skip to main content

What do you do with damp towels/ wash cloths?

16 years ago

We will be building this spring and when going over the house plan w/ my DH this issue came up. Currently, we have a $1600.00 laundry basket in our master bath...most people call it a whirlpool tub! We have probably used it 20x in 11 yrs. Needless to say, we won't have one in the new house. My DH got the idea 2 yrs ago to put a drying rack in the tub so his sweaty running clothes wouldn't go in the hamper. He also hangs his damp towel and wash cloths on this rack. We have 3 hooks across from the shower for towels to dry, but that isn't enough. So we need other ideas. My DH suggested that we carve out space in my closet (which is smaller than his) for this rack to be placed. The conversation ended after that comment, but the issue is still out there. We have 8 people in the house so I do a load of towels every other day. Aside from piling them on the floor (like my kids do) any other suggestions?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

oregpsnow
16 years ago
You have many more towels than I do so this may not be helpful. When I come home from the gym I put the towels in the dryer for a few minutes, then I put them in a place away from the other clothes to wait until I have a load of similar items. This minimizes stinky wet towels sitting around and helps keep the germs contained. While I use my bathroom towels more than once I don't like to use gym towels again - never know what is growing on them.

If you do hang them up wet be sure there is adequate ventilation in the room. Not just to the rest of the house but to the outside. For drying clothes I use a drying rack I got at QVC. It is called the Hangaway drying rack and it can hold a lot of clothes and towels while still leaving room for them to dry out. It might work for you depending on how much room you have.
patches123
16 years ago
SO, I have way less people, but I hang them up on towel hooks. Or throw them in a towel hamper. I bought over the glass shower caddies that have towel hooks on the back side. You could also mount those adjustable hooks on the wall in each bathroom...you know the kind that are for coats?
Related Discussions
Do you wash new sheets/towels before using them?
Q
Comments (32)
Definitely. I remember bring my oldest child to her freshman dorm. We had time between meetings (parents were oriented too), and so we made up the bed while her roommate did the same. Oh my goodness, the tiny room smelled awful from the sheets straight out of their packages. So off they went to do their first load of laundry! Towels are more absorbent once they are washed, and do not use fabric softener with them.
...See More
Wet towels/cloths, where do you hang them?
Q
Comments (13)
I think the biggest issue is that it takes so long for anything wet to dry in that bathroom. It's small and in the summer it gets humid. A towel/ cloth won't be completely dry and another wet one gets hung over it. In our bath which is larger and doesn't get as much use it seems stuff drys a little faster. We do use fans in both baths and open windows as weather permits but no A/C. We also put laundry from the kitchen in that small bathroom which adds to the situation. Sounds like we are split on which drys better, hooks or bars. I was thinking of adding more hooks to the room but maybe bars like shown above would be better. Going to label the hooks and remind them to wring out wash cloths tightly before hanging.
...See More
accidentally put little gasoline damp clothing in washer. what to do?
Q
Comments (3)
Its an organic solvent so lower your stress. Detergents will clean it and the washer cleaning products should finish it off. Use hot cycle.
...See More
accidentally put little gasoline damp clothing in washer. what to do?
Q
Comments (6)
Carlos the Simple Green will get rid of the gasoline smell and petroleum products. It will break them down so they can be rinsed out of your machine. It will smell like simple green for a few washes after you use the simple green. If you haven't ever used it just get a bottle and open it. It has its own smell that is very distinct. That will dissipate over a few washes with some old towels and regular laundry detergent. Another thing is laundry detergents with scents and fabric softeners added will coat a washing machine and your clothes. So you may have some residue from that also causing the gasoline smell to actually hang around. After the simple green try the cheapest unscented laundry detergent you can find at Walmart. Its usually in a box and no name. Make sure its scent free and it won't have any added junk in it to clog pores in your washing machine tub or your clothes.
...See More
davidandkasie
16 years ago
if your house is like mine then the females of the house will use 2 or more towels a day. even if they reuse one it is still a lot of towels to try and hang up to dry out. we just throw ours in teh basket under the vanity. we try to hang them, but most times they just go in the basket.
plumbly22
16 years ago
We have 2 towel bars in each bath, one above the other, at heights that allow for a bath sheet to hang, and wide enough for bath sheets. When showers/baths are done the bath sheet goes spread out on a bar and for the girls (yep, three of us) we also use a 'bath' towel for our hair... this goes spread out across the shower rod or shower door frame. We also have 4 hook or pegs on the backs of the doors for those occassions when there are extras at the house... but they are not routinely used...

Oh yeah... we reuse shower towels 1-3 times before tossing in the wash hamper...
dadoes
16 years ago
Throw the towel over the shower stall/door. Hang the washcloth inside on the door handle/bar. Towels & washcloths are used ~3 to 4 times.
dualref
16 years ago
Throw the towels over the shower curtain rod or shower door and in a few hours they should be dry. Then throw them in the dirty clothes hamper.

Related Stories

ORGANIZING 6 Ways to Care for Your Washing Machine

By Jen L'Italien

Keep your laundry room and clothes in great shape with these basic washing machine tips

GREAT HOME PROJECTS Hate Hauling Laundry? Give Dirty Clothes the Chute

By Nicole White Designs Interiors LLC

New project for a new year: Install a quick route to the laundry room

KITCHEN DESIGN Your Kitchen: Where to Stash the Dish Towels

By Vanessa Brunner

Solve the Dish Towel Dilemma With 13 Ways to Keep Them Handy and Dry

BATHROOM DESIGN Lovely Little Luxuries: Pamper Yourself With Towel Warmers

By Sheridan Interiors, Kitchens and Baths

Heat your robes, dry delicates and wet mittens — with these warmers around, toasty treats go beyond just towels

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen Details: Out-of-Sight Paper Towel Holder

By Mary Jo Bowling

See how some homeowners are clearing the counter of clutter while keeping this necessity close at hand

ORGANIZING Smart Solutions for Clothes Closets

By Laura Gaskill

The Hardworking Home: Explore these ways to store your clothes, shoes and accessories to make the most of your space

CLOSETS How to Store Your Clothes to Keep Them Looking Good Longer

By Laura Gaskill

Here’s what clothes to fold, what to hang and how to stash your off-season stuff

CLOSETS Best Storage Secrets for Clothes

By Bneato Professional Organizing

Closets and dressers don't need to be pricey. Here's how to fold, file and hang your way to beautifully stored clothes using what you have

PAINTING Help! I Spilled Paint on My Clothes — Now What?

By Jennifer Ott Design

If you’ve spattered paint on your favorite jeans, here’s what to do next

CLOSETS 8 Dream Closets Go Beyond Storing Clothes

By Tiffany Carboni

Yes, they've still got hangers and drawers. But these luxurious dressing rooms also have views, artwork or an added purpose

Sponsored

Davidson Builders

1 Review

Franklin County's Full-Scale General Contractor

More Discussions

Second Floor Laundry - Water Shutoff/Leak Protection

8

Dryer is taking too long to dry!!!

14

Modern brass wall hooks?

11

Seeking comments on Laundry Room renovation

3

finished edge for LVT around a floor drain

0