How often should I change my bathroom towels?

Just as you don’t leave food at room temperature for a long time when it’s warm, it’s better not to hang used towels for a long time. It can have a musty smell and is undesirable from a health and hygiene point of view.

There are people who return the towels used that day to the washing machine immediately, while others hang them on the bathroom towel rack and use them for several days. “Considering the level of microorganisms that grow on towels, you should wash them at least once a week,” said microbiologist Nathan Tetro on his podcast.

It is explained that if you wipe your body with a towel on which microorganisms have grown, it can be transferred to the skin and cause odor or health problems such as the possibility of infection, so you should not use the same towel for more than a week.

Most microbes aren’t much of a concern, but there are germs that are a problem. Among these is Staphylococcus aureus, which is resistant to antibiotics. Being resistant to antibiotics means having the power to resist an antibiotic attack, meaning that when a person with an infectious disease uses antibiotics for treatment, they cannot be cured.

You also need to be careful when wiping your face with a towel that has been reused many times. Facial acne or folliculitis can be aggravated. If you have wiped your face with the same towel 3-4 times, washing your face afterwards is a way to reduce skin trouble.

It is also not advisable to use too much detergent to wash towels cleanly. Detergent residue can remain on the towel and reduce the absorbency of the towel. If soapy water residue is left on the towel, it can smell sour because the towel doesn’t dry well, and it’s good for germs to grow. When washing, use only the recommended amount of detergent.

The inside of the bathroom is an environment where germs grow quickly due to the rising temperature and humidity during showering. Do not leave the washed towel in the bathroom in a wet state, but be sure to use it after completely drying it in a dry environment outside the bathroom.