The Truth About How Often You Should Really Be Washing Your Towels

Towels, perhaps even more than most home items, have a pretty explicit purpose. Sure, you can always hang towels decoratively, or purchase a fancy matching set, but in the end, they exist for the sake of cleanliness and drying... and those efforts will go to waste if you don't wash them regularly. But how often is actually recommended?

Well, let's start with the bad news: Ideally, you should wash them after every use(!). For most people, of course, this isn't the most practical approach — especially if you have only a few towels, don't have space to store multiple spares, or if you don't have a washer and dryer at home. Therefore, the most common recommendation is to wash towels after two or three uses, max.

The truth is that towels become surprisingly dirty after just a few uses, even when you're clean after a shower. That's because clean skin still has bacteria (which is normal, by the way) that transfers to the towel. What's more, the moisture on the towel causes the bacteria to quickly multiply and grow, especially as they feed off your body oils. The result? A musty and smelly towel, as well as a higher risk of skin infections. 

You probably won't be surprised to hear that many people don't wash their towels enough, similar to how people also don't wash their sheets often enough. However, these recommendations for washing towels aren't just important for improving hygiene: they'll keep your towels fresher for longer, too. 

Assuming you're washing after two or three uses instead of after every use, the key is to let your towel properly dry between uses. This will help slow down bacterial growth while preventing unpleasant odors. 

Hang your towel on a bar so you can spread it out, rather than a hook. When it's time to wash your towels, use warm or hot water and dry them on high heat. While you're at it, stop washing towels with clothes and other laundry immediately, if that's when you've been doing so far. Though convenient, that particular practice can make it difficult for your towels to be properly laundered, so wash them separately when possible.