Viewers raised major hygiene concerns over the strange travel tip
A woman has triggered major backlash online after opening up about a strange and frankly gross habit she uses in hotel rooms.
In a TikTok video, the travel influencer shared what she claims is a helpful tip for anyone who goes on a trip and realizes they did not pack enough underwear, or simply forgot to bring a proper amount for the length of their stay.
Most people can relate to packing mistakes while traveling, and running out of essentials does happen. However, it was her specific solution to the problem that left viewers confused, uncomfortable, and in many cases completely stunned.
While sitting beside the coffee machine in her hotel room, the woman calmly explained what she does when she runs out of clean underwear during a trip.
She said she learned the trick from a flight attendant and described it as a useful travel “hack.” According to her, the method involves using the hotel coffee machine as a way to wash dirty underwear.
“Put your underwear where you would put the coffee grounds,” she said.
“You close it, you press brew, and it puts scorching hot water through it.”
She went on to explain that after running the hot water through the underwear, you can use the hotel hairdryer to “blow dry” the fabric. She suggested that this process leaves you with a “cleaner” pair that you can wear again the following day.
It did not take long for the comment section to explode. Many viewers reacted with shock and strong disgust, raising serious concerns about hygiene and the safety of using shared hotel appliances in that way.
One person wrote: “Is this considered a risk to public safety?”
Another commenter added: “Other options: 1) BUY new underwear 2) Wash the underwear when you shower 3) Wash in the sink 4) BE PREPARED AND PACK EXTRA UNDERWEAR.”
A third person chimed in and said: “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.”
Several others described the idea as “disgusting,” and one user summed up their reaction by writing: “That’s biohazard behavior.”
According to Forbes, there are valid health concerns linked to this kind of practice. One major issue is the risk that the underwear could contaminate the coffee machine, while the machine itself could also transfer bacteria or viruses onto the fabric.
The publication also pointed out that although many people assume the hot water inside a coffee machine is enough to disinfect it, that assumption may not be accurate.
The water temperature inside most coffee machines may not reach levels high enough to kill certain viruses. Some viruses, including norovirus, can survive at relatively high temperatures.
Experts also explain that pathogens need exposure to high heat for a sustained period of time in order to be fully neutralized. Water that passes quickly through a coffee machine at a moderate temperature may not be enough to properly sanitize anything placed inside it.
When you look at all of this together, it makes sense why so many people reacted strongly. At the very least, travelers should check that hotel appliances are clean before using them, and they should not assume that paying for a higher-end room guarantees proper sanitation standards.
The woman claimed it was a good way to clean underwear Getty Stock Photo
Content retrieved from: https://www.thatviralfeed.com/woman-hotel-underwear-hack-coffee-machine-biohazard-outrage/109693.
