Hotel etiquette: Don't wash your underwear in the coffee machine

An American influencer has sparked a fiery debate online about hotel etiquette after sharing "one of the coolest tricks" for travellers. 

Tara Woodcox's travel hack involves washing dirty underwear in your hotel room's coffee machine. She originally shared the video in November last year, but it has resurfaced and blown up on TikTok and Instagram. 

"So you're travelling, and you didn't pack enough underwear.... all you have to do [is] put your underwear where you would put the coffee grounds, you close it, you press brew, and it puts scorching hot water through it."

Woodcox adds that you can then use the hairdryer in the bathroom to dry the underwear. 

"You blow-dry those bad boys, and you got yourself a cleaner pair of underwear to wear... I learned it years ago from a friend that was a flight attendant, and it's brilliant."

READ: Woman uses her bra to open car window after locking keys inside

Brilliant? More like "disturbing" according to scores of people on the internet. Many have vowed never to use their hotel's coffee machines ever again.

They also question why she couldn't just wash her underwear in the shower or the bathroom sink. 

"Omg. I will never drink coffee out of one of those pots again. Why not just get hot water in a cup from there and wash it?" one TikToker asked. 

Another user wrote: "This has to be an arrestable offence."

An Instagram user commented, "She needs to be charged. Using a communal item in a way in which it was not intended that could cause harm to others deserves jail time."

"I’m shocked this video hasn’t been deleted. This surely has to be evidence for hotels to take action. This is so unsettling. I’m so concerned for anyone who has caught anything from you or anyone listening to this advice. It’s not ok, this is not ok. Please delete this video," another user wrote. 

Some people accused the woman of rage-baiting people for social media views. However, Woodcox clarified in the comments section of her TikTok post that she doesn't use the hack herself. 

"I'm not saying I do it. I wouldn't. I learned this from a friend that's a flight attendant. It's very common in the world and I had no idea." 

She replied in a separate comment that she no longer drinks hotel-room coffee. "I was so disgusted when I learned of this."

Rage bait or not, many people will no longer be using the coffee machines in their hotel rooms. 

We are sharing the dos and don'ts of hotel etiquette to help travellers avoid inconveniencing others during their hotel stays. 

Hotel etiquette 101: 

• Don't misuse towels: You wouldn't wipe off your makeup or a wine spill with a white towel, so why do it at a hotel?
• Do respect staff at all times: Treating staff like servants is a big no. Just because you are paying for a service does not give you the right to yell at staff. Basic manners go a long way when travelling. 
• Don't ask staff to change the rules for you: Rules exist for a reason, and you could be putting their jobs on the line. 
• Do keep noise levels low: Hotels are shared spaces, so be considerate of others at all times. People sleep in the rooms at any time of the day, not just at night. 
• Don't ignore "no smoking" notices:  Not only will you be fined, but you could also be asked to leave. 
• Do read the welcome message: It contains important information that will help make your stay more pleasant. Also, calling the reception to ask for the Wi-Fi password is not a good look when it is literally in the welcome message.
• Don't treat the hallway like your personal space: Kids playing there, especially unsupervised, or parents talking loudly on their phone's speakerphone, are frowned upon. 
• Do try to keep your room somewhat tidy: Yes, you are on vacation, and staff prefer guests to leave beds unmade, but that doesn't mean you should leave the room in a dirty state. 
• Do not wash your dirty underwear in the coffee machine: it is not only gross but also poses a health risk to others. 

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