According to the American Cleaning Institute, you should wash your bath towels between every three to five uses. Bath towels need to dry completely between uses, so if your towel is still wet when you go to reuse it, you need to hang that thing back up and grab a different one. Keep in mind, this usage count is for everyone using the towel. So if one towel is hung in an area where guests and family members might use it to wipe their hands you're going to want to wash that it a little more frequently.
When reusing towels, you should:
First and foremost, check the tag. You should always follow the instructions for your towels. Typically, the instruction tag on a bath towel will tell you not to use bleach, so avoid that.
If you find that your bath towels don't dry properly, or they feel rough on your skin post-shower, it is probably time to update your current towel collection. Given how often you need to wash your towels, you never can have too many bath towels.
You can get some classic bath towels loomed with Turkish cotton from Crane & Canopy, starting at $8 for wash cloths and $36 for bath towels. They are ultra-absorbent and feature a special loop to hang after use. You can also get their plush towels, for a more luxe feel. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, you can get 6-piece Wayfair basics cotton towel set starting at $23.99.
It is important to note that this is in regards to bath towels. As we've previously mentioned, dish towels are meant to be washed after every use. And it is safe to say the same goes for hand towels in the bathroom.
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Ana Suarez is the senior commerce editor for Hearst Newspapers. Email her at ana.suarez@hearst.com.