How Often Should You Wash Your Dish Towels? (2024)

FAQs

How Often Should You Wash Your Dish Towels? ›

How often should you change your kitchen towels and dishcloths

How Frequently To Replace Towels. The frequency with which you replace your towels really depends on what you're using them for. "A good thing to remember is to replace bathroom towels every two to five years and kitchen towels and washcloths every year or every two years, depending on their quality," explains Wischnia ...

Wash heavily-soiled dish towels separately.

According to Gagliardi, for germ-infested kitchen and bathroom items like mop heads, dish towels, and cleaning cloths, wash them as a separate load from regular laundry.

How often to wash towels. The best way to prevent germs from growing on your bath towel is to let it dry completely between each use, and wash it frequently. The Cleaning Institute recommends washing bath towels after three uses. If you shower every day, that means laundry almost twice a week.

Machine wash: select hot water and the heavy duty cycle. The hotter the water the better the cleaning. For white towels, use detergent and ⅓ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach.

But according to Sydney-based dermatologist Shreya Andric it's best to change your towel every three days to avoid irritating your skin or potentially cause infections. “If you shower more than once a day, then you might want to wash it more frequently,” she said.

The USDA recommends kitchen towels should be changed frequently and a common recommendation is to change them daily. However, it does depend on how often the towel is used and what it is used for in the kitchen.

You should wash your towels and washcloths after every 3-5 uses, although some experts say your washcloth should only be used once before washing.

Many doctors say a daily shower is fine for most people. (More than that could start to cause skin problems.) But for many people, two to three times a week is enough and may be even better to maintain good health. It depends in part on your lifestyle.

Why is it important to change dish towels often? ›

Ignoring regular washing can lead to bacteria growth on your dish towels, which can eventually cause a buildup of mildew or mold. This buildup can decrease the towel's ability to absorb, making it less effective.

If you primarily use the dish towel to dry your hands after washing dishes, it's most likely OK to wait the full five days before laundering. But if you're not sure, follow this motto: When in doubt, swap it out. Kitchen towels are known sources of bacteria, so it's important to wash them on a regular basis.

Ultimately, though, when a towel's threads begin to pull—or you notice a lingering odor, despite a careful wash—it's time to toss it; you can expect body and hand towels to last between two to five years depending on their quality. Wash cloths, on the other hand, should be replaced every one or two years, notes Winch.

As a general rule, it is recommended to replace your bath towels every two to three years, with five years the maximum. Over time, frequent laundering and normal wear and tear can cause towels to lose their absorbency and become less soft.

How often should I wash my bath towels? Dead skin cells, bacteria, and even sweat can accumulate quickly on your towels, so using a fresh one about every three days is a simple rule of thumb—for all kinds of towels. You can of course change them more often.

“Damp, used towels in moist bathrooms encourage microbial growth,” she said. “Although most of these germs are often harmless, some of them (including Staphylococcus bacteria) can cause infection and health problems, especially in people with skin wounds and immunocompromised people.”