We've all heard of the cliche travel hacks, but do any of them actually work?

If you're loathe to trust a viral "I threw my whole wardrobe into a pillow case and they let me take it on the plane!" TikTok video, and prefer your travel tips the old fashioned way, the battle hardened travellers of Reddit's r/travel community have this week come out with a bunch of travel hacks that you might actually get away with. 

After Reddit user u/BigBritNotBen asked other users to share their "most obscure yet vital travel tip?" that would be crucial "for beginner and veteran travels alike" the community came out with some excellent pieces of advice. From the outlandish to the unknown, here they are. 

Carry a wad of cash separate to your wallet

The highest rated suggestion from this community of keen travellers came from a Reddit user called Gezuntheit, who wrote: "When traveling off the beaten track where personal safety is less certain (basically anywhere that you're not supposed to be out at night) carry at least $50 to $100 in cash in a separate pocket from your money/cards/etc."

"That's enough to give a potential assailant that warm feeling of achievement, so they will let you go."

Another Reddit user added: "Or have a decoy wallet and CCs/cash/ID in a separate pocket."

Bring your own sunscreen and insect repellent 

Reddit user sudoku602's advice was the second most popular in the thread. She wrote: "For some reason it’s often difficult to find sunblock and mosquito repellent in countries with lots of sun and mosquitoes. Take them with you!"

Another Reddit user chimed in: "And if you're going to an island, definitely pick up enough for your whole trip beforehand. Nothing like being charged €30 for a single bottle of 30 SPF because they know they have a captive market."

Yet another added: "And in some Asian countries it can be difficult to find sunblock without skin whitening agents."

Brush your teeth as soon as you land

Who needs business class when you can just brush your teeth? In all seriousness, this can make a world of difference to how you look, feel and smell at the end of a flight.

As one Redditor put it: "Brushing your teeth is the quickest way to feel human again after long flights. Have toothpaste and brush ready so you can do this before you leave the airport."

Use dry shampoo

See tourist attractions on rainy days 

Like tourists off a duck's back? Apparently bringing a raincoat is a gamechanger, because it lets you see normally bursting at the cement tourist attractions with much milder crowds. 

As Reddit user PieMastaSam explained: "Having light rain gear on a rainy day can make normally packed activities wait free."

Cut your nails before your trip

To paraphrase a 2012 meme, "ain't nobody got time for dat." Or as Reddit user SwampSleep66 puts it: "Clip your nails before the trip. Toes and fingers."

Go to the toilet when you have the chance

One Redditor wrote: "On long trips my mum and I believe never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, and never pass up an opportunity to use a toilet."

Another said: "Traveling Italy I'm tired of paying 1 euro for bathroom, so I never miss an opportunity to use a free one in a museum or a restaurant."

Another hot tip courtesy of the avid travel community was: "Use toilets in the hotel lobby of big hotels." How? "Just walk in confidently like you belong there."

Use a hotel pool shower - even if you're not staying there

Speaking of acting like you belong, Reddit user thecookingofjoy said they love a good shower to shake off the jetlag, writing: "I always try to take a shower after a red eye — in Iceland this is super easy because the swimming pools open early and you have to shower to use them, plus a nice soak in a hot tub is a bonus."

thecookingofjoy continued: "In other countries, if my hotel room isn’t ready yet, I’ll ask if they have any shower facilities in their gym or pool that I can use. The shower helps reset my brain and I can usually pull off a whole day of sightseeing without jet lag that first day!"

Another cheeky Reddit user said that you might be able to do this, even if you're not staying at the hotel in question, writing: "My friend even did this at a hotel she wasn’t staying at!"

"She had just finished a triathlon and had to get to a funeral, with no time to go home in between. The hotel had no issue." 

Schedule 'soft' days 

Some days we all just need some time to be a tortoise. Or as Reddit user Julie Rose 1961 cautions: "Always have spare days in your itinerary for either weather events, or just things you discover while you’re there."

Another Reddit user, pkzilla, agreed, adding: "I also always plan a soft day mid way. Depending on the place it's usually some form of spa or pampering. Beach do nothing day, hot spring, drink wine and picnic ect."