One Small Step: Hang That Towel
April 29, 2008 by Jennifer
Can you believe that some people still only use their towel once and then re-wash it! How crazy is that? Sadly, I’ve met quite a few people addicted to re-washing towels.
Assuming you’re clean after a bath or shower (let’s hope) then there’s no good reason not to hang that towel up, let it dry, and use it again. At my house we go about a week, sometimes more, with the same three towels – one for Cedar and two for me (my hair is long I gotta wrap it). This small step saves time, energy, detergent, and water.
If you have a good argument against this practice go ahead and let me know why. I’m interested.
[shoddy, fuzzy towel photo via Jennifer's personal "I'm practicing with the camera" collection]
I’m the same way. Of course, I don’t shower every day, neither does my dh. And my dh is happy to reuse the same towel indefinitely until I steal it away to wash it.
Until they start smelling “unfresh” then they can be used.
I always hang my towels. We have a small bathroom so they get hung in the laundry room (next door). My husband thinks his can only be used a couple times before it absolutely has to be washed, but he’s improving.
I have to have two towels too, my hair has to be wrapped or it drips, and it pretty much soaks the towel I use on it:)
@Rachael I don’t shower every day either – although, to be honest it’s not for the earth, but the clock – no time! I have crazy curls so I should though. I agree “unfresh” is a good time to wash, and that takes a while.
@Linette My grandma always said you could always use a towel once. My mom said no way, use it lots, so I used to hide my towel at my grandmas – in the closet. She’d get so upset. Good that your hubby is improving.
Since I was a kid I’ve always hung up my towel to dry and then re-used it when I showered again. I see nothing wrong with it at all and then after about a week, when I do the rest of the laundry, I wash the towels we have used.
If you hang the towels on a line in the breeze, you can go quite a bit without an unfresh scent.
Never understood the dry once, wash again thing. People are too hung up on what is unsanitary or rather, what they assume is unsanitary.
Dilbert cartoon:
Wally: I don’t understand why some people wash their bath towels.
Wally: When I get out of the shower I’m the cleanest object in my house. In theory, those towels should be getting cleaner every time they touch me.
Alice: Maybe I could hug you every day so I don’t need to take showers.
Wally: Are towels supposed to bend?
I grew up in a house where the towels were used for a week and then washed. I still do that, when I remember to change my bath towel, lol. I have one for shower, one for my face and one for washing my daughters face.
We’ve always used a towel for a week before washing. I use a microfiber twisty towel for my hair. I need to get a new one for my daughter yet, because she uses 2 towels still. I think it is silly to use a towel once then get another. Never understood that either.
Does anyone know how much energy (cashola) it takes to wash and dry a towel? I am trying to get my husband and son onboard with my idea of drying and reusing the same towel at least three day in row, but so far no luck. I am hoping translating the idea into money will convince at least my husband to my way of thinking. Thanks much!