Spinoff: How often do you reuse towels?

[Living42Day]

I'm curious after the bathroom cleaning thread - how often do you reuse towels? We're a one use and done in this house, but I think we're in the minority as most reuse. We do a load of towels frequently, maybe every two or three days. We do a load of laundry daily so that's not an issue for us.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I do not reuse them... I just throw them in the laundry basket when I am done. I end up doing laundry on pretty much a daily basis.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

We reuse 2-3 times. Just me and DH. I do a load of towels every two weeks or so. I have the little turbie towels for my hair and I use those a couple of times as well (and I don't wash my hair every day). Oh and I shower at night so I'm basically a list of "don'ts" for a lot of folks around here.

I figure I don't wash my hand towels after each use and I'm clean after a shower so I'm not worried about it. I hang my towel up immediately after drying off from a shower. And I just grab the hand towels and bath mats out of the bathrooms (mine, DHs, and guest) when I'm doing a load of towels.

 

[DLgal]

About 3 days. I don't understand using once and washing. Aren't you clean when you use it?

 

[luvthatduke]

I used to wash the kitchen hand towel every 2-3 days,
thinking, as others stated, that they were clean because
our hands were clean (or supposed to be), then Covid hit.
I found out how long it (& other things) last on fabric,
even when you think you've washed your hands clean enough.
So... Now I take the towel down nightly & replace w/clean.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

I used to wash the kitchen hand towel every 2-3 days,
thinking, as others stated, that they were clean because
our hands were clean (or supposed to be), then Covid hit.
I found out how long it (& other things) last on fabric,
even when you think you've washed your hands clean enough.
So... Now I take the towel down nightly & replace w/clean.

Kitchen dish towels I change out every day. I have a very small trash can I keep under the bar counter in the kitchen and chuck them in there and then wash once a week and disinfect the can. Even though I try not to, the other person I live with (aka DH LOL) always ends up using them to wipe a counter or near raw food, leaves it balled up on the counter so it doesn't dry etc. So I figure changing them out once a day after dinner works.

Might not make sense, but that's what I do. It's funny, I prefer to run everything through the dishwasher because I feel like it's more sanitary, but my DH would rather wash dishes. So I guess we all have our things that we prefer.

 

[tvguy]

Bath towels get washed every Sunday. Retired person's secret, we shower every other day now and we make sure the day we do yard work is a shower day. My skin is a lot happier now.

 

[Living42Day]

We reuse 2-3 times. Just me and DH. I do a load of towels every two weeks or so. I have the little turbie towels for my hair and I use those a couple of times as well (and I don't wash my hair every day). Oh and I shower at night so I'm basically a list of "don'ts" for a lot of folks around here.

I figure I don't wash my hand towels after each use and I'm clean after a shower so I'm not worried about it. I hang my towel up immediately after drying off from a shower. And I just grab the hand towels and bath mats out of the bathrooms (mine, DHs, and guest) when I'm doing a load of towels.

I also have a turbie towel! I hate washing my hair because it takes 5-6 hours to dry, but this definitely helps somewhat. And I also shower at night, I can't be getting into bed with the yuck of the day on me.

 

[Living42Day]

Kitchen dish towels I change out every day. I have a very small trash can I keep under the bar counter in the kitchen and chuck them in there and then wash once a week and disinfect the can. Even though I try not to, the other person I live with (aka DH LOL) always ends up using them to wipe a counter or near raw food, leaves it balled up on the counter so it doesn't dry etc. So I figure changing them out once a day after dinner works.

Might not make sense, but that's what I do. It's funny, I prefer to run everything through the dishwasher because I feel like it's more sanitary, but my DH would rather wash dishes. So I guess we all have our things that we prefer.

Based on a TikTok video I watched, dishwasher wins out on sanitizing! They did a petri dish on a plate that was dirty, a plate that was handwashed, and a plate that had been run through the dishwasher. No bacteria growth from the dishwasher one. I was glad to see that because I'm too lazy to hand wash lol

 

[Living42Day]

About 3 days. I don't understand using once and washing. Aren't you clean when you use it?

Clean when I use it, but I'm a germaphobe so prefer to have one that is clean from the washer for each use. We do the same when at hotels. I'm sure it's fine and there is little germ growth that would even make a difference over a few uses, but we've gotten into the habit of one and done so that's what we stick with.

 

[Babs Johnson]

Two or three times before washing.

 

[mousefan73]

those are only use towels once you do realize that this is really unnecessary unless somebody has a current illness ( pink eye etc). I would hate to see the environmental impact of everyone washed towels after one use. I’m actually shocked that people do this for me. It’s simply your responsibility since there’s really no medical reason to wash towels after one use. Hang them up, so they dry properly and you’re good to go for at least two or three times.

Now things like dish towels, kitchen towels, or hand towels in the guest WC that’s different

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

ONE and Done!

I don't have enough towel racks for a wet or damp towel to dry properly for tomorrow's use. If it was only myself or myself and husband we could easily reuse again. Until we're emptry nesters it's one and done.

 

[Meriweather]

two towels per person on our towel racks.......wash once a week, so rotating through those.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I reuse my bath towel until it dislodges itself from the hook and walks to the bathroom by itself.

No, I actually wash it with the regular load of towels once a week.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I wash towels every week or two. So we reuse them until then. Mine don't seem to have a problem drying out overnight. I take a shower most days, but not all. Kids take them somewhat less than me. Of course, I'm also the one that will reuse my jeans or shorts for a week.

 

[Christine]

For me, twice. I'm one of those weirdos that likes to actually use the big soaking tub that came with the house. So I'll do that at night (not washing hair), use the towel and hang it back up. In the morning, I do a quick shower to mainly do the hair and wake up and I'll use that towel again. Then it's done.

 

[slo]

Bath body towels - washed every Sunday
Bath hand towels - washed every Sunday, but changed out every Wednesday
Kitchen towels - washed every Sunday, but changed out often during the week.

Bath towels will get washed and changed out more often if someone is sick.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

Weekly

 

[nw6675]

I'm curious after the bathroom cleaning thread - how often do you reuse towels? We're a one use and done in this house, but I think we're in the minority as most reuse. We do a load of towels frequently, maybe every two or three days. We do a load of laundry daily so that's not an issue for us.

Same here.