We use our towels a few times before washing them, well at least my DH, myself and 2 of our kids. My oldest child though, uses a fresh towel each time (much to my dismay). Kitchen dishtowels are changed all the time (I go thru a ton of them, but my washer is off of the kitchen and we don't use paper towels). I change hand towels every other day.

Personally, I don't think that it's gross to re-use your own bath towel, in fact, I feel that it's wasteful to wash it after each use. So that's my 2 cents.

Wow - lots of debate here.

We use a clean towel and washcloth for every shower.
We use a clean dish cloth daily as well as tea towel.

Has anyone ever watched How Clean is Your House? with Kim and Aggie? (on BBC America)
They have sent towels to the lab that have been sitting out for a week and the levels of bacteria/yeast/fungi are astonishing!

We just can't get past that. When you wash - you want to be clean!

You are right. We can't get past that. Regardless if some people don't mind reusing bath towels, the fact is, and there is no dispute on this point, a used bath towel is loaded with bacteria, yeast and fungi. The point about the dust mites is well taken. A bath towel has much more dead skin cells on it that your bed pillow and sheets. Dust mites do move around very freely and they will run over to used towels for a feast.

I find it amusing how concerned people are about bacteria and fungi (yeast is a fungus, so no need to separate it from that group) that come from their own bodies. If you weren't sick before taking a shower, the leftover germs on the towel won't make you sick either. Your immune system can easily handle them. Like somebody mentioned above, you are not sterile after taking a shower and the germs multiply much faster on your skin at a cozy body temperature than on a towel that dries in a A/C room.
A towel with dangerous amounts of germs on it would smell so nasty that nobody would consider using it! Keep in mind that the "fresh" towels out of the closet are not sterile either.

I agree that it might be a good idea for people suffering from allergies/asthma not to reuse towels, but I seriously doubt that it would cause any allergies or diseases in otherwise healthy individuals. And that is not just a wild guess, I have worked in a microbiology lab and I have done some germ counts on various things. Keeping your environment too clean and sterile actually weakens your immune system and makes you much more likely to get sick.

FWIW, we do use our bath towels for up to a week unless they start smelling...

I don't believe I said that my sons asthma was caused from re-used towels. I said I wasn't going to do that to help keep from triggering the asthma. He can't go into stores and go around isles where there is a lot of smells like the detergent section or candles or sometimes just pass someone that has taken a bath in perfume. You just don't always know what will set it off.

His pillows are not old or feather plus they are in cases that seals out allergens as is his mattress. Our furniture is not old and it is vacummed and dusted regularly. I have plantation shutters that are vacuumed and have hardwood floors not "old nasty carpet". The floors are mopped regularly and we have no pets in the house. I mop my kitchen and bathrooms everyday and our thermostat is set on 70 year round-electric heat pump-no gas. Gas is another thing you do not want around people with asthma. I have read everything imaginable and talked to the Dr. time and again about the best things and the worst triggers for asthma, so don't get on here telling me I have a nasty house or old furniture when you have no idea what I have.
All I said was I don't reuse towels-mainly because of the son. One day he will be gone and I won't have to wash his stuff anymore but for now I don't mind doing a few towels.

People get on here and talk about how they love their washer and how little water and energy it uses, but then in the next breathe they are complaining about having to wash a few clothes.

I also care for an elderly parent with alzheimers and the "break" I give myself is the few minutes I spend on the computer reading this site. I do this for enjoyment and info, not to be judged as how my house is kept.

sparky823,
I am not sure what post you are refering to. I think part of it is mine, so I'll answer.
I didn't mean to judge you at all. I know that you didn't say or indicate that your son's asthma was caused by re-using towels. I was trying to say that it is a good idea to keep the allergen level as low as possible for people suffering from asthma and allergies. I would do the same thing and not worry about the few additional loads of laundry in your case.

I was refering to the people without health problems who think that using a towel more than once was gross. Between showers, the body will harbor a lot more germs than a towel that has been used a few times and has been properly hung up to dry.

I agree that our bodies and used towels have germs on them...but I don't think our bodies have more nasty germs than used towels. A used towel is wet and when it is wet and has our skin cells, etc on it...it is producing more germs.

And not to get to graphic...but....I can not imagine using a towel that was previously used on private parts or even between toes which fester with germs.

I also don't see the big deal in doing a couple more loads of laundry each week to ensure fresh clean towels. Let's face it...throwing in a batch of towels into a washer and throwing in some detergent is not hard labor. It is not that difficult or time consuming to do.

