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Original poster

How old is your eldest towel?

233 replies

fairyfluf · 09/09/2023 20:44

Mine is 20 years! Is that really bad? I'm wondering if it's actually really unhygienic but I wash towels regularly.

OP posts:
IHeartGeneHunt · 09/09/2023 20:45

14 years. Primark, 2009. Still good.

midgemadgemodge · 09/09/2023 20:45

Erm.. yes .. 38

Annotated1 · 09/09/2023 20:46

About 20 years as well, I’m very fond of it. It’s ripped at one corner so I’ve just pegged the flappy bit up separately on the washing line.

lottiegarbanzo · 09/09/2023 20:46

53

TomatoSandwiches · 09/09/2023 20:46

3 years 1 month.

onestepfromgrace · 09/09/2023 20:46

I’ve been in this house well over 20 years and I’ve still got some that I brought with me, they are mostly used for the dog now, but I definitely have others over 20 years old.

ZeroFucksGivenToday · 09/09/2023 20:46

My oldest towel, that my daughter used today at a swim park is 22 years old. It went on my 18-30 holiday with me, back when I'd just turned 18!

devildeepbluesea · 09/09/2023 20:46

About 32 yeArs old. I bought it for uni, and it’s still my favourite towel. Big, thick and rough (I loathe soft towels!).

Nellieinthebarn · 09/09/2023 20:46

About 25 years, but it has been relegated to a dog towel.

motleymop · 09/09/2023 20:47

I've got one with a name tape in from school. I'm mid 40s now - so over 30 years.
It is tatty though, and only on standby for emergency situs.
I don't think the hygiene thing is an issue.

UndercoverCop · 09/09/2023 20:47

Only about 6 years, we moved here 7 years ago and had loads of renovation to do, just before we moved I bought some beautiful towels at an outlet and wouldn't use them until all the grotty building work was done. Then repurposed all the old ones for various DIY projects/spills, by the time I relented and cracked out the new towels we only had one each.

cantkeepawayforever · 09/09/2023 20:47

My oldest towels went to boarding school with me well over 40 years ago…

They are very much spare spares (they were bought by my mum in the 1970s before coming to me, and are in the colours of that era) but are utterly indestructible!

Kilopascal · 09/09/2023 20:47

Well... let's just say it has my school nametape on it from swimming lessons.

That was (cough) quite a while ago.

LuckOfTheDrawer · 09/09/2023 20:47

I was thinking this recently - I reckon my towels are ~15 years old 😄.

Luzina · 09/09/2023 20:48

I have 2 M&S towels that my mum bought me to take to boarding school in 1987. They’re a bit thin now but still totally usable

Colourfulponderings · 09/09/2023 20:48

It has my name tag sewn in from PE at school and I’m mid 40s now.

LuckOfTheDrawer · 09/09/2023 20:48

Oh, it sounds like my towels are just youngsters from some of these replies 🤣.

VerbenaGirl · 09/09/2023 20:49

I think mine might be pushing 30 years - but as long as it’s washed well, it can’t see that it’s unhygienic (mine go in a hot wash). It is unraveling a bit on one edge and I think DH has got his eye on it for garage rags.

Doggymummar · 09/09/2023 20:50

We were talking about this yesterday 20 I think

MidnightOnceMore · 09/09/2023 20:51

30+ years.

It's only unhygienic if you've never washed it @fairyfluf ??!

hexsnidgett · 09/09/2023 20:51

I have one I bought with my first paypacket in 1988! It is well knackered

SpanishSummer · 09/09/2023 20:52

I am always horrified when I see articles like the one below. So bad for the environment to encourage people to replace all towels after 2 years. My oldest were bought for my first house 20 years ago.

https://www.online-bedrooms.co.uk/be-inspired/germ-free-homes-how-often-to-replace-household-items/

LadyoftheLavaLamp · 09/09/2023 20:52

My elder towel is 33 years old and still going strong as a dog towel!

Hippopotaperson · 09/09/2023 20:52

Mine: probably 20 years old. Still in regular use.

Parents: 60 years. Towels bought for miners from pit baths are indestructible.

enjoyingscience · 09/09/2023 20:52

22 - it’s a hot pink ikea bath towel I took to university. Apart from one hole, it’s doing great, and it’s still hot pink. I don’t think any we have are less than ten. I still think of one decade old one as ‘the good new towel’ 😁