Hotel Tip of the Day. It’s a tiny, almost subconscious act that savvy travelers know by heart, yet it goes unnoticed by many. You check into your hotel room, drop your bags, and head to the bathroom. There, perched neatly on the soap dish, is a fresh, pristine bar of soap.
And the first thing you should do? Pick it up and place it on a dry washcloth.
This isn’t just a quirky habit; it’s a simple, yet genius, hotel hack that vastly improves your stay, keeps your bathroom tidier, and even saves you a tiny bit of hassle.
Hotel soap dishes, while aesthetically pleasing, are often designed without much thought for practical longevity. They typically have poor drainage: Many are shallow or have minimal grooves, meaning water pools directly around the soap. Also, they are typically made of non-absorbent material: Made from ceramic, plastic, or metal, they hold moisture.
What happens when you combine these factors with a wet bar of soap after a shower?
- The “Melting” Phenomenon: The soap sits in a puddle, constantly dissolving. This not only wastes the soap but turns it into a gooey, soft mess.
- The Sticky Situation: That dissolved soap residue then hardens, cementing the bar to the dish. The next time you pick it up, it pulls away with a sticky, slimy underside.
- The Mess: This goo often smears onto the counter, creating an unnecessary cleaning task for you or housekeeping.
- Reduced Lather: A perpetually wet, soft bar of soap doesn’t lather as effectively as a firm one.
Enter the washcloth. It’s usually pristine, folded neatly, and sitting ready for use. By placing the bar of soap on a dry washcloth after each use, you unlock a cascade of benefits:
- It Stays Dry: The washcloth absorbs excess water from the soap, allowing it to dry out properly between uses. This keeps the bar firm and long-lasting.
- No Gooey Mess: With proper drainage (into the cloth), the soap won’t turn into a sticky blob. This means a clean soap bar, a clean dish, and a clean counter.
- Better Lather: A dry, firm bar produces a richer, more luxurious lather, enhancing your showering or hand-washing experience.
- Extends Soap Life: You’ll get more uses out of that small hotel bar, reducing waste.
- Happier Housekeeping: A clean soap dish means one less scrubbing task for the housekeeping staff – a small courtesy that goes a long way.
This isn’t about being overly fastidious; it’s about optimizing a small element of your hotel stay for maximum comfort and cleanliness. It transforms the often-annoying gooey soap experience into one that’s consistently pleasant.
So, the next time you unpack in your hotel room, remember the unwritten rule. Grab that fresh bar of soap, grab a dry washcloth, and set them up for success. It’s a tiny trick, but one that makes a surprisingly big difference in elevating your bathroom routine from sticky to sublime.