It is true that some people with asthma and other allergies may have become unable to handle any type of "germs" due to a to clean environment when young. A recent study came out claiming the best thing to do with babies is to allow them to have real close contact with cats and dogs. Some mothers are to much into killing germs...walking around with those cloths and soap...and the immune system doesn't properly develop to handle germs.

If those of us who reuse towels don't differ in our level of "healthiness" (for lack of a better word) than those who don't reuse their towels, doesn't that pretty much tell you that reusing them isn't unsanitary enough to matter, germ counts notwithstanding?

If I had family members who chose to use fresh towels every day, I would require them to buy seven sets at their own expense, keep them in their own room, and make them accountable for washing them.

I did say earlier that we do not reuse towels. Allergies are the main reason, but lurking in the back of my mind is exactly what premier said "And not to get to graphic...but....I can not imagine using a towel that was previously used on private parts" !!! Yuck, Yuck, Yuck! Do you use a certain part of a towel to dry certain parts? Yes, I know it is my own body, and I know I just washed, but...I just can't do that. I wouldn't put my toothbrush on the toilet seat just after I washed it either. I'm sure it is clean (otherwise I would still be cleaning it) but still...

And, graywings mentioned making people who won't reuse wash their own towels. Is that the reason for reuse? Because you don't want to wash towels? I figured it was to cut down on water and chemical use to help the environment. If it's just a matter of not wanting to do laundry, well there are plenty of other chores I'd rather cut back on than laundry to save time. Like mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, trimming the bushes and trees... of course I usually do these things while I'm doing laundry. And since I have been able to cut back dramatically on the number of loads I do per week since getting my Cabrio, I don't really mind a few extra towels to wash. If we used one towel a week, it would take me three weeks of towels, washcloths and hand towels to make a load. I would rather just wash one load a week than save them for three weeks. I already do that with my dish towels to get close to a load (I always wash the dish towels and cloths in a separate load from cloths, towels and bedding).

Believe it or not, the ideal incubating temperature for a wide variety of germs is around 100°F. Yes, bacteria will survive and thrive in a wet towel, but they multiply much faster on your body where they also find your body oils and skin cells at a temperature that's much more ideal for them. I have worked in a sterile lab and we were told (and shown) how many germs a person spreads by just moving the underarm around for 30 seconds. Trust me, you'll find all kinds of germs on your body and most of them are not doing any kind of damage.
I think people have to do whatever they feel comfortable with. If you feel the need to wash your towels daily...go for it. It is not necessary to do it, but if it makes you feel better it's worth it.

I think jcrowley made some excellent points. That tooth brush got me thinking. Would you use your tooth brush to scrub your body and then brush your teeth? Even if you used soap and water first on your body...would you? I highly doubt it.

Jock itch is actually the same fungis as people get in between their toes. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Jock itch is caused by fungi called dermatophytes. These microscopic organisms are normal inhabitants of your skin, and stay in check as long as your skin is clean and dry. But on some areas of the body where skin is likely to be moist and warm, such as the groin the fungi grow and thrive, resulting in a fungal infection."

So people are drying their groin area and spreading this organism onto their wet bath towel. Then they reuse that towel and wipe those organisms onto other body parts..like their face. Bathrooms have higher humidity after taking a shower. Putting those towels with that fungi wiped onto them on your clean body could very likely lead to spreading the fungis to other parts of the body.

With more people working out at gyms, more people are coming down with jock itch. It is very contagious. Doctors have warned about reusing towels to avoid jock itch. You can pick up jock itch from coming in contact with gym equipment.

And I do think the main reason people choose to reuse towels is to avoid doing extra loads of laundry. I'm not that busy that I can't do a couple of extra loads a week.

Where do people dry out these towels? If you have a family of four, where would you physically lay out 4-8 towels a day?

We typically reuse our towels for 2-4 days.... and when we hang them, they are over a bar, flat (no folds or bunching)

We are a family of 5 everyone with their own towels, my husband and I sharing a bath, everyone else with their own bath off their room, so everyone has plenty of room for these towels to hang and dry out. The house is temperature controlled, year round... not too hot, not too cold. The towels don't smell doing this.

I asked this question after my 15 YO had several friends over in the pool, and they decided each and every time they got out they needed a new towel... they have always hung them on a chair or the fence before and just kept using them as the day progressed.... until last Friday... when they started this "empty the towel closet" afternoon/evening.. which set me off.... I do collect all pool towels at the end of the day to be washed...

