Do you use a clean towel after every shower or bath?

United States
October 7, 2008 2:45am CST
Do you use a fresh dry towel after each bath or shower? Or, do you use the same one you used the day before? I love to use a fresh dry towel after every shower. I don't hang up the towel to reuse for next time. For some reason, my towels don't dry after use. And, they end up smelling rancid. And, if I use the same towel as the day before, I feel like I have to take a shower all over again, just to get clean. How often do you get a fresh towel for the bath?
7 people like this
23 responses
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
8 Oct 08
I normally use mine about 2-3 times before I wash it. The kids get clean ones every time. I use the shower on the lower level and they use the bathtub on the main floor, so I know they are not using my towel, so it should still be clean.
4 people like this
• United States
8 Oct 08
Makes sense!
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Oct 08
Well beauty queen if I had a maid or helper yes I would change every day but since I do not , I use one for several days before 'changing. I live on a slim budget so spend 'accordingly and since I have to do all for myself I do not 'laundry every day. I am physically handicapped so this is not an easy thing for me to do.
4 people like this
• United States
8 Oct 08
That's fine! I just have too much free time on my hands. No big deal. If I had more kids, I would do fine with only changing towels a couple times a week.
3 people like this
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I use the same towel for 3-4 times. I change out the towels twice each week. Except for Elliott's. He gets a new towel every time he takes a bath, because I end up using the towel to wipe the water all over the floor as soon as I finish drying him off!
2 people like this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
7 Oct 08
We do the same too and for our son as well.
2 people like this
• United States
7 Oct 08
I have to do the same with the towels. Water gets everywhere. Very dangerous.
2 people like this
• United States
7 Oct 08
I'm always worried about her slipping down so I put the towel down. I used to have a really big bath mat for the floor but it just wasn't enough.
1 person likes this
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I use the same towel 2-3 times. Then they hit the washing machine. They dry pretty quickly. So it really isn't a problem.
3 people like this
• United States
8 Oct 08
Our bath area gets too steamy. Guess it keeps the towels from drying. And then there's the matter of towels on the floor! Yuck! You know me and germs.
3 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I use a clean towel each time. Sometimes my husband will use my towel if he showers right after me. The only one in my house who uses the same towel everyday is my oldest son. He brings his towel up to his room after his shower and lets it dry to use the next day. He'll get a clean towel every few days.
2 people like this
• United States
7 Oct 08
I used to be the worst about slipping down on the wet bathroom floor. I learned my lesson! So I had to start putting down my towel too. Better to do a little extra laundry than spend two months on bed rest with a bad back from a fall!
2 people like this
• United States
7 Oct 08
Guess he's got his own technique. Boys that age are peculiar about some things.
2 people like this
• United States
7 Oct 08
I don't complain about it, it saves me on laundry. If there were fewer people in my house I probably would use the same towel everyday. I just can't guarantee I'm the only one using the towel, lol. Plus I'm awful at hanging them up when I'm done. Usually they'll end up on the floor so I don't get my bath mat wet.
3 people like this
• United States
8 Oct 08
No....I wash my bath towel once every week
3 people like this
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I use the same towel 2 or 3 times...BUT I only use it for showering..I keep them hung up to dry over my top bed rails after each use..since I'm using them AFTER I've already showered i know they arent dirty AND since I'm the one doign all the laudry I dont need to use two new towels every time I shower and add to the already HUGE mountain I do ever other day LOL
1 person likes this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
7 Oct 08
Oh man I have to have a clean towel each time. There's nothing like the feel of a soft clean towel across my body as I dry. My wife is the same way as well. We wash a lot of towels around here from this action/preferance. HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
2 people like this
• United States
7 Oct 08
Same here. Can't stand the feeling of wet towel after a shower.
2 people like this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
7 Oct 08
Egypt is a pretty dry and warm country so our towels dry very quickly thankfully. Based on this there is really no need to use fresh towels daily and there is also just the two of us living together so we don't even have enough towels to do this anyway! Our towels get rotated a couple of times a week I guess?
