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Original poster

What are the small towels for?

104 replies

Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 16:31

In a holiday let, you usually get a big towel and a small towel arranged artfully at the foot of the bed. What to do you consider the small towel for/what do you call it?

OP posts:
ThePoshUns · 08/01/2026 21:50

This thread is bat shit crazy

TellyOrNap · 08/01/2026 21:43

I sometimes put it on the floor if there's no bathmat

DiscoBeat · 08/01/2026 21:28

Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 16:43

My mind is blown. I've always been annoyed how most places don't supply hand towels in bathrooms (I take my own). I assumed it was for drying your hair.

Are you kidding me? You don't know what the small towel is for whilst simultaneously getting annoyed that there's no hand towel?

Strawberryfruitcorner · 08/01/2026 21:21

InterestedDad37 · 08/01/2026 16:33

Hand towel, feet, hamster, toddler, spillages,.

Hamster? 🤣🤣🤣

daffsarethebest · 08/01/2026 21:17

So at home Dh and I have a hand towel each, either side of the sink. We also have a bath sheet each and I have an additional hand towel to use as a hair towel ( which I hang up with my bath sheet).

GKG1 · 08/01/2026 20:08

Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 20:03

I was only joking, I do use my towel at home for both purposes sometimes.

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Oh phew. I am sure there are some on MN who would say that freshly washed hair is too gross to touch the body towel! Fwiw, I don’t wrap my hair up in a towel ever because I have a fringe and it makes it all wonky if I do.

Original poster
Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 20:03

GKG1 · 08/01/2026 19:53

wtf?! This requires further explanation…

Show quote history

I was only joking, I do use my towel at home for both purposes sometimes.

OP posts:
Original poster
Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 20:00

mydogisanidiott · 08/01/2026 19:44

Hang on OP.

you note two towels on the bed, large and small.

you think the small one is for hair drying and isn’t a hand towel for bathroom use?

What is the large towel used for?

My answer: The small towel is a hand towel (which can be used for hair) the large towel is a bath towel.

I cannot get my head around this

For me personally, the large one is for body and the smaller one is for hair. I don't use those sort of towels as hand towels.

In general people don't have personal hand towels do they? So I don't think it's that crazy that I wouldn't they they were for personal hand drying

OP posts:
ParmaVioletTea · 08/01/2026 19:54

Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 18:38

You are using your body towel for your hair? This is not acceptable

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Are you on glue ?

GKG1 · 08/01/2026 19:53

Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 18:38

You are using your body towel for your hair? This is not acceptable

Show quote history

wtf?! This requires further explanation…

Jumpingthruhoops · 08/01/2026 19:44

RobertaFirmino · 08/01/2026 18:47

The thing that really confuses me is when you stay in a hotel where there is no bath, just a shower but they still supply bath towels. What are you supposed to do then?

Are you joking? They are just towels... big enough to go around a person's body after washing, doesnt matter where they've done it!

mydogisanidiott · 08/01/2026 19:44

Hang on OP.

you note two towels on the bed, large and small.

you think the small one is for hair drying and isn’t a hand towel for bathroom use?

What is the large towel used for?

My answer: The small towel is a hand towel (which can be used for hair) the large towel is a bath towel.

I cannot get my head around this

deeahgwitch · 08/01/2026 19:43

Smaller than a hand towel is a guest towel.
They are good for drying hands but too small for hair or body.

Jumpingthruhoops · 08/01/2026 19:43

It's a hand towel. Or to wrap your hair up in after washing. What I thought most people did...

Rocknrollstar · 08/01/2026 19:40

I like a small towel as a hand towel and another as a face towel. At home I have a third for my hair.

ThePoshUns · 08/01/2026 19:31

Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 17:45

People seem to be missing the point. They are used! For drying hair, leaving my hands undried. Hence why I take my own.

What are all you people who use them as personal hand towels doing with your hair!?

I always take a microfibre hair wrap with me

TamarindCottage · 08/01/2026 18:51

Spunk bucket (see penis beaker in Classics) 😂😂😂

5128gap · 08/01/2026 18:48

They're for folding into the shape of a cygnet.

RobertaFirmino · 08/01/2026 18:47

The thing that really confuses me is when you stay in a hotel where there is no bath, just a shower but they still supply bath towels. What are you supposed to do then?

tuvamoodyson · 08/01/2026 18:41

Have you just arrived on Earth OP?

Waitingfordoggo · 08/01/2026 18:41

Why is it ‘unacceptable’ to use a ‘body towel’ for your hair? 😂

ResusciAnnie · 08/01/2026 18:41

Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 16:43

My mind is blown. I've always been annoyed how most places don't supply hand towels in bathrooms (I take my own). I assumed it was for drying your hair.

You realise you can use it as you wish though, right? 😂 No one is watching you.

Waitingfordoggo · 08/01/2026 18:40

Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 17:45

People seem to be missing the point. They are used! For drying hair, leaving my hands undried. Hence why I take my own.

What are all you people who use them as personal hand towels doing with your hair!?

I only wash my hair once a week and rarely stay in a hotel for more than a night or two so don’t usually have to wash my hair whilst staying in a hotel.

But if I did need to wash it, I would use the large towel to wrap it in for five minutes before letting it dry naturally or blow drying it.

Original poster
Towelhowl · 08/01/2026 18:38

ShodAndShadySenators · 08/01/2026 18:08

Since you asked, I've been using the bath towel, since my hair isn't of Rapunzel like proportions I find it all totally adequate.

I'm slightly overawed that OP has been taking her own hand towels on holidays etc instead of a hair turban thingie. Wouldn't that help?

Show quote history

You are using your body towel for your hair? This is not acceptable

OP posts:
ParmaVioletTea · 08/01/2026 18:15

Yes those silly bed runners. What are they for?

I tend to sleep on a hand towel as my hair gets a bit hot and sticky and a towel helps with the menopausal night sweats.

But I’m agog at @Towelhowl assigning a single drying duty to each towel.

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