We don't have asthma problems, but do have skin sensitivity to detergents... I always wash the towels on the sanitary cycle, with baking powder and vingear, no bleach or softner.

Laundering a wet towel is done for some reason other than preventing illness. Bacteria and other creepies are everywhere, yet we are not ill constantly because bacteria on our skin is not particularly pathogenic, and if it is our immune system works.

A tooth brush is loaded with bacteria from the first time it goes in someones mouth. Who uses it only once, or disinfects it for that matter when it is reused? How about a hairbrush or comb? Ever see water under a microscope? We do wash towels in water.

looser-No it wasn't your post. It was grainlady.

I really don't care how many times someone uses a towel,I was just saying for us it is 1 time. Even with no asthma it would be 1 time. I was raised that way and have really never thought about doing it any differently.People are complaining about how they would let the ones using them wash them if they had to use a fresh one every time, well like I just said I was raised different from that and my mother was raised back when they took the clothes to the well on Monday and washed them on a rub board. I never heard her say they complained about it cause it would have done no good. That is the way things were done back then and now people complain if they have to push a button or two. My mother is 88 and the hard work they did made them appreciate what they had.

I would never post anything on here telling someone that maybe the reason they have an allergy has more to do with their house being nasty and not cleaned regularly. Would you??

Well pool towels are a different story. I will certainly use the same pool towel (or beach towel) the entire day. After all, when I am done in the water, I will take a shower. Of course, I will use a fresh towel for the shower. I do use a fresh pool or beach towel each day because of chlorine / sand.

I have read research (you can find some stuff online if you search on "dandruff yeast") that suggests that some forms of yeast fungus cause dandruff. I would think that would grow really well in a damp place. Plus stuff like that is present all over our bodies, washing does not remove all of it. So when you dry off, it will be on the towel. So you could have all sorts of nasties there, and if they become more numerous, and get reapplied to the body the next day (while your body is nice and warm and damp from the shower....) I personally would rather not worry about what might be living on my towel...or my body for that matter! :-)

Plumbly, my skin is very sensitive to detergents which is one of the reasons I love my new washer. It does such a great job rinsing. I do add an extra rinse on towels and bedding - but I have used some machines where even three rinses are not enough to remove the residues from detergent. I can tell by the tight, itch feeling of my skin. I use All free and clear HE and Downy free fabric softener. This is all I can use if I don't want problems. Sounds like a great house, I would have loved my own personal bathroom as a child (although I would not want to clean that many!).

OK so how bad is it? The point I was making in my post was that we are damaging ourselves by trying to sanitize everything and be too clean.

Our bodies need exposure to bacteria so that they will learn to adapt to different ones, and also be able to fight. Instead we are running around trying to keep ourselves pure. While this is going on bacteria is adapting to resist the drugs and chemicals we are using to control them including anti-bacterial bath bars(which I don't use), antibacterial dish washing liquids, anti bacterial bathroom sprays,and antibacterial mouth wash.

One of these days we will not be able to kill some bacteria that comes along and are bodies will not be able to fight it either because it will have become resistant to everything we have. Then we can all see how interesting THAT is going to be.

So I prefer to be exposed to bacteria and I don't particularly mind if my towel dried my butt yesterday and is now is drying my arm. It just doesn't matter that much to me and it not as if I am sucking on the towel or anything. By the way I don't remember that last time I had any type of cold, flu, or virus and I don't get flue shots either. I believe some exposure to bacteria is good.

I have to come to the defense of "Fido" & "Fluffy". Fido and Fluffy does not cause asthma or anything else. How can you compare pets to wet, dirty bath towels? The latest authoriative report on allegeries and asthma says Fido and Fluffy are the best thing to develop a proper immune system to ward off being overly sensitive. Every house has dust mites. Your climate controlled house has dust mites just like everyone else's house does. When people react negatively to dust or other things, it is not the dust to blame. These people just are highly sensitive to dust, perfume, etc. The problem stems back to their immune system when they were born. They were not raised in dusty houses with pets and developed asthma. It doesn't work that way. Most people who have dirty houses aren't affected by the dust and dirt.

Most people do have good immune systems and won't be affected. But it doesn't mean you never will be. And it doesn't mean the used towel isn't loaded with germs. It sort of like people who don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Lots of people don't and they don't seem to get sick but we all know we shouldn't do that due to the high level of germs.

