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 and bacteria.
Here’s everything to know about how often you should wash your bath towels, plus how to keep them in tip-top shape.
How often should you wash bath towels?
Under normal circumstances, a towel can be used three or five times before it needs to be washed, according to Consumer Reports. That’s “times,” not “days.” If you have many family members using the same towel, such as hand towels, it needs to be washed on the third or fourth use.
The person using the towel matters, too, meaning if someone with the cold or flu or another type of virus is using the towel, it should only be used once before you toss it in the laundry. 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.
There’s also another factor that will help determine how often you should wash your towels: how they’re dried after use. If used towels end up on the floor after your shower, 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 a fan to reduce moisture in the room.
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 can prevent this.
What temperature is best for washing bath towels?
The Infection Control department of Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Ennis, Ireland, recommends washing towels in water at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) to kill bacteria. If your washing machine has a sanitize mode, use it. If not, you may consider raising the temperature on your water heater while washing that specific load.
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