How many times do you use a towel before you wash it? Once or twice? Maybe all week? Or do you wait until it starts to STINK? Well, according to an expert, there is a magic number before that towel starts getting really, really grimy, and that number is……………………………..THREE!
According to the research, you should use the same towel for the maximum number of showers. Then it’s time to wash it. Want to know why? Bacteria and mold start growing each time a towel gets damp. Hanging it up to dry slows the process but doesn’t stop it. After that third use, the towel goes from drying you off to covering you with bacteria and mold! Ugh! Now you have to understand that the magic number of three showers only applies if you hang it up to dry right after using it. If you are a floor tosser and then hang it up later, the towel stays wet longer. And because it meansΒ bacteriaΒ and mold can grow faster, you might only get one or two uses out of it.
Washcloths are different though because we don’t just use them to dry off. When a towel gets soaked, it takes a lot longer to dry. Which gives mold and bacteria more time to grow. So washcloths should really only be used once.
