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Original poster

Rampant towel usage driving me mad

99 replies

TwigTheWonderKid · 09/01/2023 17:55

This seems such a minor thing but it's doing my head in and I can't work out how to solve it. My two teenage sons take a new towel from the stash in the bathroom each time they have a shower, rather than bringing the one they used the time before and then a pile of damp towels grows on their bedroom floors.

I can't keep up with the washing and environmentally it's really wasteful for them to have a clean towel each time they have a shower. I appreciate some people will disagree with that, but those of you who re-use towels once or twice before washing them, how do you manage your towels?

OP posts:
WallaceinAnderland · 09/01/2023 17:56

Give everyone one towel each.

MyNameIsErinQuin · 09/01/2023 17:58

Remove the stash in the bathroom. They have 1 each until it’s time for then to be washed. Not really a problem is it?

Eastereggsboxedupready · 09/01/2023 17:58

4 teens here op...
Once got 7 towels from one bedroom...

Zodfa · 09/01/2023 17:58

Sounds like you might need to try to stop keeping the towels in the bathroom. They're just doing whatever is least effort.

ChangedmynameagainforChristmas · 09/01/2023 17:59

When my lot stay here they do the same thing. Remove the stash is the answer

HowDoYouOwnDisorder · 09/01/2023 17:59

Wow! You offer hotel services, so they take hotel services

dementedpixie · 09/01/2023 17:59

We have heated towel rails in the bathrooms. Towels get hung up and reused several times.

LindorDoubleChoc · 09/01/2023 18:00

Don't keep a stash in the bathroom! Give your sons one towel each and make sure they have a radiator dryer in their rooms so they can dry them properly in their own rooms.

Hide all the other towels.

We use bath towels for a week here (1 towel each obvs) and hand towels get changed every 2 to 3 days.

dementedpixie · 09/01/2023 18:01

1 towel each to be reused. Spare towels in the airing cupboard

Montague22 · 09/01/2023 18:01

Towels are really easy to launder without damaging them, so why not ask them to start putting a towel load on? Or they could wash towels all the time.

Doesn’t help environmentally.

I do the same as them though. 🙈

WhereYouLeftIt · 09/01/2023 18:02
  1. Hide the clean towels in the boot of the car.
  2. Read them the Riot Act for being lazy and hurting the planetWink
SixCharactersinSearchofanAuthor · 09/01/2023 18:04

Every child has their own different colour towel. And I've given them heebie geebies stories about poo crumbs so no one has any wish to use anyone else's towels.

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 09/01/2023 18:08

Dont keep all the towels in the bathroom seems the obvious answer.

FadedRed · 09/01/2023 18:08

Take the ‘stash’ of towels out of their bathroom and give them a one bath towel and one hand towel each, (ideally colour-coded) so they each know which is theirs. Put a laundry basket into their bathroom. Tell them firmly that they have these towels for one week then they can put them into the laundry basket one -nominate day for laundry/tell them to wash them/ whatever your laundering solution you choose. Also tell them that they do not get a extra towels and if towels are put on the floor they will be dragged (preferably by their hair/ear/other available body part) to remedy that.

Starcircle · 09/01/2023 18:08

Hahaha I identify with this so much as I have 4 sons! In fact just yesterday I ordered them personalised towels with their names on so that they know whos is whos (they are all under 10 so are very fussy about anything that belongs to them personally!) I’ll have to report back on whether this actually works as the towels haven’t arrived yet…

DRS1970 · 09/01/2023 18:10

Just take the spare towels away, and give everybody one towel each to use.

Lennybenny · 09/01/2023 18:10

We used to have issues about towels. I made them chose a colour each and now they have a coloured big towel and slightly smaller towel in the same colour each. No-one is allowed to use anyone else's towel...and no spares so no arguments.

Remove all the extra towels!

Couldyounot · 09/01/2023 18:11

Putting just used towel in the wash basket to avoid hanging it up is mode du jour in this house, because electricity and laundry detergent are free, apparently 🤬

BlueBooh · 09/01/2023 18:14

I knew from just reading the title it would be teenagers!

Just give them a towel each and hide the rest of them.

They're a nightmare!

familyissues12345 · 09/01/2023 18:14

Drives me beyond insane, mainly my 14 year old DS. I now allocate him a set amount of towels a week, if he chooses to just dump them on the floor then he ends up with wet ones for his next shower.

Same with clothes, he comes home from school just before 4, gets changed then is out of said clothes by 10ish. Next day he wants a whole new outfit?! Then he's moaning that he has nothing left to wear... Hmm

bloodyeverlastinghell · 09/01/2023 18:17

Everyone has different coloured towels. I have a peg rail in the bathroom where they dry

Moonopoly · 09/01/2023 18:18

I bought everyone a towelling dressing gown

Moonopoly · 09/01/2023 18:19

Saves on the towel issue and I always know whose has been left on the floor!

IncognitoIsMyFavouriteWord · 09/01/2023 18:21

Lol DS and I had this convo the other day.

He makes a towel last 5 uses apparently but I wash after 3.

I think he's a bit a grim and a typical Yorkshire man (we moved to here when he was a pre-teen) 😁

He thinks I can make mine last longer I said no, 3 uses is adequate. I pay for all washing and energy so he doesn't have to worry.

SkylightSkylight · 09/01/2023 18:26

Yep, everyone has a different colour, or shade of colour, they go on the heated towel rail to dry between showers. I changed them over as needed, to fit in with other laundry I need to do. 2 sets each, they're free to get a fresh set out, but it's easier to hang them up than go & get the other set, so it rarely happens!

it's how I grew up & just seems the easiest way around any hassle.

(I do the laundry because I prefer to! Well, I should say I manage the laundry😂 if you have minions, put them to use!!)

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