Say you haven’t been on vacation for a while and you’re a little rusty when it comes to travel dos and don’ts.
So, you do what most people do nowadays – turn to social media for some travel tips and hacks.
You then notice one particular TikTok video that keeps making the round these days.
“This must be rage bait,” you, and many others, think.
Unfortunately, whether the influencer was rage-baiting or not, the hack she shared apparently is an open secret in the industry.
Whether you’ve known of this for a long time or you’ve just recently come across it, please do not practise it or encourage others to. Just – please, we beg – do not wash your underwear or any other clothing in a hotel room’s coffee maker.
(Also, ladies, do not wash your reusable sanitary pads or menstrual cups in the water kettle, as some irresponsible parties have also admitted to doing.)
We understand wanting to keep things clean, but do ensure that it does not come at the expense of others.
If staying at a hotel has got you feeling iffy now, don’t fret – here are a few simple tricks you can actually follow to keep your peace of mind.
First, bring a sleeping bag liner. This way, even if the bedsheets look questionable, you’ll at least be cocooned inside your own clean haven when sleeping. Some travellers have also suggested bringing your own pillowcase.
Second, use the shower cap. Not just on your head. Wrap the remote controls (TV, AC, etc) with it to keep germs at bay – the remotes very rarely get cleaned.
You can also use shower caps to cover your shoes, especially when packing. In case the soles have been soiled, covering them can prevent the dirt from transferring to other items in the luggage.
Third, use foam shaving cream to remove stains. In case all the towels available are stained, you’ll want to try and remove any blemishes first before laundering the towels (by hand in the sink or shower would do – never in the coffee maker or kettle!)
This is also useful if you need to remove makeup or coffee stain from a towel before checking out, since you might get charged extra for the “damages”.
By the way, this is not so much a cleaning hack, but shaving cream can also be used to combat mirror fog. Wipe some on the mirror before showering, and that little patch won’t be affected by condensation.
Fourth one revolves around your personal hygiene. Shower cap aside, there is another thing for your head that can be used elsewhere. Yes, hair conditioner. It can be used as a substitute for shaving cream (to actually shave with) or laundry detergent.
Fifth hack is an acceptable use of the water kettle – to use it as a humidifier. Just boil some water and let the steam do the work.
This won’t keep your room clean per se, but it can help with making your stay more comfortable if the hotel room’s conditions are too dehydrating.
Besides, it adds a certain cosiness that can hopefully keep your mind off the stubborn stains and mysterious marks you’ve found on your linen.
Time to snuggle into the sleeping bag liner!
