No, it's generally not sanitary to use the same bath towel for a full week, as damp, warm towels become breeding grounds for bacteria, fungi, and mold, potentially causing skin issues like acne, athlete's foot, or infections, so washing after every 2-3 uses or at least once a week is recommended, especially in humid conditions, by drying it completely between uses.
Key Takeaways. Bath towels are good for 3–4 uses if they fully dry between, but wash sooner if they get musty. Hand towels should be swapped every 1–2 days, especially in shared bathrooms. A funky smell means it's time for a hot wash with white vinegar to freshen things up.
"A variety of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and viruses, can all grow on the fabric of towels," says Dr. Jennifer Maender, a dermatologist at Houston Methodist. "Respiratory viruses and fungi can survive for several days on fabric, while bacteria can survive two to three weeks."
“So what you want to do is change your towels at least three times each week because even on day three, your towel contains so much bacteria that you're better off washing or changing it. This can help with acne and many other skin problems,” the doctor advises.
The verdict: As a general rule, you should launder your bath towel (or swap in a clean one) at least once a week. The same goes for hand towels. And your washcloth? That needs replacing more often — at least a couple times a week.
Studies have shown that towels can quickly become contaminated with bacteria commonly found on human skin, but also with those found in our guts. Even after washing, our bodies are still covered in microbes and perhaps unsurprisingly when we dry ourselves off, some of these transfer onto our towel.
If you shower daily, it's safe to reuse your towel two or three times as long as it dries completely between uses. Rotating between two towels can be even better, as it gives each one enough time to air out fully before the next use. Towels that remain damp after frequent showers can harbor more bacteria.
Towels should be replaced when they become scratchy, have an odor even after washing, are no longer absorbent, are ripped or fraying, or are several years old. Bathroom towels should typically be replaced every two to five years, and kitchen towels every one to two years, depending on usage and quality.
Signs That You Aren't Cleaning Your Clothes Enough
Certain personal items—such as razors, towels, or toothbrushes—can come into contact with bodily fluids like blood or genital discharge. While transmission through shared towels is rare, it is still possible if the towel carries infected fluids and comes into direct contact with mucous membranes or open wounds.
The Best Way to Clean Clothes
To kill the germs in your laundry, wash your clothes on the hot cycle, then put everything in the dryer for 45 minutes. Wash whites with bleach, and use peroxide or color-safe bleach for colors. Do your laundry in water that's at least 140 F to kill any viruses or bacteria.
Coliform bacteria were detected in 89.0% and E. coli in 25.6% of towels. The presence of E. coli was related to the frequency of washing.
coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus can survive and persist for up to 16 days on a kitchen sponge and up to 13 days on microfiber towels.
The "bathroom towel trick" usually refers to a popular, space-saving, and decorative towel rolling method that makes towels look like spa rolls, creating tight cylinders that store neatly and look elegant in bathrooms, often by folding in triangles and tucking the end into a pocket. Another less common "trick" involves using a towel for jawline exercise, where you bite down on a folded towel to strengthen jaw muscles, or a cooling method with a wet towel near a fan.
You only need to use your washcloth once, twice or at most three times before sending it through the wash. Of course, it will depend on how often you use this cloth, but we recommend washing it two or three times every week.
The American Cleaning Institute recommends washing towels every three or four uses.
Put your towels in the washing machine with your regular detergent and a warm or hot-water wash setting. For mild mustiness you can add a cup of vinegar to the washing machine for the final rinse cycle. For more extreme mustiness or visible mildew, try adding the vinegar earlier for an initial soak.
Housekeeping teams typically wash towels after every guest's stay, using commercial-grade washing machines, hot water, and powerful detergents. Larger hotels and chains often contract professional laundry services or have on-site facilities with high hygiene standards.
Sanitizing towels and bed sheets
To wash bleach-safe bed sheets and towels, machine wash in the hottest water recommended using a good detergent and ⅔ cup Clorox™ Disinfecting Bleach in a traditional deep-fill washer, or ⅓ cup Clorox™ Disinfecting Bleach in a high efficiency clothes washer.
Don't Skimp on the Drying
Moisture breeds bacteria, so make sure you allow your towels to fully dry before storing or using them. (Don't leave towels in the dryer too long, though, as this can destroy their fibers.) In between the wash and dry cycle, squeeze out excess water.
For example, towels made of cotton can be washed with cotton clothes as long as you're mindful of the weight difference. However, avoid mixing towels with clothes made of delicate materials like lace, wool, or synthetic fabrics. These will require gentler washing conditions and should ideally be washed separately.
So there's a risk of transmitting blood-borne viruses if you share. Razors, towels and other personal hygiene items can also spread human papillomaviruses that cause warts. So it's no wonder dermatologists recommend each person has their own items.
Since fungi love things like drippy towels, wash your towels often and change them out after each use. Ditto for your bedsheets — it's best to change them weekly.
Bath towels are the workhorses of the towel family, used daily and exposed to frequent washing. As a general rule, it is recommended to replace your bath towels every two to three years, with five years the maximum.