The Hotel Room Habit That Sounds Smart—but You Should Think Twice Before Trying It

Checking into a hotel usually means one thing: dropping your bags, taking a breath, and finally relaxing. But there are a few small things experienced travelers often do before settling in—and one unusual hotel-room tip has recently attracted plenty of attention.

The idea is simple: boil water in the room’s electric kettle and then pour the hot water into the toilet.

It sounds like a clever way to make use of the kettle while supposedly improving hygiene. But there is an important problem with this advice: boiling water is not a reliable way to disinfect a hotel toilet, and pouring very hot water into a toilet can potentially damage the porcelain or plumbing.

So what should travelers actually do when they arrive?

Why Hotel Kettles Deserve a Quick Check

Electric kettles are common in hotel rooms,