, though.

And if you want to make sure your clothes from home stay bedbug free, the bathtub is your best bet for first-night storage.

Bedbugs are a major best and are hard to spot because they hide when they’re not actively feeding.

Not only that, but once they’re in, it’s really hard to get them out.

They commonly hide in drawer joints, on the sides of couches and chairs, and inside electrical outlets – so if you arrive in a hotel room and put your suitcase on the bed or sofa, you might just be inviting them to hitch a ride home.

Even nice hotels aren’t immune, because travelers can bring them in their bags from one place to another, and regular cleaning protocols will do nothing to dislodge them.

You can check for bloodspots on the sheets, and you can look under the cushions and mattresses for their telltale round, flat, brown bodies.

Other signs are shed exoskeletons, brown poop spots, and a sweet-musty odor.

The reason the bathtub is safe is because the plug holes flood too often to be a welcoming hiding spot. That makes it an ideal spot to stow your luggage for the first night or two while you wait to see if you wake up with bites.

Ick.

Happy travels, friends.

Try not to get caught up in all of the grossness you pass through along the way.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about why we should be worried about the leak in the bottom of the ocean.