Written by Angela Reviewed by Daniel

12 Genius Hotel Laundry Hacks You’ll Wish You Knew Before Your Trip!

Picture this, you’re on a holiday or work trip, the skies open up, and suddenly you’re stuck with soaking wet clothes and no clue how to get them dry. Or maybe you’ve run out of clean socks (again) and resorted to a desperate sink wash. Either way, wet clothes in a hotel room is a recipe for stress, especially when time isn’t on your side.

But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be. With these genius hotel laundry hacks, you’ll know exactly what to do when disaster strikes. These aren’t just good-to-know tips, they’re the kind of hacks you’ll wish you’d learned before your last trip.

Trust me, your future self will thank you. Let’s take a look at how to get those clothes dry, fast!

Table of Contents

How To Dry Your Clothes In A Hotel Room

Wherever you try to dry your laundry, whether it’s at home or in a hotel room, the number one most important thing is airflow. You need to find some way to move the damp air away from the clothes to allow them to dry.

You see, your clothes dry by releasing moisture into the dryer air around them. If the surrounding air is full of moisture, the moisture already trapped in your clothes can’t escape and you’re left with a soggy mess instead of wearable clothes.

If you can, open the window in the room or get that extractor fan in the bathroom working with the door left open.

The 12 Steps To Dry Clothes In A Hotel Room

Let’s get started with the 12 drying hacks for when you’re away from home.

1. The Towel Burrito

This one’s an absolute classic. Grab a towel, lay it flat, and pop your wet clothes on top. Then roll it up like you’re making a giant Swiss roll.

Once it’s rolled tight, give it a good press all the way along. The towel will soak up loads of water, leaving your clothes just damp, not drenched.

Pro Tip: If you’re in a hot country, you can even wear slightly damp clothes. They’ll dry super fast and keep you cool.

2. Radiator Rescue

If your hotel room has a radiator, you’re laughing. Give your wet clothes a good wring out first, then drape them directly over the radiator (or hang them nearby if you’re worried about damage). Flip them over every hour, and you’ll be good to go.

3. Hair Dryer Heroics

Most hotel rooms have a hair dryer knocking about. Use it! Just keep it moving so you don’t end up melting your knickers. Focus on thick bits like seams, as they take the longest to dry.

You need to use the hair dryer on its highest heat setting with the nozzle around a hand’s length away from the clothes. It’s not exactly eco-friendly, but it’ll do the job in a pinch.

Take care: Not all unknown electrical equipment is safe, but it should be OK as long as you’re careful.

4. Shower Curtain Rail To The Rescue

This one’s a lifesaver. If you’ve got regular coat hangers, hang your wet clothes on them and pop them over the shower curtain rail. No hangers? No worries. Drape your clothes over the rail and spread them out so they get plenty of air.

You should give the rail a quick wipe first. Hotel cleaners don’t always get to those hard-to-reach places. Spread your wet clothes out to get maximum airflow and let the extractor fan do its stuff.

5. Iron Out The Damp

Hotels usually supply you with an iron and ironing board, and here’s your chance to actually use them. Lay your wet clothes on the board, pop a towel on top, and iron away. The heat and pressure will dry your clothes in no time.

You need to keep the iron moving constantly otherwise you might burn the towel or your clothes.

Safety Alert: Always check the iron for random gunk before you start. You don’t want some mystery stain ruining your favourite shirt. Plus as it’s not your iron, you can’t be sure it’s 100% safe, although it should be fine.

Oh, and never leave the iron switched on by itself and make sure it’s unplugged when you finish with it.

6. Fan-tastic Drying Hack

Got a fan in the room? Perfect. Hang up your clothes, position the fan about a metre away, and crank it up to full blast. It’s like creating your own little wind tunnel, and it works a treat.

Bonus Hack: Combine this with the towel burrito for extra speed. You’re basically a laundry ninja now.

7. Mini Tumble Dryer Magic

This one’s a bit of a faff but stick with us. Pop your wet clothes in the sink, cover them with a towel, and aim the hairdryer under the towel. The hot air gets trapped, drying your clothes faster. Flip them over every now and then to keep things even.

Before you start, make sure the sink is clean with no unwanted cleaning chemicals hanging around. You should also check that the hair dryer isn’t full of hair which could catch fire under the towel.

Warning: Keep an eye on the hairdryer, nobody wants an accidental meltdown. Literally.

8. A/C To The Rescue

Air conditioning doesn’t just keep you cool, it’s brilliant for drying clothes. Drape your wet bits over a chair or hang them somewhere with good airflow, then whack the A/C on full blast.

This one works well if you do the towel burrito trick first to get rid of excess moisture.

Science-y Bit: A/C removes moisture from the air, which speeds up drying. Fancy, eh?

9. Use The Room’s Radiator Or Towel Radiator

Most hotel bathrooms have heated towel rails, and they’re perfect for drying clothes. Just lay your clothes on the bars and turn them over every so often. Quick and easy.

If your bathroom doesn’t have a towel radiator but does have a radiator in the bedroom, you can either drape clothes directly over it or place them on a chair placed in front of the radiator.

Hot Tip: Make sure you don’t leave anything too long, or you might end up with scorch marks. Nobody needs crispy undies.

10. Use The Laundry Service

Alright, it’s not exactly a hack, but if you’re desperate, most hotels offer a laundry service. Just be prepared to part with some cash, and check the turnaround time if you’re in a rush.

11. Pack A Travel Clothesline

If you’re a frequent traveller, a portable clothesline is a total game changer. They’re stretchy, easy to pack, and let you hang clothes anywhere.

Plus, they come with pegs so your clothes don’t end up in a heap on the floor.

12. Choose Quick Dry Clothes

Avoid the drama entirely by packing clothes that dry super fast. Synthetic fabrics like polyester are your mates here. They’ll dry overnight with just a bit of airflow.

Pro Tip: Leave the heavy cotton at home unless you fancy hauling around soggy jumpers.

Over To You!

Have you got any genius laundry hacks we’ve missed? Share your tips in the comments! And don’t forget to pass this on to your mates, they’ll thank you next time they’re stuck with wet jeans and no clue what to do.

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