A towel hanging on the rail should not be reused indefinitely, according to a report by the Polish outlet Rmf24. The outlet said that the same towel, without washing, can be used a maximum of three times.
Rmf24 explained that moisture is an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. Towel fabric absorbs water and stays wet, and bathroom conditions often make it harder for the fabric to dry out fully between uses.
The outlet noted that when people wash, they remove dirt and dead skin cells from their bodies, but some of that residue then transfers onto the towel during drying, which the outlet said makes reuse less hygienic over time. To stop microorganisms from multiplying, Rmf24 said a towel should be hung to dry after every use, which in practice means washing it at least twice a week under normal daily hygiene. If someone in the household has a viral infection or a skin condition, or if people in the home use a swimming pool, the towel should be washed every day, the outlet said.
Why regular washing matters
Reusing a towel gives viruses, fungi and bacteria an extra way to spread, Rmf24's authors said, pointing to Staphylococcus aureus as an example. Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium that lives on human skin and can cause infections ranging from minor skin irritation to more serious illness if it gets into a cut or wound. The authors added that an unwashed towel also irritates the skin, which stays healthier when hygiene routines are kept up. They also stressed that every person in a household should have their own towel rather than sharing or borrowing one.
How to wash and store towels properly
Rmf24's authors said a towel should be left to dry before it goes into the washing machine. Overloading the drum with too many towels at once means they will not come out fully clean, they said. A damp towel should also not be tossed into a laundry basket together with other dirty clothes.
The Ukrainian outlet UNIAN has previously reported on what to do when kitchen towels start smelling again just two days after washing, citing an old household trick of soaking them before putting them in the machine. According to that report, towels should then be washed at 60 to 90 degrees Celsius, since high heat kills bacteria lodged in the fibres.
