Many people cherish their shower routine—it’s a time when they feel invigorated and refreshed. However, how long will you stay clean if you reach for an old towel to dry off?
It’s easy to assume that because you’re clean when you dry off, your bath towel remains fairly clean even after several uses. Yet, bath towels harbour a variety of microorganisms that you might not want as part of your hygiene routine.
Towels absorb a lot of water and remain damp for hours, creating the perfect breeding ground for unwanted germs. Therefore, towels should be washed every three uses.
You have 19 million skin cells and 650 sweat glands in every inch of your body, and one powerful tool keeps it all clean day after day: your bath towel.
Dead cells make up the top 20 layers of your skin. Some of these cells wash away in the shower, but many will end up on your bath towel each day.
How often to wash towels
The best way to prevent germs from growing on your bath towel is to let it dry completely between each use and wash it frequently.
The Cleaning Institute recommends washing bath towels after three uses. If you shower every day, that means doing laundry almost twice a week. Regular laundering is sufficient to clean towels and remove any accumulating germs.
Washcloths that you use to lather and scrub in the shower should be air-dried and washed after every use.
Factors that warrant more frequent washing
Certain circumstances call for washing your bath towels more often than twice a week:
- Any towel that has body fluids on it should be washed after just one use.
- Gym towels that soak up sweat or towels that stay damp in your gym bag for a few hours should be washed after one use.
- Towels kept in a bathroom that’s usually damp and don’t dry fully should be washed after one use.
- If you have eczema or sensitive skin, wash all of your towels after one use to prevent further irritation.
Frequently washing your towels—and always letting them air-dry before placing them in the hamper—will deter the growth of unwelcome bacteria and fungi.
What if you don’t wash towels?
Unfortunately, dirty towels can spread viruses, fungi, and bacteria. The consequences of using a dirty towel include irritated skin and possibly spreading infections. The bacteria that cause staph infections (MRSA) are known to spread on towels and linens.
You should never share a towel with someone you don’t know or someone who’s ill. It’s not catastrophic if you use your towel a few more times between washes, but you and your skin will be healthier the more often you wash them.
Best way to wash towels
- Always hang them to dry before putting them in the laundry pile. Don’t put wet towels directly in the hamper.
- Bleach isn’t necessary to kill germs on towels.
- Follow product instructions for laundry detergent to ensure maximum efficiency. This can mean adjusting your water levels and temperature.
- Consider using a laundry booster or adding vinegar to your rinse cycle.
- Read the washing machine manual or contact the manufacturer to determine how often your washing machine needs to be sanitised. Running a rinse cycle with just vinegar can eliminate unwanted bacteria in the machine.
- Don’t overload your washing machine with towels. When in doubt, take one out. A too-full machine means towels won’t get as much detergent, water, or movement to get clean.
How often should you replace your towels?
The lifespan of a bath towel depends on its quality and how you care for it. Very cheap towels may unravel quicker, and using water that’s too hot can also start to break down the fibres faster.
Always read the bath towel’s product tag and follow washing instructions to get the most out of it.
If towels develop a damp or musty smell, try using the sanitising setting on your washing machine. You can also soak towels in vinegar to eliminate smells or hang them on a clothesline to sun-bleach stains and remove odour.
How often should you wash bath mats?
While bath mats don’t get quite as soaked as bath towels, you do walk on them multiple times per day. Not to mention guests and pets traipsing through the bathroom. You could wash bath mats every time you do towel laundry, or at least once a week to maintain hygiene.
Takeaway
It’s hygienic to reuse a bath towel two or three times between washes. However, damp bathrooms and towels can quickly become home to many unwanted microorganisms.
Regular laundry washes are sufficient for killing germs and refreshing your towels. To keep towels their cleanest, always hang them and let them fully dry between uses.
Ksenia owns her own dermatology clinic in London and is a nutritionist consultant. Ksenia is also a regular contributor to popular media outlets. In her spare time, she enjoys horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, rummaging in vintage stores and countryside walks.
ksenia@shopgiejo.com
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