I found out my roommate washes towels every day, but do you really need to do it that often?

How often should the towels be changed? People rarely think about it with intent. After all, it’s not about underwear. Moreover, the modern science of hygiene has already refuted many of the rules that we used to consider the standard of cleanliness. How to wash towels to keep the balance and not to be known as mud or stuffy cleansers – will tell "Site".



Find the truth will help us discussion, which began the British TV presenter Roman Kemp. In early 2023, 2,200 Britons over 18 took part in a survey on how often towels should be changed. The results showed that no one knew the exact answer.

44% of respondents admitted that they send towels to wash every 3 months or even less. One in five respondents does this once a month, a quarter - weekly. And only one in twenty uses a fresh towel every day, changing it after water treatments.



Hygiene and infectious disease specialist Professor Sally Bloomfield, from London, said: I am a bit shocked. If we are talking about three months, the towel will simply be covered with a crust of dirt and sweat, and it will be very unpleasant to use.”



How often do I need to change towels? Hygienist Bloomfield says it is wise to change towels at least once a week. “Even if a towel looks clean, it can be a source of a million bacteria that are dangerous to you and your household.” For example, you can unknowingly transfer to your neighbor a fungus that causes mycosis of the feet. And if there are wounds and cuts on the body, even non-infectious microorganisms can cause inflammation. In addition, the less you change this bath accessories, the more difficult it will be to remove all contamination even in a few washes.



Sometimes we carry bacteria that are safe for us, but can harm others. This often happens when you use the same towel for the whole family or you wash all the household items together. Sadly, the fact is that the infection can be transmitted in this way.

What happens when you live alone? Sally Bloomfield advises using one towel for no longer than two weeks. “People who often sprinkle the body and face, as well as inflamed hair follicles, should change this bath as often as possible,” says dermatologist-consultant of the British National Health Service, Christina Psomadakis.



Every time you dip sweat from your forehead during training, there are many more bacteria on the towel than under normal conditions. The less often it is washed, the more pollution penetrates the fabric and the harder it is to remove it.

It has long been no secret that to maintain hygiene, the face and body should be wiped with different towels. Dermatologist Psomadakis explains: with a towel for the body, we wipe places that are not touched by ultraviolet light. This means that in these areas, sunlight is not able to neutralize some types of bacteria that enter the skin during bowel movements. I'm sure no one would want to put them on their face.



“Don’t share your microbes with others, keep them with you!” says hygienist Sally Bloomfield. The professor admits that daily loading the washing machine is very expensive for the environment and for the wallet. Therefore, Dr. Bloomfield recommends that washing often at low temperature is much more economical than rarely and at high.

How often do you change towels? What's your reason? Share it in the comments!