How often do you wash your towels?

Question

I have a family of three. We use our towels to dry off after a shower, then we hang them to dry.We use the same towels everyday and I only wash them once a week. I figure they are not that dirty because we are clean when we get out of the shower. Is that gross?

Answer 1

By the time you are out of the shower most of the dead skin and dirt should be down the drain.  If you are comfortable doing it that way and there is no smell, then by all means use the towels several times before laundering them.  

Food for thought.... the only reason we wash our towels really is to rid them of the bacteria they might collect after being wet more than once.  If they start to smell "less than fresh" it's time to launder them.

Answer 2

We too use ours more than one time, usually a couple of days.  There are only two of us here so sometimes I gather them to make a full load of laundry otherwise we might go for 3-4 times.  I know of many others who use your logic, dried a clean body so it should be good for another time or two.

Answer 3

I use my towel two or three times but my teen age daughter will toss hers in the hamper after one use. I must wash 15 towel a week for a family of three. Most of it, is my daughters.  

Answer 4

After each use for body towels & wash rags, once per day with kitchen towels and wash rags and hand towels.  Contrary to what is said, if you rub the towel against your skin after bathing it will still remove dead skin cells.  I wouldn't say it is gross to wash them weekly but I prefer more frequent washing.  I simply throw a load nightly into the washer and throw them in the drier before I go to bed.

Answer 5

ewww  yes think of it this way you wipe youre asses with them and then hang them up STOP IT  

Answer 6

Well, you can use a towel 2x max other than that there are more germs than you're aware of.

I do towels every two days.

but I have hubby and my towels and kids have their own and wash their own.

Answer 7

nope. I wash them once a week too. thats normal.

some crazy neat people use a diff towel everyday though.

Answer 8

I change ours out about once a week. But I use a fresh washcloth every time and change the hand towel about twice a week since they never seem to get enough dry time on those little rings.

My theory is that it is better for the enviroment, your time, and your money. Even many hotels in Las Vegas request that you hang your towels back up and reuse them to conserve water.

Answer 9

That's what I do. When you go to dry your face and the towel smells then it's time to wash but once a week is fine unless it smells. Other people will tell you to use a clean one every time because of the dead skin cells but if you have washed really well the dead skin cells have already gone down the drain!!!

Answer 10

No that's not gross.  I use my towel twice then put it in a laundry hamper.  I live alone so, I don't get a lot of traffic in the bathroom as you do.  I keep two other towels for hand and face use during the week.  I also launder once a week.

Answer 11

No, we do the exact same thing.  Of course, if I notice any dirt or mildew smell on them, I wash them as needed.  Otherwise, once a week.

Answer 12

No, that is not gross at all & I do the same thing myself. Your theory matches my theory.  In the summer, I may change washcloths midweek, especially of I notice an odor.   :)