Why do we wash bath towels if we're supposed to be clean when we use them?

dampness + time = mildew.

Wait, what? Why do we wash them at all?? Because towels soak up the water, and when you don’t wash them they stink of mildew.

It took me forever to get the smell out of a couple of my towels that were hidden behind my laundry baskets. Lots of vinegar and baking soda did the trick.

Not washing them would only be a good idea if you are open to the notion of cleaning your towels with your body.

LOL, i knew it….! by the way I DO wash my bath towels!

Because sometimes they’re used for other things than just drying the body. And even if they were used just for that, they’d get stiff after a while.

This question seemed familiar and now I know why. What if you scrubbed your skin thoroughly while you were in the shower and dried the towel after using it?

Clearly you have not met my three year old. That towel goes straight to the floor. Wet towel + floor = ick.

I am so glad you asked that question….I realize the obvious of the mildew, other junk, but it’s one of those questions that make you go HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMm

Skin cells, mildew, fungus, dark warm moist folds.

Think about it.

When you get out your soaked when you put the towel
On the water transfers which creates mildew my
Friend

in the winter we shed layers of skin and they transfer to the towels as we dry ourselves

the towel may look clean even if it never touched the floor, but it isn’t

at summer camps, kids tend to use the same towel all week long

@bristolbaby Now that makes me want to wash them NOW, and I just put fresh ones out yesterday! :)

You still have living things on your skin after a shower. It’s soap and water, not an autoclave! ;) Hopefully the shower removed the dirt and grime, but you are by no means a sterile surface afterward.

@asmonet, I thought about it, and after thinking especially about the dark warm moist folds of the body, I now want to poke out my mind’s eye with a sharp stick!

I’m washing those darn towels in HOT water, shrinkage be damned!

Actually, you should always wash things in hot water if you can. Hot water kills more germs, so for things like underwear and towels, the more scalding the better.