The Ultimate Travel Hack: 8 Unexpected Uses for a Hotel Shower Cap

It’s the small plastic cap sitting by the sink, and most guests never open it. But this humble hotel bathroom extra is actually a surprisingly versatile travel tool. From protecting your clean clothes in a suitcase to organizing small items, a shower cap can be a handy companion on your journeys. Here are eight clever ways to put a hotel shower cap to work beyond the shower.

The short answer: a shower cap from your hotel bathroom can cover shoes in your suitcase, act as a loose cover for a plate of leftovers, shield a camera body from a light sprinkle, act as a barrier for the TV remote, catch a few drips from a closed bottle, separate dirty undergarments or swimwear, bundle small supplies and, in a makeshift ice pack. However, it is not waterproof gear, a leakproof bag, or a food container, so treat each use as a quick, temporary fix.

Eight hotel shower cap uses

1Cover shoes in your suitcase

Verdict: the best use. Slip a cap over the sole of each shoe before you pack, and it helps keep dirt off your clothes. It’s our practical tip, and it works best with the elastic edge snug around the heel. A thin cap can tear or slip, so pack shoes sole to sole and check them when you unpack. Our packing tips guide has more ways to keep a suitcase organized.

2Cover a plate of leftovers

Verdict: fine as a loose cover for a short time, not as food storage. If you’re saving restaurant leftovers for later, a cap over the plate keeps the food off the mini-fridge shelf and out of the dust. Keep it from touching the food, since it’s made for hair, not food. The USDA says leftovers should be refrigerated within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), so don’t treat a cap as a reason to leave food out. Transfer the leftovers to a clean, covered food container as soon as practical, which is our practical advice.

3Shield a camera body from a sprinkle

Verdict: a stopgap for a light drizzle only. A cap stretched over the camera body can keep off a passing sprinkle, but it isn’t designed to protect camera gear and it isn’t dependable rain protection. Keep the lens and front element clear, keep the cap away from the screen and viewfinder, and dry the camera when you’re back inside. Don’t trust it in heavy rain, around water or for a dunk.

4Cover the TV remote

Verdict: reasonable, but it’s a barrier, not a clean. A 2012 University of Houston-led study sampled 19 surfaces in each of nine hotel rooms and found the TV remote among the most contaminated, along with the bedside lamp switch. It was small and preliminary, and the researchers couldn’t say whether the bacteria cause disease, so this isn’t a reason to panic. A cap over the remote means you touch the cap instead. It doesn’t disinfect the remote, so throw the cap away when you check out. Our guide to hotel room habits to avoid covers more.

5Catch drips from a bottle

Verdict: catches a few drips, nothing more. Stretch a cap over a closed travel bottle to catch a little seepage if the top weeps. It won’t stop a real leak, so keep the bottle upright and put it in a sealed bag if a spill could damage your belongings. Our guide to hotel toiletry bottles covers what to do with the minis themselves.

6Bag dirty undergarments or swimwear

Verdict: good for one item, not a leakproof bag. A cap keeps a pair of dirty undergarments or a damp swimsuit separate from your clean clothes. Squeeze out and air-dry what you can first, since the cap isn’t watertight and a soaked swimsuit will leak. Put the capped item in a plastic bag too, and unpack it as soon as you’re home, because damp fabric left in a closed bag can turn musty, as we explain in our guide to getting mildew out of clothes. These are our practical tips, not tested methods.

7Bundle small supplies

Verdict: handy for small dry items, not liquids. A cap works as a lightweight pouch for hair ties, cotton swabs or a travel sewing kit. Dry detergent sheets can go in too, but only in their own packaging, since the cap isn’t a protective package. Gather the elastic and knot it or tuck it in a bag. It isn’t a leakproof container, so keep liquids, loose powders and laundry pods in sealed containers.

8Make a quick ice pack

Verdict: in a pinch only, and not a reliable ice pack. A cap isn’t designed to hold melting ice and may leak, so a sealed bag or a proper cold pack is better. If you have nothing else, fill a cap with ice, twist the top and tuck it inside a second cap. Wrap it in a thin towel or washcloth so the ice isn’t pressed directly against bare skin, and stop if it hurts or the skin turns numb. It will leak as the ice melts, so use it near the sink. If you have a real injury, see a medical professional.

Quick tips before you use one

• Use a fresh cap for hair. If a cap has covered shoes, laundry or a remote, keep it for that job.
• Ask for extras. If you plan to use a few, you can ask housekeeping for extras.
• Don’t rely on it for safety. It’s thin plastic and not a replacement for a rain cover or food container.

Hotel shower cap questions, answered

Can a hotel shower cap protect a camera?

From a light sprinkle, maybe, over the camera body only. It isn’t designed to protect camera gear, so keep it away from heavy rain and water.

Can you cover food with a shower cap?

As a loose cover over a plate in a hotel fridge, yes, if it doesn’t touch the food. It isn’t a food container, and the USDA says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Does covering the TV remote keep it clean?

No. It keeps your hands off the remote itself, but it doesn’t disinfect it, and the cap’s outside gets touched. Throw it away when you leave.

Can a shower cap work as an ice pack?

Only as a last resort. It may leak, so use a sealed bag or a proper cold pack if you can, and keep a towel between the ice and your skin.

Can you reuse a hotel shower cap?

For shoes, a bottle or a camera, yes. We would not use a cap on your hair after it has covered shoes or a remote.

The bottom line

A shower cap is a small hotel bathroom extra that can earn a spot in your suitcase. Use it on your shoes, a plate of leftovers, the remote, dirty laundry, small supplies or, in a pinch, a bag of ice, and think of it as a quick fix, not a tested solution.

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