Wash cloths separate or wash at 90- what's more hygienic?

[Hygieneee]

Hi

I've only just realised that mesh body poufs are supposed to be changed every 3 weeks. Well, we each had one and they had been used for longer, allowed to air dry and had no signs of mould or bad smell. It's made from plastic and I know it's terrible for the environment.

Do I get my family different coloured wash cloths each and wash at 60c after every use with their bigger bath towels like I already do or get all white for all of us and then wash them after each as usual at 90c? What is more hygienic? We don't have any contagious skin illnesses but who knows in the future!

Does it matter how much GSM the towel has if it's going to be washed on very hot and used to scrub up in the shower? I go for higher gsm for drying but not sure about using them for scrubbing up.

What does everyone do? What's the most hygienic way? I don't like just using my hands to wash my body. Thanks.

I've only just realised that mesh body poufs are supposed to be changed every 3 weeks.

Are they? According to who?

I thought natural sponge/loofahs were meant to be changed every three weeks, but the plastic ones would last up to two or three months.

I have read and took on board the different opinions.

I think if our hands could stand to be washed on higher temperatures the advice would be different and I think there are things we can catch via skin but not through digestive system like some STIs.

If towels weren't washed at higher temperatures I would think they will have hidden bacteria and start smelling bad. I also think it's good for the machine to have hot cycles.

About rinsing out cloths and using them for 3 days, I don't like the idea of reusing a towel I used to clean my armpits with. I can only handwash at tepid temperatures, towels are incredibly rough on my hands to wash and don't like rags and towels hanging around on radiator it makes the room smell damp and so unsightly. I like things looking neat and tidy and I don't like radiators on that much to dry them off quickly, prefer a cooler temperature in the house.

With the plastic body poufs thing I think I read it on an article in the S*n online it came from Tiktok I think. I know you'll all think I'm such an idiot now.

Eek! I think I might hide from this thread now.... I think if I say more about it you might think I'm hysterical and I'm honestly not that anal when it comes to house chores and germs. Thanks everyone! 🏃

I’m clearly disgusting. I wash towels after a few uses (you’re clean when you use them so it’s not like you’re smearing filth on yourself if you use a previously-used towel). If it’s one towel on it’s own it goes in with clothes (30 degrees), if I’ve got enough towels to make up a separate load then I might put that on at 60. Flannels get washed in the same way. We don’t use the puff things. We each have our own towels (colour coded) and… (runs from the hygiene squad) sometimes my kids use the same flannel. No one has died or caught anything yet.

STIs??

OP if you are using a towel to clean your armpits, you're doing something very wrong.

I honestly think that's more to do with which detergent you use and drying fast enough so they don't smell funky.

Presumably your own family don't have STIs so even if you could catch something from a towel it's not relevant as it's your own family.

Maybe. My mum was rubbish at doing the washing actually now I think about it! I used to wash a lot of my clothes myself as she just threw everything in together and things would get destroyed. Just remembered that.

Boil wash? Jeez some people are just nutz

How can you claim to care about the environment and yet do three loads of laundry a day?

My shower puffs last forever. If they aren't mouldy then why throw them away?

I do towels at 60⁰C as that temperature also helps clean the machine. Other clothing is done at 30 or 40⁰C

We don't have wash cloths, hands are fine. Towels washed at 40 after a few uses. The only time I would go to 60 is if norovirus or similar has made its way in to the house. All still alive and clean.

They can be washed in the machine at 30.

** I mean the shower puffs

We now only have white towels, face cloths, tea towels, sheets, cleaning cloths etc - white wash once or twice a week. Face cloths rinsed out and used for a couple of days and then in for washing. Eco 40 deg wash - I used to wash whites at 60 deg until elec became such a luxury. Made an exception at Christmas when covid visited - all cloths, towels etc single use and 60 deg with Napisan that week.

You wash towels after every use? At 90°?

no wonder the planet is doomed. It to mention the utter waste of your time as well as resources.

All this would be much easier if you just washed yourself with your hands! What is it that you find unpleasant about doing that?

Also, life is way to short (and the planet too precious) to wash towels after every use. I mean, even hotels discourage it, so it can’t be a health & safety risk.

I was clothes on 20, towels, bedding etc on 40 and my terry nappies at 60 ( just because it's pee and poop)

We have baskets of wash cloths for hand drying which go into another basket after one use.

I wash these on a 60 degree wash with a bit of disinfectant . Wash other clothes on a 40 degree wash

Three loads a day? 90 degrees?

Are you running laundries in infectious disease hospitals?