It is a firmly established hygiene habit among the French, that of taking a shower. According to a study conducted by Ifop for XloveCam, in 2022, 76% of French people wash daily, compared to 68% of British and 53% of Italians. But what about the frequency of washing the towel, an essential element in this routine? How often should you wash your towel and what are the risks if you don’t follow the recommendations?
A study carried out by bathroom supplier Showers to You carried out among our British neighbors looked at towel washing habits. According to their results, 3% of UK residents respondents only wash their bath towelsu once a yearwhich equates to more than 1.5 million people.
Of the 2,200 UK residents surveyed, 8% say they only wash their towels twice a year, with just over a third (33%) saying they wash their towels once every three months. Conversely, 24% of respondents said they washed their towels once a week, and 5% said they put their towel in the machine after each bath or shower.
What are the risks if you don’t clean your bath towel?
To understand the risks associated with using a sporadically washed towel, you need to analyze what is happening on a microscopic scale. Indeed, as Dr Sally Bloomfield reminded the BBC, “even though they look clean, they have accumulated millions of germs over time and can pose a serious danger to the health of the people you live with.”
Questioned by the DailyMail, dermatologist Dr Hamdan Hamed explains that “towels accumulate moisture, creating an environment conducive to bacterial and fungal growth.” Also, “bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus can cause skin infections, while fungi like Candida yeast can cause problems like athlete’s foot or some yeast infections”. As a reminder, athlete’s foot brings together fungal infections affecting the skin and nails. This is characterized in particular by minimal peeling of the skin, often localized at and/or between the toes. The lesions are often accompanied by redness and itching of varying intensity.
Bath towel: it should be washed every three to four uses
According to Dr Hamdan Hamed, who speaks in the Daily Mail, “it is recommended wash towels all the three to four uses to remove bacteria, dirt, dead skin cells and allergens”. Questioned on the subject by the New York Post, dermatologist Shreya Andric advised washing the towel once a week. To kill bacteria, she advises exceed 60 degrees Celsius. To keep your towel soft and absorbent, it advises against the use of fabric softeners.
Sources:
- The men who wash their towels just once a YEAR – As experts warn millions could be risking skin infections and other health issues because of poor towel hygiene – Daily Mail January 4, 2024
- IFOP / Xlovecam survey on Europeans’ relationship to hygiene after the Covid crisis
- How often do you wash your bathroom towels? – Showers to You (study)
- This is how often you should really be washing your towels – New York Post
- How often should you wash and change your towel? – BBC