It’s the small plastic cap sitting by the sink, and most guests never open it. These hotel shower cap uses turn a hotel bathroom extra into a handy travel tool: a shoe cover, a dish cover, a shield for a camera body, a barrier for the TV remote, a pouch for dirty laundry and even a makeshift ice pack. They’re quick, they’re cheap and they’re easy to try.
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 pinch, hold ice. It isn’t waterproof gear, a leakproof bag or a food container, so treat each use as a quick 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 th