I was raised like sparky. Use a towel once and wash it. It would never occur to me to use it again. I find laundry easy to do so I don't consider it to be a burden.

Have you guys read the reports about the high levels of e-coli bacteria found in washing machines? You'd think it would go down the drain, but it doesn't. So after you wash anything that has touched human skin you really need to disinfect your washing machine before you do another load of clothes. If you have asthma, don't use chlorine bleach because it often triggers asthma attacks. Use borax and white vinegar (if that's not a problem for your asthma. It has been used successfully in hospitals and is as effective as bleach.)

The next problem is your clothes dryer. If your washer has e-coli in it, then your clean, wet clothes still harbor it too; they're touching the surface of the washer's tub. So you put them in your dryer and now your dryer is infected. After you dry each load you really need to disinfect your dryer too.

There is the remaining problem that your "clean, dry" laundry still has some nasties on it. You are going to expose your body to them again. The only word of hope I have here is that at least they're not as nasty as they were before you laundered them. The bacteria count is surely down a lot.

We have a whole-house water purifier that does remove some of the worse "bugs" from the water we wash our bodies and laundry with. But I shudder to think what nastiness lives in our plumbing pipes that the water travels through after it leaves the filter. I'm thinking of installing a point-of-use filter on each plumbing fixture, including the washer to clean the water up again after it travels through the nasty pipes.

The other thing we all need to be doing is make sure our hands are sanitized before we fold our clean laundry and that the surface we fold it on is cleaned each time before use. All kinds of stuff floats in the air and lands on surfaces. A whole-house HEPA air filtration system does help with that, but it's not a disinfectant--just removes particles.

Back in the days before automatic washers businessmen usually wore their shirt all WEEK, I'm told. How nasty were they? It's no wonder they all were dying from TB.

For those of you who live with anyone who has athlete's foot, as I do, you really must wear shower shoes or thongs to prevent getting infected. Don't get those flat soled ones that let any water backup in the tub reach your feet. You need a thick enough sole to elevate your feet totally off the tub's bottom.

Hope this is some help. We all need to raise our cleanliness to a whole new level.

Wonder where all that e-coli comes from? Possibly dirty underwear and towels?

Can I assume that all of you who are saying that people are overly concerned about germs DO NOT use anti-bacterial soap? I stopped using any anti-bacterial cleaning products several years ago, and let me tell you, finding fragrance free non anti-bacterial liquid hand soap is very difficult, or was before Target started carrying Method products. Anti-bacterial soaps have been shown to be no more efficient at removing germs and bacteria than plain soap and water (from hand and bodies), and they can create bacteria that are resistant and much harder to kill. And now they make anti-bacterial dish soap, cleaning products, hand sanitizer gels, hand and body lotions, toothbrushes, linens...the list goes on and on. I am amazed by the things manufacturers make "anti-bacterial" now.

I think it is just a lifestyle thing. I would never wear used underpants on my head, and that used towel was in the same place as the underwear. Yuck.

jcrowley99,
there is a difference between used underwear and used towels that you forget about. The towel touched your private parts for a few seconds...and right after you took a shower or bath. The underwear was in that place much longer and contains much more germs.

E. coli is really everywhere and the vast majority of them are not dangerous at all. Since they are considered fecal bacteria it is considered an indicator of bad hygiene to find them anywhere. I don't think it is possible (or even desirable) to have your household totally free of them.

The example with not laying your tootbrush on a clean toilet seat is pretty good. I would also not do that, however, I know that there are E. coli on a used toothbrush. They have tested that in all kinds of bathroom setups and it happens pretty much everywhere. So, should we all switch to using disposable tootbrushes? I don't think so.
Just get used to the fact that germs are a part of everybody's life. They are necessary to keep your immune system intact and they also help you digest your food. Just think of all the million living bacteria in yoghurt. Or all the little yeast fungi in your bread dough, or the mold in blue cheese...yummy!

Again... It was not my intent to cause a major debate here... I was just Ballistic on Saturday after finding every pool towel we own in the wash from 5 teens in my pool on Friday, and then most every bath towel too... I had 6, yes 6, loads of nothing but beach or bath sheet sized towels to do, which started the discussion with the kids on re-using their towels as mom and dad do.... thus my question when they told us that was gross....

