NBR: How many times do you use your bath towels before washing them?

karich · November 2013

This is a discussion DH and I are currently having. We are not agreeing.

karich · November 2013

I say at least twice. We have 4 people bathing in this house and in the interest of laundry alone, I think we should reuse. Andplusalso, you are CLEAN when you use them!
He thinks they should be washed after every use.

slwprincess · November 2013

I typically use mine at least twice. DH will use his for WAY too long IMO. It starts to smell mildewy and then I have to bleach it or use baking soda/vinegar. Gross.

NikkiPHNIC · November 2013

I agree with PP. You should be clean before using the towel so it should be used more than once! But if it starts to smell then you've been using it for way too long.

mythaldo · November 2013

It's just two of us in the house, so currently I hang new towels and washcloths out on Saturday when I do the laundry and they stay there until I take them to wash the next Saturday. Occasionally DH with get a hand towel or body towel gross if he uses it after painting, working on drywall, working in the yard, etc., so it will get tossed in the hamper and a new towel goes up. I currently only do 3-4 loads of laundry once a week, but I will likely start changing and washing towels more often after DD is born due to the obvious reasons.

SuzyQq02 · November 2013

mythaldo said:
It's just two of us in I the house, so currently I hang new towels and washcloths out on Saturday when I do the laundry and they stay there until I take them to wash the next Saturday. Occasionally DH with get a hand towel or body towel gross if he uses it after painting, working on drywall, working in the yard, etc., so it will get tossed in the hamper and a new towel goes up. I currently only do 3-4 loads of laundry once a week, but I will likely start changing and washing towels more often after DD is born due to the obvious reasons.

Yep, towels get done once a week with the rest of the laundry unless there are extenuating circumstances. I only do laundry once a week now (3 loads every Sunday, with sheets going in with the towels every other week) but I know that won't last! .... though I doubt I'll do our stuff more often regardless...

Dexter&11 · November 2013

Towels is once a week - we only have 4 so it's two in use, two in the wash - I'm gonna need to go towel and bedding shopping before the arrival of LO aren't I?

shellbell3845 · November 2013

utpony said:

megash113 said:
Like two weeks usually. Now I feel gross...
Um I'm the same. If it doesn't smell, it's still good.

Welcome to my house. I usually don't even think about it until they start to smell. (But if I notice an odor, they go right in the washer.)

AngieV84 · November 2013

utpony said:

megash113 said:
Like two weeks usually. Now I feel gross...
Um I'm the same. If it doesn't smell, it's still good.

Same. And the towels make it to the laundry before they ever even smell. If they were used for something dirty, they would go straight in the laundry.

kt_arr · November 2013

Add me to the two-weeks-or-so group. I didn't realize some people wash then sooner. (Sometimes I wait longer to wash the bedding.) Now I feel like a dirtball.

1linedrawing · November 2013

i use them once. it's a long childhood scarring story, and i just use them once.. i do, however think kids can get a couple uses out of their towel, especially if they are hung up right away by those cute hoods.

LetoileDuNord · November 2013

I did not expect to be in the minority. I wash them after using them one or two times. They don't smell bad at that point, so I guess it's just out of habit!

Happy2beDanish · November 2013

I feel pretty gross now too! I don't wash our towels until they start to smell so maybe like two weeks.

queeniecrayon · November 2013

When it starts to not dry me off as well....

djtippietoes · November 2013

Add me to the not until they start to smell group.

ramfan05 · November 2013

I wash them once a week with our sheets. Monday and Thursday I do laundry (2 loads each day), and on Wednesday I wash all of our sheets and towels. I'm a bit of a ss though, too, because we throw our towels in the dryer every morning after they have been used so they don't hang in the bathroom and stay damp all day. My mom always did that when I was a kid, so I guess it's just a habit for me now. DH definitely thought I was a little crazy, I think, when we first got married and I told him the towels needed to go in the dryer

Heatherlp43 · November 2013

I use my towels and wash clothes once then wash them. The same with my DH. My sheets are once a week. I just a germ freak. I get your clean when you dry off but I just can't use it more than once. I know weird :-??

cattuccino · November 2013

I definitely get a weeks worth...usually.
However I do recognize - despite being "clean", dead skin cells still get in the towels - especially in winter when skin is drier, so I understand the need/desire to wash more often.

DC2011 · November 2013

Happy2beDanish said:
I feel pretty gross now too! I don't wash our towels until they start to smell so maybe like two weeks.

Ditto. ; ) Two wks, sometimes one. We do the smell test.

DC2011 · November 2013

I'm glad that you posted this, @karich, bc DH and I have more recently begun debating this too.

marriott09 · November 2013

As long as they are hung up we use ours 3-5 times.

JackieP1023 · November 2013

I use mine at least a week before washing. DH uses it once and it goes in the wash. BUT: he also uses the day-old one on the floor (his shower door leaks a bit)... Where mine does not. Hand towels get washed more often, as do kitchen towels.

VeronicaAnn143 · November 2013

I guess I'm weird...once! And it honestly never even occurred to me to use it again. I like the fluffy downy freshness!

MissDemeanor · November 2013

My boyfriend has suddenly started using them ONCE! It drives me insane! An then complains there are never any clean towels!!! Clearly, this is on my list of massive pet peeves!

ehighlan · November 2013

DreamingBabies said:

I wash towels and sheets once a week.

This. Sunday after church when football is playing.

Beachmommy1029 · November 2013

My SO grew up in Phoenix and I lived in central FL then moved to a farm house with no air- I think I am used to towels smelling funky so soon from East Coast humidity. We live in coastal NC and he is so grossed out by how long I can tolerate the smell- And we're talking like one week. He keeps threatening to throw them all away lol. The washing machine isn't good enough.

VeronicaAnn143 · November 2013

Honestly, this is so enlightening lol.

ufsandra85 · November 2013

i use mine for 4 ish days. i take 2 ish showers a day

shellbell3845 · November 2013

I want you all to know my towels are in the washer right now! (Possibly inspired by this thread?)

KaraLeigh115 · November 2013

Once.
I can't fathom the idea that the next time I dry myself off, I.e. My face, I could be using the same part that I dried my butt with last time.... I just can't.

JackieP1023 · November 2013

KaraLeigh115 said:
Once.
I can't fathom the idea that the next time I dry myself off, I.e. My face, I could be using the same part that I dried my butt with last time.... I just can't.

I actually get around this because I use 2 different towels. 1 is for my face, arms, and hair (dry my face first, then briefly my arms, and twist up my hair), and I use the other one for everything else. Idk, it makes it easier to re-use imo!

emilystallins · November 2013

Once and done for my household. With 5 people, soon to be 6, in my house, I do LOTS of laundry. 2-3 loads a day, so a load of towels are actually my favorite. Their alot easier to fold

Cerisrichard · November 2013

megash113 said:
Like two weeks usually. Now I feel gross...

Lol me too!

karich · November 2013

KaraLeigh115 said:
Once.
I can't fathom the idea that the next time I dry myself off, I.e. My face, I could be using the same part that I dried my butt with last time.... I just can't.

This is EXACTLY DH's argument!!

And, @golfergirl08, I agree with you about towels being your favorite kind of laundry to do! I hate folding little clothes!!

ufsandra85 · November 2013

i took 4 showers today. if i washed the towels every time i would be doing laundry all day long

mdr619 · November 2013

I wash the towels once a week...so 3 or more.

Want a personalized experience?

NBR: How many times do you use your bath towels before washing them?

NBR: How many times do you use your bath towels before washing them? 216 votes

Re: NBR: How many times do you use your bath towels before washing them?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards