Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How often do you wash your towels?

208 replies

cherrycola66 · 12/06/2025 18:12

Random post but I keep seeing it pop up in articles about how you only need to wash your towels once a week, I wash mine after each use, is this not normal?

OP posts:
lazyarse123 · 12/06/2025 18:49

When I think about it. I sometimes put the towels in the dryer instead of washing if they haven't dried properly in the bathroom.
Only two of us now so just chuck kitchen towels and tea towels in with the undies (I know it's shocking) I'm not doing multiple loads when there's not much.

My19thNervousNameChange · 12/06/2025 18:49

Ah this old chestnut again. So tiresome. Clearly some people have too much time and/or money to waste on electricity, detergent etc. Unless you are actually showering in shitwater or soaping yourself with manure you really don't need to wash your towels every time they're used. What are you scared of?

FalseSpring · 12/06/2025 18:48

Once a week for bath towels, hand towels and tea towels maybe twice a week.

yeesh · 12/06/2025 18:46

Bath towels after every use, hand towels every day.

Venturaventura · 12/06/2025 18:46

After every use.

Lulu1919 · 12/06/2025 18:44

I use a bath sheet three times and change it
Hair towel daily

WimbyAce · 12/06/2025 18:43

Once a fortnight. Tea towels and downstairs hand towel is changed weekly. Obvs if they looked dirty they would get changed.

80smonster · 12/06/2025 18:42

Every couple of uses unless visibly dirty. We’re a big gym/swim house and have loads of identical white towels, so it gets pretty confusing. I help myself to a fresh towel whenever I fancy. My favourite thing is a towel fresh from the dryer.

FullOfLemons · 12/06/2025 18:41

I don’t believe OP or anybody else washes towels after only one use.

Unless they live in a launderette.

Iamfree · 12/06/2025 18:41

Daily after I take a shower and in an hotel I’m the one that uses 10 towels in one day. I’m sorry!

readingmakesmehappy · 12/06/2025 18:40

Every 2-3 weeks. Ish.

Flossflower · 12/06/2025 18:40

According to Good Housekeeping, after 3-4 uses. They also say gym towels should be washed after every use as there is more sweat and airborne particles.

MikeRafone · 12/06/2025 18:39

what are you sing your towel for that they get so dirty each use?

I wash mine once a week and put on the towel rail to dry in-between with the bathroom window open. I am literally drying myself after having a shower so am clean, the towel isn't dirty and if left to dry correctly will not smell or be dirty for he next use

TwinklyOrca · 12/06/2025 18:38

Unicornsandprincesses · 12/06/2025 18:18

Omg 2-3 times a week 😳😳😳😳

mine are lucky if they get done 2-3 times a month

😳

Sera1989 · 12/06/2025 18:38

Bathroom towels once a week as I shouldn’t have any dirt on me when I use them (in theory)
Kitchen tea towels changed twice a week

Pancakeflipper · 12/06/2025 18:35

The dog towel - straight after use.
Our bath towels once a week.
Hand towels twice a week.

noworklifebalance · 12/06/2025 18:35

Bath towels are changed one a week, kitchen tea/hand towels are changed every couple of days - the whole lot washed in one load once/week at 90degC (to clean the machine at the same time) so not in multiple loads.

BashfulClam · 12/06/2025 18:33

Allseeingallknowing · 12/06/2025 18:31

I wash the tea towels separately!

Nah they all go on a 60degree wash with a cap of zoflora.

K0OLA1D · 12/06/2025 18:31

Once a week ish. We all have our own towels though

Allseeingallknowing · 12/06/2025 18:31

BashfulClam · 12/06/2025 18:16

Bath towels-once a week as they are old drying up water on a clean body. I change the tea towel and hand towels every day though but they get washed with the other towels once a week.

I wash the tea towels separately!

SantiagoShaming · 12/06/2025 18:30

There’s only two of us and we each have our own bath sheet and I have a microfiber wrap for my hair (curly). I wash all of them weekly on a Sunday, same as the bedding.

angelcake20 · 12/06/2025 18:30

Once a week or so - mostly when I’ve got some spare space in the washing machine.

ShellieAnn · 12/06/2025 18:29

Unicornsandprincesses · 12/06/2025 18:18

Omg 2-3 times a week 😳😳😳😳

mine are lucky if they get done 2-3 times a month

There are a few menstruating women/ girls in my house and sometimes blood stains can't be helped so they get washed and hung up outside on the line where they dry in no time if the weather is good. I can't stand damp musty towels or bathmats. They give me the creeps.

Lovesacake · 12/06/2025 18:29

Once a week or every ten days max. As someone else said they are only used for 10 minutes a day and only on clean skin.

OhHellolittleone · 12/06/2025 18:29

JohnsShirt · 12/06/2025 18:17

Every ten minutes.

Same. Tbh sometimes I slip to every 20 mins, but I’m only human.

These threads are mad. There is absolutely no need for this. I don’t even change mine every day in hotels! The only towel I wash after 1 use is my swim towel as it always ends up on the floor of the changing room.