# How long do you use the same bath towel?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 4, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993 "2003-12-04T18:58:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@OliverTwistofLime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OliverTwistofLime)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/1 "2003-12-04T18:58:16Z")
Having nothing better to do, I started wondering if bath towels are still _clean_ after a thorough shower with plenty of soap. Certainly, sloughed skin cells wind up on the towel. But in the absence of mucous or blood or other body fluids getting on the towel the towel is relatively clean.
I tend to use a bath towel a couple of days and then in the hamper it goes. My wife insists that a towel should in general be good for a week.
What are your views on the above and how often do you use the same towel before getting a _clean_ one?
---
### Author:  [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/2 "2003-12-04T19:13:30Z")
I use mine twice then wash it. My husband uses his until it can walk by itself. He does all his laundry (by his own choice) but for some reason never washes his towel, I usually do it when it gets crunchy. I find it extremely bizarre, because in all other respects he’s much neater than I am.
---
### Author:  [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/3 "2003-12-04T19:16:36Z")
I usually go about 4 showers per towel. Of course, being female and in possession of long hair, I guess it’s actually 4 showers per _two_ towels. 🙂 Maybe if I had a washer and dryer in the house and didn’t have to lug my laundry to the 'mat and back every time, I might go hog wild with my towel usage and have a pure, April fresh one every time. But as things stand, I just got clean, the towel’s been hanging on a rack and therefore is presumably no dirtier than it was last time, so why get a new one?
---
### Author:  [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/4 "2003-12-04T19:19:18Z")
2-3 days. When the bleachy freshness is gone, it’s time to do laundry.
---
### Author:  [@JessEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessEnigma)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/5 "2003-12-04T19:21:33Z")
I use mine for about a week when I’m at school. (At home I’ll grab whatever’s hanging up, so I have no idea how long those are used.) I don’t have that many towels and I can’t afford to wash them every few days. But seriously, if it’s just me using the towel, I don’t see any reason to swap it out much sooner unless it’s not been aired out properly or if it’s been used for something besides showers.
---
### Author:  [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/6 "2003-12-04T20:25:29Z")
You’re supposed to wash it?
---
### Author:  [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/7 "2003-12-04T20:26:25Z")
Holy cow–
I guess I am the wierd one here.
One shower and into the laundry it goes. Even my kids are conditioned to one use per washing.
---
### Author:  [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/8 "2003-12-04T20:29:27Z")
“My husband uses his until it can walk by itself.”
Cringe.
Usually about 3 days. I use the towel service at the gym so they take care of those (the absolute worst towels, too.)
---
### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/9 "2003-12-04T20:30:18Z")
My step-mom puts it in the wash after one shower.
Mine…well, Ivylad and I have currently shared the same one for about two weeks now. I think I better do some laundry.
---
### Author:  [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/10 "2003-12-04T20:37:56Z")
Two weeks. But since I have two hanging in the bathroom at any given time and alternate using, I guess it works out to a week.
---
### Author:  [@1kBR\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1kBR_Kid)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/11 "2003-12-04T20:39:40Z")
'til my neighbor wipes her ass with it ☹
---
### Author:  [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/12 "2003-12-04T21:27:03Z")
About a week here, fewer times in summer. And Hubby tends to use his until the color start to change. Ick.
---
### Author:  [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/13 "2003-12-04T21:36:48Z")
One week before I throw it in the laundry.
After every shower? Jeez, you people love to do laundry huh?
---
### Author:  [@Kyann22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyann22)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/14 "2003-12-04T21:38:21Z")
Another for after each shower. And with my fiance and I both living together, that’s a lot of towels a week.
I used to use mine a couple of times before it hit the laundry basket, but they start smelling pretty fast down here in Texas. Must be the water.
---
### Author:  [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/15 "2003-12-04T21:46:42Z")
2-3 weeks.
---
### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/16 "2003-12-04T21:57:41Z")
I go a week. I talked with a lady at work about this; she said she and her family wipe down the shower with the towel after drying off. So, she washes towels every night. We sat there, eyeing each other suspiciously.
---
### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/17 "2003-12-04T22:48:21Z")
I’ll usually use mine after 3 or 4 showers, then get a clean one.
---
### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/18 "2003-12-04T22:57:40Z")
When the edge of the towel cuts you, it’s time to wash it.
---
### Author:  [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/19 "2003-12-04T23:00:25Z")
Wash after every shower. I wasn’t as fastidious in NZ where we had a heated towel rail which dried the towels again but here in the land of humidity they go stinky real fast.
---
### Author:  [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993/20 "2003-12-04T23:18:18Z")
I have a rotating pattern of towel usage.
Clean towel on on the head; previous day’s towel on the body; towel from the day before that on the floor.
After I’m dry and dressed, the floor towel goes into the hamper and the other two get moved down a notch the next day.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-use-the-same-bath-towel/216993.md?page=2)