This influencer washed her dirty underwear in a hotel coffee machine, and people are FUMING

An influencer has gone viral for all the wrong reasons after telling followers they can clean dirty underwear using hotel room coffee makers.

Tara Woodcox sparked outrage online when she shared the eyebrow-raising travel tip with her 700,000 TikTok followers, suggesting the appliance could double up as a makeshift laundry device in emergencies.

@tarawoodcox11 Travel hacks! #fyp #foryoupage #travel #clean #wow ♬ original sound – Tara Woodcox

In the clip, she imagined a scenario where travellers run out of clean underwear mid-trip and panic about what to wear the next day. Her solution? Use the in-room coffee machine. According to Woodcox, you can place underwear in the compartment where coffee grounds normally go, run a brew cycle so hot water flushes through it, then finish the job by blow-drying the item with the bathroom hairdryer.

She added that she’d learned the “hack” from a flight attendant friend and was surprised more people didn’t already know about it.

People were quick to slam the advice as deeply unhygienic and inconsiderate, with many horrified at the idea that shared hotel appliances might be used that way.

“Let’s bring back basic consideration for other people,” one person replied.

“Why wouldn’t you just wash them in the sink like everyone else?” another asked.

Women, please do not use the hotel coffee maker to clean your underwear. That’s disgusting. Thank you.

— Mandy (@MarindaVannoy1) February 23, 2026

Most Read

Everything else John Davidson shouted at the BAFTAs, as racial slur causes Tourette’s debate

Bonnie Blue gives feral pregnancy update, two weeks after 400 man ‘breeding’ stunt

Omg, Bonnie Blue reveals she’s actually pregnant after 400-man no protection challenge

Others said the tip had permanently put them off using in-room coffee makers, while one commenter tagged major hotel chains, including Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton and Holiday Inn, to flag the video.

The controversy has also reignited long-running debates about how well hotel room amenities are cleaned between guests, with some saying they’ll now avoid them entirely.

Meanwhile, rumours have begun circulating online claiming Woodcox could face a $1 million (£739,710) lawsuit linked to the clip. There is currently no public court record indicating any legal action has been filed.

Woodcox first responded to her her viral, resurfaced video in a post to Instagram yesterday, in which she laughed as she said, “I’ve never actually done that, but this is really funny, you guys.”

However, many people don’t believe her, with one commenting: “Funny how it was brilliant when you said it until the internet heard it.”

“The strength you have for all this back peddling is insane!”, another added.

The influencer went on to say that she had heard about the travel tip “from a friend before.”

Regardless, it’s probably safest to keep hotel coffee machines reserved for their intended purpose, making coffee.

For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook.

Featured image credit: TikTok