Sometimes you have to get creative in your hotel room when you realize you forgot something at home or you just don’t have the things you need. After traveling full-time for 19 months I picked up some incredibly useful hotel room hacks along the way! Check them out:

Dealing With Stained Clothes

When I got black grease on a brand new white bathing suit from lying on a dirty lounge chair I thought my suit was garbage for sure. Turns out it was actually a super easy fix after I treated the stained area in Coca-cola from the mini fridge. I let the Coke soak in for 45 minutes before hand washing the suit in the bathroom sink. It worked like a charm and now I can’t even tell where the stain was! Side note – the fact that a can of Coke can be used to get grease out of clothing is enough to make me never drink it again.

Saving Leftover Meals

Have you ever ordered delicious (and overpriced) room service and ended up with a giant portion? Swipe the shower cap from the bathroom and stretch it over the plate to keep your food fresh in the fridge. Now that room service sandwich can be eaten for lunch tomorrow!

DIY Body Scrub

After too much sun my skin gets dry and scaly and the best way to deal with it is to use a body scrub. To make your own scrub in a hotel room mix one package of sugar, one package of instant coffee and a small dab of hair conditioner. Rub vigorously allover your (dry) body then rinse off with warm water. Smooth, glowing skin in no time!

Laundry In A Pinch

Shampoo doubles as laundry detergent when you desperately need clean clothes and your hotel doesn’t offer laundry services! Normally I bring a travel size container of liquid laundry detergent (or buy small bottles in grocery stores abroad) but in a pinch shampoo works fine. I also pack a “pegless travel clothing line” so I can easily hang laundry anywhere.

Getting Wrinkles Out

To get wrinkles out of clothes without an iron I boil water using the in-room kettle and run the creases overtop of the escaping steam. It works like a charm – even better than regular irons in my opinion, but that’s because I don’t really know how to iron…. #millennialproblems

Multi-Use Hair Conditioner

Hair conditioner can be used for so many things. I’ve used it as shaving cream, makeup remover, cuticle moisturizer and shoe polish. I even leave it in my hair overnight to act as a hair mask. Never waste a tiny bottle of hair conditioner again – find a use for it!