Every Towel in Your House Is Uglier Than You Think.

Although towels are used as part of our cleaning process, they are actually extremely unpleasant.

Studies show that both bathroom and kitchen towels are rife with fecal bacteria such as E. coli, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus , as kitchen sinks, drains, and toilets are home to many bacteria. Bathrooms and kitchens are often warm, damp, and sometimes dark—perfect environments for germs to thrive. In addition, some people (even post-COVID) do not wash their hands thoroughly and transfer contaminants to their towels as they dry as a result.

In addition to bacteria, towels accumulate sweat, loose skin cells, and all sorts of personal products. While you may not get sick every time you touch a dirty towel, your risk is higher if you have open cuts, dry skin, or a weakened immune system, and this can aggravate skin conditions like acne, eczema, and athlete’s foot.

How often to wash towels

You almost certainly need to wash your towels more often than you currently do, but the exact frequency depends on how you use them :

• Bath towels: Bath towels should be washed every few uses (two to five), especially if they cannot dry completely between uses or are especially close to a toilet where they can accumulate bacterial contamination very quickly. , or if you have children in the house.
• Hand Towels: Hand towels are likely to be used more frequently and by more people than bath towels, so they should be changed and laundered every other day.
• Kitchen towels. Dish towels should be changed at least once a week if you use them for a single task (wiping countertops or drying your hands or dishes). If towels are multipurpose or have meat juice on them, change them after each use.
• Sports towels: Wash sweaty towels after each use. The same goes for any towel that has touched any bodily fluid.

If your towels smell bad, that’s a sure sign that they need a good wash. And if you or someone in your home is sick, err on the side of washing even more often.

How to actually clean towels

We’ve written a guide to how to properly wash towels , but the key elements are very hot water (the hottest temperature, at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit), laundry detergent, and a long stay in the dryer to dry completely. Some experts also recommend detergents with activated oxygen bleach . Avoid fabric softeners when washing towels.

While this may seem wasteful and time consuming, each type of towel should be washed separately and separately from other laundry, including sheets that require a different combination of wash settings and dry times to avoid cross-contamination.

Finally, don’t toss towels into a basket or basket while they are still damp. Hang to dry or wait until you’re ready to wash before piling them up.