The last thing you want after taking a shower is to dry off and realize your towel isn’t as clean as you think it is. Having a tidy bathroom and clean linens provides more than peace of mind, it can also ensure that you aren’t drying off with a towel teeming with germs.
Even though your bathroom towels may look clean, they could be holding massive amounts of bacteria. Here’s everything to know about how often you should wash your bath towels to keep them in tip-top shape. Plus, the best temperature for getting them the cleanest.
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Why do you need to clean your bath towels so often?
When you dry off with towels, they get moist. This porous, damp environment is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. A common bath towel can have yeast, mold and E. coli growing on it without you ever knowing it. Gross, right? Regular washing prevents bacteria from growing.
When should you reuse or wash bathroom towels?
Consumer Reports says that under normal circumstances, a towel can be used three or four times before it needs to be washed. That’s “times” not “days.” If you have many family members using a towel (like hand towels), it needs to be washed on the third or fourth use.
The condition of the person using the towel matters, too. If they’re sick, toss it in the laundry after one use. If it’s flu season, it’s best for every family member to have their own towel — even if they aren’t exhibiting symptoms — to prevent the potential spread of germs.
How often you wash towels also depends on how they’re dried after use. If towels find themselves on the floor, the lack of air circulation will cause bacteria to grow quickly. To prolong the life of your towel, be sure to place damp towels on a towel rack. Better yet, crack open a window or turn on the fan to reduce moisture in the room.
What temperature is best for washing bath towels?
The Infection Control department of Mid-Western Regional Hospital of Ennis, Ireland, recommends washing towels in water that is at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) or more to kill bacteria. So if you have a sanitize mode on your washing machine, use it. If not, you may consider raising the temperature on your water heater while washing that load. Be sure young children are supervised around sinks, tubs and showers while you do laundry, though, to prevent burns.
And, before you reach for the fabric softener, don’t. Fabric softener leaves residue on towels that makes them less absorbent.
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