How often should you change towels?
More hygiene by changing towels regularly
When drying off after a shower or bath, skin flakes, germs, dirt, and even hairs can remain in the towel. After washing your hands, dirt or soap residue can also get trapped in the towel. Do you flush the toilet with the lid open? This can release germs into the air, which may settle on nearby towels. In addition, the often warm and humid air in the bathroom provides an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and fungal spores. What settles in a damp towel can therefore multiply easily and potentially lead to illness.
Regularly changing and washing towels is therefore essential. In some households, towels are changed daily; in others, also regularly but at longer intervals. What’s appropriate depends on how they are used.
How often to change towels: an overview
Since we use towels for different purposes with varying frequency, recommendations for changing them also differ.
Here’s a quick guide:
• Hand towel / guest towel at the sink: every 2–3 days
• Shower towel / bath towel: every 3–5 days with daily use
• Sports towel: after every use, especially if it comes into contact with surfaces
• Beach towel: every 3–5 days
• Washcloth: after every use
Changing towels: not too often
Especially in households with multiple people, you may want to change the hand towel at the sink daily. Other towels, however, can easily be used for several days as long as there are no obvious reasons not to. This is also because washing towels consumes a lot of energy. It’s no coincidence that hotels often ask guests to consider whether towels really need to be changed every day or if they can be reused for another day.
However, if a towel cannot dry properly or has been left damp in a gym bag for several days, you should put it straight into the laundry and not reuse it.
Consider individual usage
Keep in mind that these guidelines are not set in stone. For example, if you hosted a party where many guests washed their hands, you should replace the towel immediately. On the other hand, if you’ve been away from home for a few days, you can continue using your towel as long as it has dried properly.
Trust your senses: if a towel smells musty, it should be washed. The same applies if it is soaked and no longer dries well or if there are visible stains. Also, if someone in your household has been ill, you should replace and wash all used towels to prevent the spread of germs.