Ultimately, though, when a towel's threads begin to pull—or you notice a lingering odor, despite a careful wash—it's time to toss it; you can expect body and hand towels to last between two to five years depending on their quality. Wash cloths, on the other hand, should be replaced every one or two years, notes Winch.
How often should I wash my bath towels? Dead skin cells, bacteria, and even sweat can accumulate quickly on your towels, so using a fresh one about every three days is a simple rule of thumb—for all kinds of towels. You can of course change them more often.
When towels are too old, they are no longer effective. They don't dry you thoroughly and are likely home to unseen germs and bacteria. How do you know when you should be replacing towels? In general, experts advise you should get new ones every two years.
Towels: 2 Years
If you want to increase their lifespan, consider rotating multiple sets and neatly hang towels to dry between each use.
Ultimately, though, when a towel's threads begin to pull—or you notice a lingering odor, despite a careful wash—it's time to toss it; you can expect body and hand towels to last between two to five years depending on their quality. Wash cloths, on the other hand, should be replaced every one or two years, notes Winch.
Vinegar. Use one cup of vinegar instead of detergent in a wash load every six weeks. Vinegar will act to reverse any silicone-y coating that your towels may have built up. Vinegar will also help bring back any softness that has already been lost and can even help recover some of our towel absorbency potential.
“The longer towels stay damp, the longer the yeasts, bacteria, molds and viruses remain alive and stay active,” explains dermatologist Alok Vij, MD. “They can cause an outbreak of toenail fungus, athlete's foot, jock itch and warts, or cause these skin conditions to spread,” he says.
Old hand towels make terrific cleaning rags, and you can use them for cleaning everything from the car to the patio furniture. Even bath towels can take on a second life as a rag, and they're great for lying down underneath a painting project or any other surface that you want to protect from a mess.
White towels do not fade and tend to last longer as opposed to towels with darker colors.
If you have a strenuous job where your skin is in contact with sweat, dirt, and the outside world, showering every day may make sense to keep your skin barrier intact. But if you don't have this daily routine, showering less frequently—say, a couple of times a week—makes more sense.
"If you or others are using a blanket every day, you may want to wash it once a week or once every other week," says Dr. Engelmen. "But blankets that aren't coming into contact with the skin's oils and bacteria may only need a wash every month or so to eliminate things like dust and pet dander."
The Ideal Number of Towels per Person
Our rule of three for stocking up on sheets also applies to towels. Keep three sets of towels for each individual who lives in your household—one in the wash, one in the closet, and one in use. This ensures there is always a towel in reserve for when you might need it.
You should wash dish towels frequently—we recommend every three to five days. Depending on how you use the dish towel, you may need to wash it more often. For example, if you use a dish towel to clean up spills and messes, we recommend swapping it out for a clean one and washing it sooner so bacteria don't build up.
A temperature of at least 155 degrees Fahrenheit kills most common germs. This is acceptable for cotton towels but too hot for linen towels. Choose the hot temperature setting for cotton towels and the warm setting (less than 140 degrees F) for linen towels.
For starters, washcloths should only be used one time before being washed again. Full-sized body towels have some more leeway (since they don't become as wet) of about three or four uses. Towels should be hung to dry, and then placed in the washer. If this is not done, bacteria will thrive on the cloths.
Here's what should happen: The standard operating procedure is for towels and sheets to be changed between every guest, according to Joe McInerney, president of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (www.ahla.org). Towels are also swapped out every day at some, but not all properties. "Some do, some don't," he says.
Having plush towels at home is one of those little luxuries that can make all the difference to your daily comfort. It can also add an indulgent, boutique-hotel feel to your bathroom. Investing in quality towels is also a savvy move, because when treated well, they can last for years.
“We've found that the priciest towels tend to be significantly heavier, which means they stay damp longer and can get musty easily,” says Modak. Some options require a pre-wash cold-water soak, very small amounts of detergent, and line-drying, which isn't conducive for anyone living in small, city apartments.
Bath towels still trap the same particles as hand towels, so you would be sharing germs. Whether you share a bath towel or not, it still needs to be washed after three uses. Bath towels can last a little longer than hand towels because you don't use them as often a day.
Washing towels with clothes can transfer germs and bacteria between items in the wash. For sanitary reasons, you should always wash bath towels separately from clothing items. Putting towels in their own load also makes it easier to adjust the setting based on color.
When to wash. Rossi generally tells his patients they should wash their hair once or twice per week. But if you've had chemical treatments that can make your hair drier — such as bleach, perms or relaxers — you might want to wash it less than once weekly to avoid breaking or brittle hair or split ends, he said.
High-end hotels prefer to use Egyptian cotton, which is softer, fluffier, and cozier than regular cotton. Such that, even Mizu Towels use this fabric to make their luxury towels. Although it is lighter than Egyptian cotton, some hotels also use Turkish cotton in their towels.
Towels should be washed in the warmest water appropriate for the fabric according to the care label. Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle.
The short answer to your question is yes and yes—yes, many hotels do actually let guests reuse towels, and yes, the note is there to make the hotel seem as green as an organic farm.