Washing Bath Towels

Updated on January 10, 2011
C.B. asks from Saint Clair Shores, MI
21 answers

How often do you wash your bath towels? I thought it might be something I should evaluate to see if I am just giving myself extra work, not too mention using more laundry detergent by possibly washing them too often. With 5 people in my house using towels, seems like that is getting to be quite a big pile quickly. Anyway, interested in what others do. Thanks!

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C.J.

answers from Dallas on

While we get fresh towels every 2-3 days, I only wash once a week. I just have enough to rotate out.
Yes, big pile. If you don't have a home front loader that can handle large loads, take them to a laundry mat and throw them all in at the same time. Bring a book and use it as down time - LOL!

2 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

i only wash 'em once a week but we have plenty so we can always have clean ones if we want them. most of the time they're fine through at least a couple of showers, hand towels even longer.
khairete
S.

2 moms found this helpful

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

i wash them once a week usually. we hang our towels immediately after we use them, and we don't have any problems. if someone is sick or something like that, i wash after each use.

5 moms found this helpful
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T.B.

answers from Miami on

We use our towels for 3-4 days. Think about it: If all you are using your bath towel for is for drying a CLEAN body, then your towels are technically clean. I usually don't use mine for longer than 4 days because my towel starts to feel crunchy against my skin...and I like softness on my body. BTW: there are 5 people in my house so I know how many towels that is! All the more reason to hang onto the towels for a few extra days.

3 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

We change them every 5 days.. My husband would use a new 1 everyday if he could..

I was a linen buyer at one point, 1 hint.. Never use fabric softer on towels (actually anything) The softner coats the towels and makes them less absorbent..

Linen companies hate fabric softners.. it stays on the fabrics and they never feel the same again.. Have you ever purchased a robe or towels and they were really fluffy? Then after a few months they seemd dry and flat? It is the fabric softner..

2 moms found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

When my kids were growing up we went through a lot of bath towels. I washed them every week - oftener if the need arose. My rule of thumb was that if they looked or smelled bad they were sent to the washing machine. Hope this helps.

2 moms found this helpful
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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

We use ours for 2-3 days at least. We hang them where they can dry well between uses.

2 moms found this helpful
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I.*.

answers from Columbus on

We use them twice before putting them in the dirty clothes. My husband only uses it once but he took over doing laundry while I'm pregnant so I don't have to carry baskets up and down the stairs so I don't care he only uses it once until I start doing the laundry again :)

We do a load or two of towels on the weekends. We have a ton of towels so we could probably go a couple weeks and still have towels left. (there's 5 of us, soon to be 6 in our house).

1 mom found this helpful

C.G.

answers from Denver on

I probably wash them once a week but there are only 3 ppl in our house. I don't worry about it. If someone wants a clean towel, they want a clean towel.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

We all hang our towels up and reuse them 3 or 4 times before putting them in the dirty cloths. Using a towel to dry off after just washing yourself does not make the towel really dirty, so as long as it is hung up to dry, there is no reason one can not use the same towel 2, 3, or even 4 times before washing.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.H.

answers from Detroit on

Cindy ~
I agree with most other writers here. About every 3 or 4 days we change towels, They are hung up immediately after using them and keep using them for a few days.
D.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.D.

answers from Miami on

Our family does 2 dries and then to the washing machine. I know it's a clean body the towel is drying. However, there are places that towel has been that I really don't want it visiting more than twice. Think about it!

1 mom found this helpful
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C.J.

answers from Lansing on

Cindy,

We are only a family of three, but our son (9) was using towels at an amazing pace. So, we had him pick out his own towel and wash cloth from the store. Now he only uses his own colored towel and wash cloth and the pile of towels I need to wash each week is down to one load instead of two. His towel is usually washed twice a week. Once on Tuesdays when it is his day to wash his clothes and then later in the week, usually Saturdays, when I wash all the towels in the house.

If your family wants clean towels more often, then maybe you could get them two towels and wash cloths each. Each member of the family could pick out their favorite color of towel and would then only use those towels for the week. For example, my husband uses the white towels, I use the burgundy ones, and our son uses the orange towels he picked out himself.

Good luck conquering the towel mountain.

C. J.

K.V.

answers from Lansing on

I wash towels about every 2 weeks. My daughter and I use new towels everyday...but with as many towels as I have, I don't ever run out.

I can't stand reusing towels, I don't care if I was clean or not...I'm not about to dry my entire body off and then reuse it. Ew.

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K.S.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I usually use them 3 times before I wash them, I agree with Jan that as long as you hang them up and the dry they are ok. You are using them after you have taken a shower or bath so you are clean Washing them less often and in few quantities save water and energy not to mention the cost of the detergent and electric bill.

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K.M.

answers from Detroit on

I do about 5 to 8 loads of towels we have 12 to 14 towels for us and than same for the kids..... Plus baby hooded towels I have 5 kids with two adults and one more child on the way. I do towels every week. Usually laundry takes me two to three days but this week because of christmas clothes and me slacking it has me going on day 5 i get about 5 to 8 loads a day out. but my usual is usally 5 of darks and 5 towels with whites. My towels are old and ran down and i put bleach in with the whites anyway so i just combine them. Hope i was able to help I don't let anyone reuse a towe i think its grose.

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N.N.

answers from Detroit on

Each person in the family has a different color towel and they hang up to dry after using. The towels get washed every 4 to 5 days.

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S.C.

answers from Fort Wayne on

We re-use our towels a few times before we wash them. I change all of our towels about every other day.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hmmmm...I guess we channel our inner-Zen about when it's time for a fresh towel--no hard & fast rules but I think the average is about 3 days, sometimes 2, sometimes 4.

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A.V.

answers from Detroit on

wow...I always thought reusing the towels was gross. I didnt think so many people did. I am a family of 3 little ones and 2 adults...I think I will try to reuse them to save money and energy. Our house uses 6 towels a day. Do you hang them on a hook or where they can lay more flat?? Thank you!

A.S.

answers from Detroit on

Every few days I change out our towels. I hate the nasty musty smell!

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