A shocking “travel hack” for “a cleaner pair of underwear” has many online users never wanting to use a hotel room coffee maker ever again.
Tara Woodcox is an internet personality who describes herself as a fitness and nutrition coach and mother of three. In a video shared on Instagram and TikTok back in November, she revealed a “travel hack” that many find disturbing and even a possible health violation.
Woodcox explained that travelers can put their dirty underwear in a coffee pod in a hotel room’s coffee maker. She said that once the garment is in place, the traveler should close the compartment and start the machine, letting the hot water run through the underwear. Afterward, she suggested that travelers blow-dry their underwear with a hotel room hair dryer. At the top of the clip, she described the method as one of the “coolest tricks” ever. She also noted that the hack is for those who might not have packed enough underwear for their trip.
“I did not realize how many people already knew this hack. I learned it years ago from a friend that was a flight attendant, and it’s brilliant,” Woodcox said at the end of the video.
“Needless to say, I don’t drink hotel room coffee anymore 🙃🤮,” she added in the caption of the Instagram Reel.
What Else Is There To Know About The Viral Video?
The video has garnered immense backlash and generated confusion. It currently has over 807,000 views on Instagram and 627,900 on TikTok across Woodcox’s respective accounts. Though posted last November, the clip has only seemingly shown up on many users’ feeds in recent weeks.
“Why not wash them in the sink with hot water and soap and dry them with the dryer? This has to be a joke right?” one person commented on Instagram.
“Is this considered a risk to public safety?” asked a TikTok user.
“And yet, in all of this, there was no soap involved,” added another TikTok user, commenting on the underwear “washing” method.
In 2023, Woodcox posted a TikTok video in which she explained more backstory. In part, the text on the screen said, “I was told once that people used the coffee maker in their hotel room to clean their underwear… It made sense… boiling hot water would clean them… I thought this was something everyone knew.”
“I have never done it, but I steer clear from using it [hotel room coffee makers],” she added.
In a February 2026 Instagram post, Woodcox commented again on the hack and stated, “I’ve never actually done that, but this – it’s really funny you guys.”
What Are The Dirtiest Items In A Hotel Room?
According to a 2025 Travel + Leisure article, experts say that the dirtiest items in a hotel room include decorative pillows, “high-touch surfaces,” and “hidden contamination spots.” Among the questionable items named — in terms of cleanliness — were hotel room phones, carpets, and bathtubs, among others.
