# Share that towel! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 2, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095 "2009-05-02T16:43:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/41 "2009-05-03T11:05:07Z")
And as a slight hijack, I don’t understand washcloths. What are they used for? I get in the shower, grab a bar of soap, and wash myself. With my own hands. I don’t understand needing a small wet towel to do this. Am I missing something? Is this one of those things that if your mother did it, you do it too, and if she didn’t, you don’t? Because I’ve been a guest at peoples’ houses and they leave out guest towels with washcloths…and I’ve always wondered if they think it’s weird that the washcloth isn’t ever used… ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/42 "2009-05-03T11:23:34Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > ??? You only have two towels? Go buy more towels! Just go and buy a new towel every month or so for a year, and you will be able to have enough towels to be able to use a fresh one every time. Or save up and buy a bunch of towels in January, when the stores have their White Sales. > > Y’all are making my skin crawl! We only have two towels in the bathroom at any one time. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/43 "2009-05-03T13:09:03Z")
Single person household here. I always have 2 bath towels in rotation and I wash them about every 10 days. So each gets used about 5 times before laundering. However, this thread is making me think I need to change my laundry schedule… ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/44 "2009-05-03T13:47:15Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > And as a slight hijack, I don’t understand washcloths. > > What are they used for? I get in the shower, grab a bar of soap, and wash myself. With my own hands. I don’t understand needing a small wet towel to do this. > > Am I missing something? Is this one of those things that if your mother did it, you do it too, and if she didn’t, you don’t? Because I’ve been a guest at peoples’ houses and they leave out guest towels with washcloths…and I’ve always wondered if they think it’s weird that the washcloth isn’t ever used… Washcloths are scrubbier than hands, more invigorating. Also if you’re washing your face in the sink without a washcloth it splashes water everywhere, at least with how our sinks are made. We all have our own towels. The kids have towel hooks in their rooms because towels dry faster out of the damp bathroom. If I use a washcloth I use a fresh one and I only use a bath towel 2 or 3 times, I also hang it out of the bathroom until it’s dry . My husband uses his bath towel until I take it when I wash towels. He also uses the same washcloth for that long and hangs it under his towel in his towel area guaranteeing that both his towel and washcloth are constantly damp. He has a weird fungus type spot on his face that won’t clear up. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/45 "2009-05-03T14:03:37Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > And as a slight hijack, I don’t understand washcloths. > > What are they used for? I get in the shower, grab a bar of soap, and wash myself. With my own hands. I don’t understand needing a small wet towel to do this. > > Am I missing something? Is this one of those things that if your mother did it, you do it too, and if she didn’t, you don’t? Because I’ve been a guest at peoples’ houses and they leave out guest towels with washcloths…and I’ve always wondered if they think it’s weird that the washcloth isn’t ever used… I take opposite corners of my soapy washrag and wash my back. I’m not nearly limber enough to comfortably reach back there with my hands. As long as I have that nice warm, soapy, and nubbly cloth handy I might as well enjoy the luxury of useing it on the rest of my body. I’m not good at denying myself anything. Wnen I was poor, I did use my hands. No more of that for me, thanks. So no, you’re not missing anything. But I would be if I could no longer use a washcloth. I also no longer use a bar of soap till it disappears. Now I get a new one when the one I’m using gets a little hard to handle. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/46 "2009-05-03T15:23:18Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > And as a slight hijack, I don’t understand washcloths. > > What are they used for? I get in the shower, grab a bar of soap, and wash myself. With my own hands. I don’t understand needing a small wet towel to do this. > > Am I missing something? Is this one of those things that if your mother did it, you do it too, and if she didn’t, you don’t? Because I’ve been a guest at peoples’ houses and they leave out guest towels with washcloths…and I’ve always wondered if they think it’s weird that the washcloth isn’t ever used… They make me feel cleaner - they exfoliate much better than just hands. My husband doesn’t use a washcloth, though. We each have our own towel, and I do a towel load twice a week. The handtowel gets washed once a week. (We have more towels than that, though, **Lynn**!) