Just by smelling a piece of clothing or carefully inspecting it for stains, we can determine if it can be washed or used again.
But how do we know when it’s time to wash our towels in the washing machine?
When the cloth used to dry the body is perfectly clean after a shower, how often should we wash it?
For example, a recent survey of 2,200 adults in the UK found that no one was too sure.
44% said they do it every three months or more…
The BBC asked Dr Sally Bloomfield, an expert in home hygiene and infectious disease prevention, what she thinks of this time.
“I was a bit surprised because you would expect towels to be rough, full of sweat and very uncomfortable to use,” she told the BBC.
About one in five people said they washed once a month, 25% once a week and one in 20 people washed after every bath or shower.
Why do towels have to be washed?
Simply put, the question of frequency, Bloomfield says, is that “a reasonable time frame is at least once a week“.
“Although they look clean, they are actually Millions of bacteria accumulate over time They can pose a serious risk to the health of those who live with you. “
Experts say that if you don’t wash them regularly, “the number of microbes on your towels will increase,” and when you do decide to wash them, “it’ll be really bad.” It’s hard to wipe them all out.”.
This is when things can go wrong.
When we dry different parts of our body, towels become contaminated with microorganisms, such as those found on our feet, that cause athlete’s foot.
Most microorganisms that live on our skin may not be contagious, but if they enter through a cut or break in the skin, “they can cause infection And be serious about it,” Bloombeard said.
Is this also true if you live alone?
You should be more careful if you live with other people.
“Sometimes we may have microbes that don’t make us sick at the time, but if we pass them on to another person, they will,” the expert said.
“If you share a towel with someone else or wash the towel in the same washing machine as their belongings, germs can be transferred to another person.”
“There is good evidence that the infection can be spread,” he added.
You may think that the risk is lower if you live alone. This is true, but Bloomfield suggests that even in this case, You should not “let it go longer than 15 days.”
NHS dermatologist Cristina Psomadakis said she would encourage people to check how often they wash their towels.
“If you are a person with Acne or inflammation of hair follicles on face or body, we hope you wash your towels often. “
Poor home hygiene, including towels, can be a factor in the development of: Skin problems.
“You have to address these sanitation issues or things will continue to be a problem for you.”
One towel for face, one towel for gym
If you’re interested in exercising, you might have a towel ready to wipe away sweat when you feel hot.
If you use a towel in this situation, you’ll need to wash it frequently, says Bloomfield.
“You increase sweating and remove skin cells from the surface of your body, and more bacteria end up on the towel.”
If you don’t, please comment and this will be “serious pollution” And it will be more difficult to remove dirt when cleaning.
If you’re wondering whether you need one for the body and one for the face, Psomadakis definitely recommends Separate towels.
“Don’t forget that when you use a bath towel, you’re drying an area out of the sun, where certain types of bacteria associated with intestinal motility may be present.”
“There may be different types of organisms that you don’t want near your face,” he said.
Bloomfield acknowledges there are concerns about the environment and the cost of using a washing machine, but concludes that frequent washing at low temperatures is better than occasional washing at high temperatures.
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