For what it's worth... I do collect the pool towels every day to wash, but I do expect them to hang them on a chair or the fence during the day while using them, and to re-use them that same day.... and shower towels??? I'm fine with reusing them for 2-3 days as long as they get hung up to dry immediately... Did I mention I go ballistic when I find towels on the floors? :)

I wash the towels on sanitary, with detergent, baking soda, and vinegar, and use the extra rinse on the Bosch.... don't use bleach, don't use softner... and dry on the "extra dry" setting so I'm sure they are fully dry prior to folding.

plumbly22,
I can fully understand your frustration with the teenagers using the pool towels just once. You stated that they used to re-use them before, so it seems as if the preception of the teenagers has changed. Maybe it is a puberty thing, but I wouldn't put up with it either. I don't know if you'd be comfortable talking to them about why they feel the need to use a fesh towel each time and demanding a more specific answer than just "it's gross".
I would make it a rule that they can't use more than one pool and one shower towel per day. If they don't like that...oh well, they don't have to use your pool. Or they can bring their own towels and take them home to wash afterwards.

I go ballistic as well when my DH ocasionally uses towels to dry the floor or dish towels to wipe his mouth. That just makes me mad...

plumbly22: I wonder if they will get over their obsession with the grossness of reusing towels when they go away to college and do their own laundry. I PROMISE you, they will. They are NOT grossed out about it; they are too lazy to keep up with their own towel, or hang it up to dry, or something. Within a week of the time you turn that chore over to them I again PROMISE you that they will "get over" how gross it is to reuse a towel. And, I further bet at least one of them will suddenly get a conscience about hogging the world's increasingly limited water resources and also start asking you about whether your detergent contains phosphates.

Why don't you teach them how to do laundry and tell them you're helping them get ready for college and adult responsibilities, as is your duty as a parent? If they can operate a computer they can operate a washer and dryer. Oh, and I'd announce today that if you find any towels on the floor, you're going to pick them up and rehang them, and they can try to remember whether they actually hung their own towel up or threw it on the floor that day and mom hung the dirty thing up for them to reuse. It's excellent training in self-governance and forethought; skills that teenagers especially need lots of opportunities to practice.

Was I too subtle in my earlier post? Did no one get that I was being facetious with all the ideas to raise our cleanliness to a new level? I think if I see one more anti-bacterial ballpoint pen (unbelievable) or the like I'M going to go ballistic.

Dirty Laundry Secrets from BH&G 2005.

Here's an eye opening fact: Research shows that you're more likely to carry fecal germs on your hands after you handle laundry than when you leave the bathroom,says Charles Gerba,Ph.D.,a University of Arizona microbiology professor and expert on household germs. That's because infants and toddlers clothing is often soiled with fecal material as a result of their lack of toilet training. And it's not only the young children:The average pair of adult underwear contains about one-tenth of a gram of the stuff. "It's hard to see, but it's there", Gerba says.
In one study, he found these E.coli germs in about 20 percent of households' washing machines. The diarrhea-causing rotavirus is also a frequent visitor to laundry rooms.A few decades ago,people washed their clothes in steaming-hot water and hung them out in germ-killing sunlight to dry. Nowadays,we generally wash clothes on cooler settings and avoid the hot cycle in the dryer to save energy and wear and tear on fabrics.
So to keep germs from spreading in your laundry,first wash your uncontaminated clothes, such as outerwear. Then wash undergarments and soiled baby clothes and bedding in hot water with chlorine bleach or an oxygen-based bleach alternative. Either of these will deliver a knockout blow to germs.
As an added precaution, dry underwear and baby clothes in the dryer on its hottest setting for up to 45 minutes to blast any surviving germs off the clothes. Or, if you want to cut down on your utilities bill, go old-school and hang your clothes out on a line to dry.

Does anyone use a loofah or sponge in the shower/bath? How often do you wash/replace those?

sparky: What about the laundry baskets and hampers?!!!! OMG!

George Carlin did a great routine on our obsession with cleanliness. In part, he said that for efficiency, he cleans his teeth and whatever else with the same brush. And that if he drops something on the floor he picks it up and eats it. In the middle of the floor at a soccer riot. His little rap continued on about him having a healthy immune system because he gives it lots of practice. I gotta admit, despite my extensive precautions with the water, food, and toothbrushing while in Mexico, I suffered like many Americans do. The locals could drink their water with impunity and apparently no ill health effects.

