BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Low Carb Washing Towels after Every Shower

OK for some reason this topic has stuck in my mind for *years*. We wash our towels about once a week. I had talked with someone in these forums who washed their towel literally after every use. To me that seemed very wasteful of energy and water, since the towel had only been used to towel off a clean person. And the point of a towel rack is to let the towel hang dry after being used. But it still makes me think - how many people do this? Is there an entire block of people who daily wash all their towels? How much laundry could a single household do in a week?

So how often do you wash your towels?

Wow, didn't realize people did that. How wasteful. I wash ours once a week.

I really like it when hotels have the notice up that they are trying to save the environment and to place the towels someplace if they don't need to be washed. Oregon has this in every hotel I've stayed in there. I don't see it too many other places though.

I wash our towels a couple of times a week. It may seem wasteful, but I do it for health reasons. Washing towels frequently prevents the spread of bacteria such as MRSA. This time of year with cold and flu germs, I have to do it, I can't help it. In the summer, the towels smell if not washed often enough.

I don't wash my towels until they start to get stinky.

I wash the towels after 3-4 uses. If I stretch it any longer than that, the towels tend to have a mildew smell.

I wash ours once a week, sometimes more. In the summer, I hang a line in the sun and hang the towels to dry. If the towel does not dry quickly, I will wash it the same day as it was used, just to prevent the spread of germs. Each person uses the same towel.

The key to keep the towels from staying moist is the hang them so the air circulates around them easily. Don't just throw them over the showerdoor, any bacteria on the shower door or curtain will transfer right to the towel.

Guilty! I wash towels every time! Now I feel bad about it! LOL

I actually have been thinking I should hang my towels and reuse, and I've tried a few times, and there's no excuse for it and dang it, I need to do that! I don't know why I do it except I guess that's just what I was used to doing. I'm pretty sure my mother does the same thing, so that's where it came from.

I do use my hand towels for several days, though! And, since my hair isn't long now, I use hand towels for it instead of bath towels (yes, I used to use two a day!)

I do wash my kitchen towels and wiping cloths often, though--I use them and then put them in a holding basket until I have a load (with the towels) and I use bleach. The sponge goes in the dishwasher. Health dept inspectors scared me silly with foodborne illness warnings when I was in the food biz, so I'm a big fan of germ-free kitchens, and most kitchen sponges and wiping cloths are infested with bacteria!

My bath towels are washed about once a week. I always hang them over the shower curtain rod (is that what it's called?) so they dry quickly. I've never had a problem with mildew or smelly towels.

HaHaHa - that is too funny!

Everyone should have their own personal bath and hand towels. No swapping. I wash these once a week if they are not dirty or wet. Kitchen towels daily and all get hung out in the sun wind or frost. Guests always get a fresh towel. We all have different coloured towels so no mistakes. You cannot be too careful today. Bugs and germs are so easily picked up. Same goes for face cloths..wash flannels...they can be quite dangerous because of the wetness. Sponges are even worse. I even get my granddaughter to make little hats for the toothbrushes with drawstrings...These keep any airborne germs at bay in the bathroom. I know it sounds paranoid but things aren't quite as safe as they used to be where strange new viruses are concerned...we now have a flesh eating MRSA over here that likes to live in gyms, schools and doctor's waiting rooms. Tip...if you are going out in a public place wear gloves...it saves picking up nasty bugs from handrails etc.

Fay