How long should you keep bath towels before throwing them away?

Question

2 years, 5 years? i got married almost 4 years ago and i still have some towels since then, should i toss them and buy more?

Answer 1

Just take a good look at them and decide if you'd want your guests to see them. There's no specific lifespan for a towel, but they're not very expensive so you could splurge on a new set if you feel like it. I use the old ones to dry the cat and dog after their bath.

Answer 2

Yearly! Think of the countless times they have been used. A shower once a day for 4 years puts the towels at 1,500 uses. WOW....Unless you bleach them and hot water wash every time, there is probably a lot of germs in them even after the wash. I change mine yearly when spring hits, along with the bedsheets. Toss them out and get new ones, It is way worth it. Think 10 towels, $10 a piece, is only $100 a year. That is only $8.33 a month. Very inexpensive. You could get 20 towels a year for less than $20 a month. If you don't want to spend the lump sum of $100-$200 at once, monthly is $20. Even if you buy 2 towels and use them for a month then throw them away, get 2 more, it's better than the same old towels. Use the old ones for cleaning rags.
Hope this helps......

Answer 3

There is no time limit. Every family uses them differently.

I use them till I am tired of them, or they look frazzled or if I change bath colors. Trust me that is not every year and many of mine are over 4 years old.

NEVER throw them away. Either they make good rags for car washing etc. Or bundle them in sets and sell them in a yard sale (towels sell really well) or give the to Goodwill.

Answer 4

Keep them as long as you like. They usually get softer with wear. You don't have to put the older towels out when you have company but why not get the full wear out of them before you turn them into rags or towels for cleaning your car?

Answer 5

there really is no time limit like that of a mattress because you can wash your towels with bleach thus killing any bacteria.

it's just a matter of preference. if you are looking for an excuse to go out and buy new towels, just splurge! i'm sure you're worth it!

i buy new towels all the time just because i like the new feeling. but i still have some towels that i bought over 15 years ago just because they have held up.

best of luck!

Answer 6

I've got towels that are going on 5 years. as long as you wash them regularly, they're fine. if they don't have holes in them or gross stains, there is nothing wrong with keeping them.

if you want a few new towels to spruce up your bathroom, buy some though. I'd still say to keep the old ones until they get raggedy, though.

Answer 7

i got married over a year ago and still havnt hardly used my new towels. those are our nice towels. they come out when we have guests who are sleeping over. I dont think you can say a towel is too old. it just depends on the wear and tear and of course the quality. if they are soft and clean and do the job why get rid of them? if they are "old", use the towels for cleaning the garage, washing your car, animals and for spills.

Answer 8

I've had some of my towels for years and they are in great condition. i would only tear them up and use them in the garage for cleaning if they started to get holes in them. i don't think I'd throw them away, i would find another use for them. good quality towels last for a very long time!

Answer 9

I kept our towels for about 20 years. They were so soft and thin, and I just loved them. I ended up donating them to an emergency veterinary hospital, because they need loads of soft clean towels. And I kept 2 of them to wrap up my hair.

Answer 10

As long as they are in good shape and cleaned when needed then keep them for as long as they last. I was married 7 years ago and still have a set that we received. I am surprised that it hasn't faded in color greatly either. I won't throw them out unless they get holes in them.