How often do you use a towel then wash it?

Question

I heard some people use theirs only once. What a waste of water and detergent. I, on the other hand, use a towel for 2-3 weeks. I don't stink, but is it unhealthy to use a towel more than once or twice.

Answer 1

Wow. Your sense of smell must not work very well. I bet that towel smells like a wet dog on day four, and reeks like low tide by week 2. I would ask someone "does this smell sour to you" and see what they say.

I round up all the towels 2 or 3 a week, sometime more often if I suspect anything icky has been going on or if anyone is the family is sick. Sick people get a new towel every day. All handtowels and washcloths are changed out daily.

I only use towels that will stand up to bleach and hot water, too. Anything that doesn't isn't in my house.

I have a family of 5 and do laundry every single day. Anyone that thinks washing a towel is a waste of water and detergent probably doesn't own their own washer/dryer or is used to living in filth. Sorry, that's just nasty.

You should read the book, "The secret life of germs" and then re-evaluate your views on cleanliness. I have a doctor of infectious diseases in my family, she's an M.D. with a PhD-- it's my mother. She would gag if I told her about your 2-3 weeks on a towel. Dear lordie if that's how you deal with towels, what's going on in your fridge?

Just so you know, every time you flush your toilet you are spraying a bit of what's in the bowl onto everything in the bathroom. Close the lid before you flush. For pete's sake clean that bathroom, too. Change your towels every 3 days max and wash them in bleach, good detergent with hot water.

Now I have to go scrub my skin with a wire brush and gasoline. Ew!!!!

Answer 2

A hand towel I wash once a week, unless it hasn't been used very often due to whatever reason(s). Bath towels I use 3 times before washing, as I feel more often leaves a greater chance of bacteria growing on the air drying towel.

Bed sheets I wash once every 10 days.

Answer 3

The bacteria from the dead skin that you towel off each time you bathe or shower can cause untold infections especially in warm damp areas like the armpits and groin so you should change your towel at the very least twice a week but preferably use a towel once and then wash it.

Answer 4

I change bath towels about 3x per week. I use a different towel for my face and hair. So per week I am washing 6-8 towels just for me. As for washcloths I use 2-3 a DAY!!

Answer 5

I use only hand towels to dry off after a shower.They are just as good as a large towel.But they are smaller and easier to replace.I use mine for 3 showers and then wash.Why wash a large towel?We can buy 4 hand for the price of 1 large.Easy to wash,dry and replace...

Answer 6

We use our towels for a week before putting them in the wash. We live in a pretty dry climate tho. I visited family down south once, where it's real humid and instead of drying out between uses the towel just got all musty smelling and stayed damp. Ick! We used towels just once while we were there.

Answer 7

I use it when it starts stinking or when it's time to do laundry. Usually after using a towel I hang it to dry and its fine the next day. Like you said , why waste water and detergent for something you can use more than once. It's not going to harm you. BUTTTT i would never use a towel after a week, thats just grose.

Answer 8

I use towels only once unless it's the towel to dry my face after washing, then I use it twice in one day.

Answer 9

It's not unhealthy to use a towel more than once or twice, but really, you should wash it at least once a week. Even if you don't smell your towel, I bet someone does. My old roommate would leave her wet bath towels for that long, and they smelled horrible, like mildew and rancid meat.

Answer 10

I use mine for about 3-4 uses and then get a new one. I use a wash cloth one time and then get a new one. Towels and wash clothes harbor bacteria ... hence you should wash them in HOT water.