To wash bath towels after every use

[bananaramaspyjamas]

Is this normal? I'm constantly washing towels.

I've seen that guest towels in restaurants/pubs as well. To help the environment by saving on paper towels/electric dryers and the other advantage is that people don't have to dry their hands on a manky towel that loads of people have used before hand.
But I often wonder if this is just as bad for the environment as the paper towels - by the time you take into account the washing and detergent etc.

My DH has cancer and I have never done anywhere near 38 washes a week, and we have DC.

We too have children.

Just a tiny washing machine

This is why I love MN.

Some posters have to boil wash (or as near as) absolutely everything every couple of days.

Other posters are happy with a super-fast 10mn wash at the lowest temperatures once or twice a month for a family of 5.

I am happily in the middle, and find both extremes quite funny.

My machine holds a king size bedding set, but not more. You can buy big capacity machines, I would really consider that if I was doing 38 loads a week. We are running on approximatively 2 loads a day during the week, that's more than enough of my time!

Best compromise is to wash hot less often.

One of our DC went in for infrequent laundry at low temperatures at university. The state and smell of his clothing and bedding after three years at this regime was repulsive.

We have separate towels -DH and I have the same colors but hang them in different places and the kids use kid beach towels with characters on.
Sometimes they get mixed up or used by the wrong person but that’s ok.
I am religious about hanging them to dry though. I can’t/won’t reuse a towel that’s been left wet or on the floor.
I wash mine slightly less than once a week - roughly every 5 days or so or swap for a clean set.
We have a towel rail in the bathroom for drying and hooks on doors.

I'm on my own now but have always had own towels washed once a week or more often if needed. I have a bathroom radiator which doubles as a towel rack. If they are washed and hung to dry till stiff, just a few minutes in the tumble dryer softens them up. I have showers every second day and on the in between days use flannels for bits and face - separate colour for each. Those go in the weekly wash with the towels, as does the net bag with the used cotton pads I have instead of cotton wool for my face.

We have a new towel after using around three days but I have two showers a day so they dont feel very nice after a bit

We all have our own towels in different colours, plus towelling bath robes, and hair turban towel things for DD and me. All get washed once a week, and hung on overdoor hooks in bedrooms between uses.

Plus flannels that I just chuck in with whatever else is getting washed as we all have a fresh one every day and I don't fancy keeping 20-odd soggy flannels hanging about for a week to make up a wash, but now I think maybe I should wash them separately.

Seems way too excessive in my opinion.

i wash after every use only because thats what my mum did and i grew up with her doing it. i dont think i could reuse a towel. just what i have been used to.

The only time I washed my towel after every use was when my horse had strangles and I showered as soon as I got home from the yard - neighbours paddock is next to my garden. But then I had good reason to be obsessive about biosecurity and towel and clothes went straight into the washing machine with dettol. Back to being a slattern now.

There really is no need to wash them after every use. You are drying a clean body and it'll dry on the rack by the next shower!

Everyone should have their own towels and washing once a week is surely sufficient. Hand towels get washed weekly or more frequently if obviously dirty or very damp.

I have 2 towels on the go for 2 adults at a time once used hang over bannister to dry put dry one back in bathroom, change probably after few uses, toddler has his own towels

Get a heated towel rail to dry them on. If not, hang your individual towels on a trouser hanger and hand on the back of your door using on of those hook thingies. Or get a chin up bar and put on your door and hang from there.

Every few weeks Laurie???
Gahhh, my teens make em stink after two 30
min showers?

I wash 4 bath sheets every other day.
No big deal.
Washed and dried in 3 hours

@fleurdalys. It's a big deal for the environment.

One bath towel per person per week. We have a heated towel rail for 2 towels , the other two go on radiators or hooks on back of door.

30 min showers are a big deal for the environment too!

Eliza

There are no body fluids on our towels- yuk!

We are clean when we get out the bath. I just use my towel as a modesty devise to walk to my bedroom.

So no issue with it being reused.

Whatever.
I hate stinky towels.
And they do smell after one or two uses.
Fresh out the washer all the way 😁

Your gaff, your rules, though I fear your washing machine will wear out quicker than most. I have a colleague who does this, and changes her (linen) bed sheets every day.

And they do smell after one or two uses.

No smells here and we use the same one per person all week. Perhaps you're not washing the towels or yourselves properly.