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Cameron Hewitt, longtime tour guide and article contributor to Rick Steves’ Europe, knows the pain of packing a wet swimsuit all too well. “There’s nothing quite as unappealing as wringing out a dripping swimsuit, wrapping it up in a plastic sack, and jamming it into your suitcase … only to pull out a moldy mess a few days later,” he writes in a blog post. Fortunately, there’s a clever fix found in many spas and swimming spots across Europe: the swimsuit centrifuge.
“Just stick in your suit, press down on the lid, feel it go for a super-spin-cycle lasting a few seconds, and pull out a suit that’s barely damp,” Hewitt shares. “Typically hidden away in some dark corner of in the locker room, these are very easy to miss, especially if you’re not looking for one. So…look for one.” They’re surprisingly common in thermal spas and aquatic centers across Europe.
So how do these handy-dandy swimsuit “dryers” work? Think of them like salad spinners for your swimwear. Instead of using heat, the machine spins around very fast, using the power of centrifugal force to remove up to 95% of the water in the fabric. This makes it a safe, easy-to-use, and energy efficient way to keep the locker rooms from turning into a puddle-covered mess. So, if you’re planning to hit a thermal spa, resort, or hotel pool on your European travels, don’t forget to scan the changing area for one before you shove that soggy swimwear in your bag. For even more of his firsthand travel tips, check out Hewitt’s round-up of the most overrated cities in Europe.
More tips for traveling with swimwear
Even if your locker room doesn’t have one of those handy centrifugal devices, there are other ways to avoid a soggy packing situation. One of the most obvious tricks is to bring a lightweight travel towel, especially one made from microfiber. These dry quickly and are great for pressing water out of swimsuits without stretching the fabric. If you’re on the go and forgot to plan for soaked swimwear, another genius hack for packing wet bathing suits is to use a shower cap — you might even find one already stocked in your hotel room.
If you travel often with clothes that end up wet or need separating, you may want to invest in a few laundry bags or wet/dry pouches (like this travel-sized Acteon Wet Dry Bag on Amazon). Also, when in Europe, you’ll likely find more options for hang-drying your laundry, as it’s more common than using electric dryers. If your hotel doesn’t have a balcony or clothesline, you can hang your suit in the shower or over a radiator. Some frequent travelers even pack a portable suction hook and travel clothesline so they can always hang-dry items overnight.
If you’re heading to multiple destinations — say, from Iceland’s Blue Lagoon to Budapest’s famous bathhouses — be sure to pack two swimsuits so you always have a dry backup ready to go. And to protect your suit in the long run, gently roll it in a towel to absorb moisture rather than wringing it out. Of course, if you’re lucky enough to find one of those locker room centrifuges, you’ll be all set. But if not, a little planning can easily keep your suitcase dry, your swimsuit in good shape, and your hotel room from smelling like a damp locker room.