It struck me as telling that a lot of this cleanliness storm on this thread occurred on Sunday. Our old Puritan tradition at work? More likely just good old American marketing at its best, scaring everybody.

BTW, I can't hang my laundry out in that good old purifying sunshine to dry. My locale thinks it's declasse to hang laundry outdoors. Brings down the property values, I guess.

Sparky823,
I'm going way off topic here but you said your son has asthma and I was wondering what kind of cleaning products you use? I also have asthma and have noticed a huge difference in my household air since I gave up traditional cleaning products. For general cleaning I use vinegar, water, baking soda, jojoba oil, and essential oils. They are mixed differently depending on the job I have to do. For the dishwasher and the washing machine I have found several "all natural" cleaners that work very well. General cleaners that we use are packed with toxic chemicals which stay in the air and on our clothes, leaching into our skin and our lungs. There is a ton of info available on the internet about the effects of cleaners in our homes. I agree that it is horrible to see a child suffer, maybe some of this info will help.

Checking in from another family that reuses bath towels. Each person has their own bath towel that he or she reuses.

I always use a clean washcloth. (I have dozens of washcloths.) I switch out hand towels every couple of days, and dish towels just about every day.

We pay a premium for water (minimum $125 a month, sometimes more), we have a septic system, we live in California where electrical rates start at about 13 cents a KWH and go UP from there. It just seems wasteful to wash bath towels every single day.

Bath towels are hung, single layer, to dry between uses. Hand towels, dish towels, etc. are hung up to dry before they go into the laundry basket to be washed. If you don't have wet towels sitting in a hamper or laundry basket, you won't have a big problem bacteria or fungus growth. If you live in an area where it's very humid, this approach may not work well for you, but it works for us.

Towels right out of the washer and dryer aren't sterile, either, but they are certainly clean enough.

Where does all that E.Coli come from? Aritcles I've read say the numbers of this bacteria in washers and laundry have been going up over the years (doncha wonder who does this research?). Speculations are that the popularity of thong underwear is one reason.

Ah, here's an article below, the source is... The Clorox Company! What a surprise. Note that Dr. Gerba tested only 100 washers (one would assume TLs) and there's no info about which families use cold water washes only.

CMC

Here is a link that might be useful: Germs in the laundry according to Dr Gerba and Clorox

Just curious.....How often does everyone who thinks using towels more than once is gross, wash their sheets? If you think about it, you spend a lot longer shedding skin and bacteria into your sheets and mattress than you do your towel.

ebear1271: I change my sheets twice a night. After I shower and dry with a CLEAN towel, I put on freshly laundered terry scuffs (fresh each night) and scurry to bed. I sleep the first half of the night, then my alarm wakes me up. By then I have probably perspired a little and some fungal growth has multiplied, and surely some skin cells have exfoliated onto my sheets and dust mites have zoomed in to feed on them and then to defecate. Most people are not aware that it is the droppings from dustmites which are allergenic--not the mites themselves.

So, I get up and change to fresh sheets and finish out the night. My washer cleans king size sheets and pillowcases best with only one set per load. So I get up very early to do the 2 loads of sheets before I start in on all the towels.

So, out of curiosity, how many loads of towels do ya all do per week? Since we use fresh towels each day, I do about 3 loads of towels every 2 weeks - so about a load every 4 or 5 days. I also wash 1 load of kitchen towels every 3 weeks. I don't feel like that is excessive. I'm actually down to about 7 loads of laundry per week..is that a lot? I used to do about 15 loads per week. What I really want is a good reason not to dust...

This just makes me laugh to see how many ppl there are out there that are soooooo worried about germs! No one uses common sense anymore. Like so many have said, germs are not evil, they are actually good for our bodies to an extent. I'm just so amazed at ppl worrying about their used bath towels & not paying attention to their everyday life. If they ever start, they may never come out of their houses again!!! :)

I wrote a similar post in a topic about taking your shoes off when you come in the house, the other posters there were also terrified of germs being brought in on shoes. Anyway, these were some of my examples: Does anyone out there bite their finger nails? Does anyone handle money, paper or coin? Do you ride in cabs or any other type of public transportation? Like some one previously said, do you disinfect your toothbrush after every single use or change bed clothes each day? Do you shop & use a grocery cart or basket while doing so? Do you realize how many ppl who've just picked their nose or not washed their hands after using the restroom have touched that handle?! Do you scrub your shower everyday? Like I said in a previous post, do you use a loofah or sponge? If so, do you wash/replace it after every use? See how many germs you're constantly coming in contact w/ that you don't even think about?