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/47 "2009-05-03T15:39:48Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > And as a slight hijack, I don’t understand washcloths. > > What are they used for? I get in the shower, grab a bar of soap, and wash myself. With my own hands. I don’t understand needing a small wet towel to do this. > > Am I missing something? Is this one of those things that if your mother did it, you do it too, and if she didn’t, you don’t? Because I’ve been a guest at peoples’ houses and they leave out guest towels with washcloths…and I’ve always wondered if they think it’s weird that the washcloth isn’t ever used… All this yackety-yack we’re giving you, eh. Yes, you are missing something. Just beg, borrow, or steal (or buy) a washcloth and try it. Then do what ever makes you happiest. Whichever you decide, you’ll no longer be missing the experience. I love simple solutions. And I’m pretty much willing to try anything. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/48 "2009-05-03T15:40:12Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > And as a slight hijack, I don’t understand washcloths. > > What are they used for? I get in the shower, grab a bar of soap, and wash myself. With my own hands. I don’t understand needing a small wet towel to do this. > > Am I missing something? Is this one of those things that if your mother did it, you do it too, and if she didn’t, you don’t? Because I’ve been a guest at peoples’ houses and they leave out guest towels with washcloths…and I’ve always wondered if they think it’s weird that the washcloth isn’t ever used… I use washcloths because soap doesn’t disinfect, so then you have your germs from your body on your soap, where they’ll sit and multiply on the soap until the next time you use it, when you’ll then rub the millions of germs onto your skin. A squirt of some liquid Dove on a clean washcloth, and I’m good, although liquid soap is more drying than bar soap. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/49 "2009-05-03T15:58:48Z")
I’ve been wanting to try a loofah. Are they all the same? What should I look for? I want to use it as I use a washcloth. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/50 "2009-05-03T16:05:12Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > I’ve been wanting to try a loofah. Are they all the same? What should I look for? > I want to use it as I use a washcloth. Don’t do it! Anything like that carries bacteria from use to use, because they’re difficult to disinfect. Between uses the bacteria multiplies, then next time you use it, you’re causing tiny abrasions to your skin, and then grinding that bacteria into them. They cause staph, including MRSA, a\* lot\*- at the derm office I work in, we see these skin infections several times a week due to loofahs and mesh shower poofs. Use just a clean washcloth every time. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/51 "2009-05-03T18:23:53Z")
I’m going to reply to several people here. > [@](#): > > However, one of the benefits of being a one person household is being able to go anywhere outside of the bathroom (at least indoors; the neighbors might complain if I stepped outside 😛 ) without throwing on a robe or wrapping up in a towel. Eh, ever since I moved out of my parents’ house and into my married quarters, I’ve walked around nekkid. I do put a towel down if I’m gonna sit anywhere, though. Since I’ve married, I’ve almost always had cats around, and cats mean cat hair everywhere. I don’t particularly want cat hair in my pink bits. > [@](#): > > And as a slight hijack, I don’t understand washcloths. > > What are they used for? I get in the shower, grab a bar of soap, and wash myself. With my own hands. I don’t understand needing a small wet towel to do this. I find that using a good washcloth helps me exfoliate. I squirt some Noxzema or other facial cleanser on the washcloth before I step into the shower with it, wash and rinse my face first, and then use body soap on the washcloth to scrub the rest of my body. It seems that some days I molt. > [@](#): > > I also no longer use a bar of soap till it disappears. Now I get a new one when the one I’m using gets a little hard to handle. Get the old soap and the new one nice and sudsy, and stick them together. Let them dry, and thereafter treat them as one bar of soap. This is especially amusing when you have two different colors of soap. Some people have or make special little terry bags that they put their soap slivers in. It takes all of five seconds to stick the two bars together, so that’s what I do. Towels and washcloths should not be treated with fabric softener, in either the washer or the dryer. They’ll be softer, yes, but they won’t absorb water nearly as well. Usually I change the hand towel in the bathroom two or three times a week, oftener if Bill has been working on a car or some other greasy item. Also I change the kitchen towel about that often, unless I get it dirty. I don’t dry dishes by hand, if I did, then I’d probably change the towel more often. The kitchen towel is for drying my hands after washing them, and for use as a trivet. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/52 "2009-05-03T19:06:47Z")
