Sad to say I have been thinking about this all day, and remain unswayed, you are still all mingers.
I thought the please put your towels in the bath if you want them washed in a hotel was so that they didnt wash UNUSED towels, not so that you could reuse them.
So I thought you might all find this of interest:
Dr. Philip tierno
"the secret life of germs"
"Showering does not erradicate the germs that are on your skin and in your body."
And overtime that could pile up to no good.
Andrea fontaine Foods research labs.
"Viruses, bacteria anything that can remain on a towel and survive can be transfered."
We tested towels from 6 busy families.
The towels were used as many as 4 or more times; often by more than one person.
And as anyone with kids might expect , the families admit the towels probably spent a little time on the bathroom floor.
Melissa bishop/towel tested
"It's very hard to be perfectly clean."
If those towels could talk, these petri dishes show what they would say.
The towels are loaded with bacteria.
The most disturbing discovery, staph bacteria, that could cause skin infections or food poisoning if you dry your hands on an infected towel and then eat.
Andrea Fontaine Foods Research Labs.
"The towel could be used as a way to contaminate some one else if you share your towel and recontaminate yourself if you're re-using your towel."
Melissa Bishop/Family "Oh how gross. I didn't think a towel would be a germy thing."
Dr. Philip Tierno wrote the book on germs.
He says you can avoid risks by following a few simple steps.
For starters, lay out your towel so it dries completely after every use...simply hanging it on a hook may not cut it.
Dr. Philip Tierno
"The Secret Life of Germs"
"You can cut down on the number of staph that survive. But if you let it sort of grow in a nice damp environment you can increase the staph count on the towel."
Plus, make sure your towel never touches the floor and don't share it.
Experts say you should wash your towel after 2 uses and if you have any skin problems like acne wash it everytime you use it.
Andrea Fontaine Foods Research Labs.
"You could end up re-infecting yourself or prolonging the healing process."
To avoid cross contamination, wash your towels separately from your clothes and use a detergent with a santizing agent.
Plus, the permanent press cycle and using cold water saves energy but it won't necessarily get rid of all germs.
Also, experts say when you're sick it's a good idea to only use your towel once before washing it.