I personally re-use my towels for a full week, I have a seperate one for hair & body, my fiance re-uses his towel w/ no complaints and we share a re-used towel to step out onto after our showers. All towels are hung to dry and completely dry within a few hours. But if you don't feel comfortable w/ that don't do it. I don't really care if ppl re-use their towels or not b/c I don't have to deal w/ it. But, A) I honestly think it's silly for your reasoning to be germs, and B) Don't judge someone b/c they do re-use their towels or b/c they would rather have 1 less load of laundry per week, etc...

To the OP, I would not put up w/ your kids & their friends using a different towel after each dip in the pool, that's ridiculous! I don't have any children yet, but when I do, I guarantee they will not change their towel after every shower/bath (not babies of course). My neices do this & it irritates the crap out of me!

These are just my 2 cents & I'm sure I've offended somebody, so in advance, there is no offense intended here.

jcrowley99 - If you find a good reason not to dust, please let me know what it is. I have heard that dust protects furniture from scratches, some one who hates to dust probably made that one up. Also, my BIL cleaned one of his ceiling fans a while back & after he was done & turned the fan on one of the blades flew off, my sister swears that the dust was holding it on :). Now she tells everyone that dust holds the furniture together.

Also, I still have my old TL, hopefully will get my FL soon, but now I only do 1 load of towels probably every 3 weeks, hopefully that will lessen when I get my FL.

PS~ Pinktoes - like the post!

OK, I'll remember that for my MIL, dust is a protective coating and furniture glue!

So what is the primary reason people reuse bath towels?

Afraid of a few germs from reusing a towel? Yet no one probably gives it second thought about what transpires during that romantic tumble in the sack with the SO! A few germs indeed!

I have to admit, my personal reasons for not reusing towels (other than allergies) have nothing to do with germs per say. I just find it gross to think I might dry my face on the second use where I dried my unmentionable spots on day one. I don't mind reusing a beach or pool towel for the day, those parts are covered since I'm not into nude swimming (wouldn't my neighbors be shocked!). I know that it is MY body and that after bathing it is CLEAN, but it just grosses me out. Maybe be my parents were too strict when I was growing up. I was taught to wash and dry from "cleanest" part to "dirtiest part", I think that just stuck.

I do have to admit, I have never lined dried items unless they absolutely cannot go in the dryer. Things feel stiff and rough to me after line drying (maybe my skin condition) and I absolutely cannot stand stiff, rough towels. Makes my skin feel itchy. I have that problem enough without doing anything to annoy it. And if I'm going to wash my towels after one use, I may as well wash the others.

pinktoes......?????????
as I was reading your post I was waiting for "just kidding" sentence!!!
I am sorry, that is the most obsessive/compulsive scenario I have ever heard!!! You actually get up once EVERY night and actually change your sheets in the middle of the night and go back to bed. Do you work? Is there a significant other? How often do you wash these tons of king sized sheets you amass over a weeks period? Geez...am I the only the one that thinks that is OUT THERE???

luvmylg,
I think you fell for pinktoes sense of humor. Read her previous posts and you'll realize that she is in fact kidding. I find some humor in it...:-)

I am glad to hear that....I was beginning to feel sorry for her.
I guess that is what I get for not reading all the post. The trick is on me I guess!

OK, you guys have given me my laugh for the day!! (luvmylg-- Just because pinktoes didn't write "just kidding" doesn't mean that wasn't written tongue in cheek!!)

We use our towels once and they get washed. We do this for 2 reasons. #1. we have no place to hang them to dry... with a household of 8, a home over a hundred years old, and the only bathroom with a shower is the size of a matchbook, there just isn't any place to hang towels to dry-- unless I want to have the kids throw them over the backs of kitchen chairs :) and #2. I don't think doing a load of towels every couple of days is that big of a chore. I would much rather fold towels than mop my kitchen :)

Several years ago, our pediatrician recommended to never hang any laundry outside because two of my kids suffer from hayfever and environmental allergies. The only laundry that is put outside to dry are sneakers that I wash in the washer. Plus we never open our house up because of their allergies.

ebear1271- I use vinegar for cleaning everything for the most part. I will put a little in the water to mop or just mop with plan water. In the shower the vinegar is great for soap scum. Mix it in a spray bottle and use everywhere . Have also used soda on the bottom of the shower to give it a better scrub.
We use Dove sensitive soap-Dr. rec. this and I use All Free/Clear to wash clothes. Have also used Charlies and the SA8 with no problems but most time use just the All.
My son takes Singular and also takes breathing treatments when he needs them. He is now 15 and his attacks are much better (or less often) since he has gotten older. I hope it continues. Thanks for the cleaning tips.