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Oct 08
Our area is very humid, like a swamp. Makes me wonder why they ever colonized the area to begin with. Yet, here we are! Thanks for your comments.
4 people like this
• Canada
8 Oct 08
Humid and swamplike!!?!? whereabouts do you live? That doesn't sound like a very plesant place to live.
@Carrie26 (1587)
• United States
8 Oct 08
I use a clean towel everyday.I cant stand to hang up my towel and then use it the next day.It doesnt seem to get dry and their is always the chance of mildew.I also use a towl for my body and one for my head.I know its weird but I cant stand to use a towel that I used on my body.
@raclie (1732)
• Singapore
7 Oct 08
i use hand towels to dry my body... lol... that way, we can have a new towel whenever we bath and can wash it using less water. it is also cheaper and more more convienent that way. we have been using that way for such a long time, that we are used to using a small towel for our baths...
2 people like this
• United States
7 Oct 08
Very clever idea!
1 person likes this
• Malaysia
8 Oct 08
i use hand towels to dry my body if i'm travelling. especially on my own. if it's a family trip i use my regular towel coz i know there'll be lots of space available for other stuff. i learned that trick from a friend. very handy but i can't dry my hair :( but i don't really mind walking around in damp hair :P
@samijo719 (1052)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I usually use a towl twice before putting it in the wash. I'm clean when I come out so i'm not filthy and drying off dirty. So, I will hang it on the shower door and let it dry to use the next day. Then after the second day I toss it in the laundry and grab a new one.
1 person likes this
@magojordan (3252)
• Philippines
8 Oct 08
Well in my case I just use it for a week then I have it washed again. So that the towel would be really dry, I hang it in a place where the sunlight would reach. Also I always spread it wide so that it would dry faster. it helps save on water bills that's why We only wash our bath towels after we've used it for a week.
1 person likes this
@lanlan011 (701)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I switch out towels 1-2 timees a week. I dont see the point in getting a new towel. But I understand in your case the towels dont dry and I know how it smells when it doesnt dry.
1 person likes this
@nengs10 (3180)
• Philippines
8 Oct 08
I use a clean and dry towel after each bath. Though I have used it the other days, I make sure that it should be dry and smells clean. Anyway, in my case, I have 4 towels, so I just use them interchangeably for them not to be dirty easily.
@Monkeyrose (2840)
• Canada
8 Oct 08
I try to reuse my towels as it is better for the environment. If I hang them up to dry properly on the towel rack they dry nicely. I usually don't use them more than twice. I need to use one towel for my body and one for my hair. I have long and thick hair that retains water like crazy. Lately I have been bringing my house coat in with me. This way I can dry my body..slip into my house coat then put the same towel on my head. I live with other people so I can't run around the house naked.
@GreenMoo (11834)
23 Oct 08
I hang our towels up outside to dry off after a shower, and reuse them perhaps a couple of times. I guess it depends how dirty they get, but probably two or three times is average. The handtowel in the bathroom gets changed daily. Isn't it weird how the hand towel is there to be used AFTER people wash their hands so their hands should be CLEAN when they are dried, yet it always gets filthy?!
• China
8 Oct 08
Hi, Here is drier ,so I use the same towel 2-3 times.I think everyone has a habit for the living.
@Kmarie923 (875)
• United States
8 Oct 08
I like to use a fresh towel. I don't really care if my old one is dry or not, it just doesn't feel clean to use it again. Mine start to smell a little funny too and then they have this weird stiffness to them. I like to put my wet face into a nice, dry and fresh smelling towel. My boyfriend's family spent the weekend with us one time and I think that shared towels with each other so that they would't use as much. I could never do that. If I can't use my own towel the day after, I sure am not going to use somebody elses.
• Malaysia
8 Oct 08
i reuse my towel but never share with anyone else. if i found out someone used my towel after i leave it to dry, i'll pick a fresh one. not finding out is another case though. but i usually know because i love leaving my towel under the sun and the others leave it to dry in shade in dry air
• China
8 Oct 08
No, I don't agree your opinion. I think that several days won't be brought smelling rancid in the winter. But except for the summer.