Hm, I tend to use the same towel for several showers. I also use my girlfriend’s towel. Of course, not taking a shower for a couple days and letting the towels dry out probably helps prevent whatever diseases are being discussed here. Maybe I’ll change up my shower habits when summer comes around… ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/53 "2009-05-03T19:25:01Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Don’t do it! Anything like that carries bacteria from use to use, because they’re difficult to disinfect. Between uses the bacteria multiplies, then next time you use it, you’re causing tiny abrasions to your skin, and then grinding that bacteria into them. They cause staph, including MRSA, a\* lot\*- at the derm office I work in, we see these skin infections several times a week due to loofahs and mesh shower poofs. Use just a clean washcloth every time. You can’t just throw it in the washer and dryer? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/54 "2009-05-03T19:43:21Z")
As I noted before, soap alone doesn’t kill bacteria. So, unless you sterilize your laundry, even a machine washing won’t help. I suppose they’d be okay if you did disinfect after every use, but do you really want to go through all that trouble when a good nubby clean washcloth has the same effect? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/55 "2009-05-03T19:44:42Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Get the old soap and the new one nice and sudsy, and stick them together. Let them dry, and thereafter treat them as one bar of soap. This is especially amusing when you have two different colors of soap. Some people have or make special little terry bags that they put their soap slivers in. It takes all of five seconds to stick the two bars together, so that’s what I do. I’ll try that. I simply don’t like chasing those little slippery bits around. My old SO used to grate old used bars of soap on the large blade grater and then mold several bar’s worth into a large new bar. It was pretty cool, the different smells and colors that would result. She also (sometimes) made soap from scratch. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/56 "2009-05-03T20:13:20Z")
Our commercial soap bars have a concave and a convex side. So I stick the old soap sliver into the concave (hollowed out) side, where it snuggles in nicely. I’ve never made soap from scratch, as I already have quite enough unfinished craft projects as it is. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/57 "2009-05-03T20:16:11Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Our commercial soap bars have a concave and a convex side. So I stick the old soap sliver into the concave (hollowed out) side, where it snuggles in nicely. I’ve never made soap from scratch, as I already have quite enough unfinished craft projects as it is. Lazy bones! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Faruiza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@Faruiza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faruiza)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/58 "2009-05-03T20:33:30Z")
So, I’ve been taught recently that a kitchen sink sponge can be made germ free if you stick it in the microwave for a bit before each use. Could we not do the same things with implements of body washing? I suppose there’s a ton of information out there on the subject of killing germs with a microwave, but damn if I haven’t bothered to actually look it up… ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/59 "2009-05-03T20:42:36Z")
We have had ongoing problems with lice at school, at daycare and occasionally in our home. All of our towels are one use only and into the wash. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095/60 "2009-05-03T21:09:34Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > We have had ongoing problems with lice at school, at daycare and occasionally in our home. All of our towels are one use only and into the wash. We went through the lice thing a couple times when our kids were little. The only thing that actually worked was cooperation in the timing and thouroness of treatment and washing bedding, etc. Also we had to convince the snobs at the school the lice were not from dirty poor people and that they should cooperate and admit that their little darlings were infested too. They’d try to treat their kids on the sly. :rolleyes: We’d all be louse free in a week or two, IIRC. I don’t remember the exact treatment, but it involved more than just towels. I’m sure cooperation between vector contol, the schools, and _all_ the families can erradicate a louse problem. At least for a while. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-that-towel/495095.md?page=4)