Sparky

We also use All free and clear and Dove sensitive because of allergy problems. I make my own all purpose cleaner that has vinegar in it. I think the recipe came from the book Clean House Clean Planet. It uses water, borax, vinegar, and dish soap or glycerin. Works great. If you want to try it I can check the recipe for you, I keep it on the label of the spray bottle (this was a tip in the book). I actually recommend the book, I checked it out from the library, it has all kinds of recipes for friendlier cleaning supplies you can make yourself.

jcrowley99- Yes I would like to have the "recipe" for the cleaner sometime when you have time to post it.

Sometimes I have trouble getting the All in the H E so I have just used the regular one. I asked them at Wal Mart about why they didn't keep it stocked and if they could get it and the guy said "We used to could order different things but now they just send us what they want us to have". He might have just been telling me that but now they have the H E (small/mighty) again. You would think as popular as the H E machines are becoming they would stock more of the H E detergent instead of trying to invent 5 new fragrances for what they already have.I guess that is what sells though. Thanks again for the recipe.

jcrowley99,
I just can't seem to stay on topic! Anyway, I have a hold on Clean House Clean Planet at my library. It must be pretty popular as there are a few people ahead of me! Since we started talking about detergents, I picked up some ECOS brand at Costco. I use about an ounce in my HE machine so I will get about 210 loads out of the bottle and it was only about $12.00! It is all natural but does have magnolia and lily essential oil scents. I don't notice any smell when they come out of the dryer but I think they sell non-scented online. It works really well and is pretty cheap for an all natural cleaner!

Sorry about the off topic posts, but I want to make sure Sparky gets this!

Sparky : Here is the recipe for Alice's Wonder Spray.

Mix 2 TBSPs vinegar with 1 tsp Borax,
add 2 cups very hot water, mix again,
add 1 - 4 TBSPs liquid soap or dish detergent,
mix carefully or it will get bubbly!
Let cool before bottling in your sprayer.
(I use the 1 TBSP detergent because that way I can use it as a surface cleaner that does not have to be rinsed.)
I recently tried Method Go Naked All Purpose Cleaner, it works well and does not bother my allergies at all, they sell it at Target.

Ebear : Do you have a Meijer in your area? That is where I get my All Free and Clear HE (small and mighty). They run out occasionally but they usually have it. I can get it there on sale for about $3.50 a bottle. Thanks for the tip on ECOS, I would have to get a fragrance free version if they have one, I am allergic to most floral and synthetic masking fragrances (often used in "non-scented" items).

jcrowley,
Thanks for All Free & Clear info but I use ECOS because it is all natural. The free & clear products don't contain fragrance but they do contain chemicals. ECOS and other natural products don't contain artificial fragrance, they are scented with essential oils. My husband snores terribly and would frequently wake up choking and coughing but since I switched to the natural detergent (even with a scent) he has stopped coughing at night. I can only assume it is because he is no longer breathing in the chemicals left over on the sheets. I know it is more expensive but for us it is definitely worth it.

I shower everyday. Now that would be a lot of towels to wash.

The obsession with germs these days will be harmful in the long run. All those programs about germs growing on towels and what not, watch the ones about super bacteria as well.

I will say the lack of bidets in america is outstanding. All this talk about germs and bacteria but most would flinch at the idea of using a bidet. Most stomach viruses are transmitted through fecal matter and a good many doorknobs help that along. Pinktoes suggestion was a good one as well especially if you don't regularly wash down there. Talk about disgusting.

I use two towels, a smaller one for my head and face, and one for my body. I spread the towels out and make sure they dry (i cannot stand the smell of musty towels or clothing) properly between uses. I wash them within a week and I don't think the towels are killing me just yet.

jcrowley99- Thanks for the "recipe". I will sure give this a try!

Guess I am in jerrod6's camp. I have seen folks that try to clean everything, and they seems the sickest sometimes.

As a kid, almost never used a bandage nor any ointmemt. Never got an infection. I realize we are all different, but the whole process of vaccination is to be "infected", so your body responds.