Do you reuse your towels?

[SCHBR'smom]

After you've used them, that is. You know, clean towel, clean body. The clothes thread and the massive amounts of laundry I do inspired me to ask. DH and I reuse our towels several times, but I don't reuse the kids towels. I'm not sure why. Oldest DD will reuse hers, sometimes. But, I never reuse the other kids towels.

So, do you reuse your towels? If so, how many times before a wash?

I would have made this a poll, but I don't know how.

 

[happygirl]

We all reuse towels,

 

[C.Ann]

My children are grown, but yes - I reuse my towels.. Usually 2 to 3 times..

DD and her DH reuse their towels as well.. DGD (10) will reuse her body towel (twice - but only if she hasn't been playing outside), but has to have a fresh towel for her hair every time she showers..

 

[Micca]

We each have our own towel and we reuse them.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Yes in general we do reuse our towels. that said each of my DD's has a set of 4 towels and ea DD has a diff color. I 'ask' that they use it 3 times before putting it in the laundry and they have a hook on the back of their bathroom door specifically for the towels. If there is a reason not to reuse the towel such as illness (so the germs don't fester and reinfect themselves) or other reason, they may use a fresh towel w/out adhering to the 3 use rule.
works for us but everyone is different

 

[S. C.]

no

 

[monkey68]

I feel so dirty now compared to everyone else. I use my one towel for about a week before I put it into the wash, so do both my roommates. Really, you use it when you're the cleanest, so it's not like they get that dirty.

 

[SundancePass]

For more than 60 years I use one towel each week...change it on Saturday. That's the way my Mom did it and that's the way my DH and I do it. And no, I don't feel dirty as it is used when we are the most clean.

 

[ChrizJen]

We reuse 3-4 times between washes.
We have enough laundry in our house as it is. We don't see the point in using a towel once and then washing it again. As long as they're hung right back up after use (and they always are in our house), they're perfectly reusable.

However, I agree with a previous poster that we do have exceptions, such as when someone is sick. Then all towels, pillowcases, etc are washed more often to keep germs from spreading.

 

[binny]

yep we all reuse the towels.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Yes, we reuse ours. Like a PP said, you use them when you are cleanest, so I think you can get more than one use out of them. Unless you are like my kids and you throw them on the floor after using them and they don't dry out and start to stink. That makes me soooo mad.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Yes we reuse. We use them until the next time I wash towels (once a week) and then I put up the new ones as I take the old ones down to be washed. Like others we will not reuse or reuse less if people are sick, etc.

 

[GSDRescuer]

No

 

[johnsontrio]

We use them at least twice. DD swims daily and twice a day during High school season and summer. We have finally been able to get her to hang up those towels and reuse them as well. Don't think she reuses her bathroom towels all the time.

 

[etoiles]

Yes, we reuse our towels for a week and then wash them. It would be way too much laundry if we didn't since we like those big fluffy bath towels and I take a shower everyday.

My mother in law does not reuse towels but she has itty bitty hand sized ones to dry herself with.

 

[DarthKTrava]

Yes, I reuse them. I have a separate towel for drying my hair. It's usally about a week or so before I wash them.

 

[mjkacmom]

We're a family of 7 - yes, we re-use towels, at least twice.

 

[southernbelle_amy]

I have 1 towel for my face and hair, and 1 for my body; and then reuse them both, if I didn't I don't think I would reuse them.

 

[luvmy3]

I feel so dirty now compared to everyone else. I use my one towel for about a week before I put it into the wash, so do both my roommates. Really, you use it when you're the cleanest, so it's not like they get that dirty.

Its not about them being dirty from you using them, its about what is growing on that damp towel when you are done using it
I use 2 towels, 1 for my hair and one for my body. The next day I use my body towel for my hair and get a new body towel. Then in a bleach wash they go

 

[Wishing on a star]

Nope, not always....

Maybe once.... but never more than that...

In the heat and humidity around here, I don't enjoy the overpowering odor of damp, moldy, musty towels hanging around everywhere....

I will graduate my bath towel down to floor-mat towel as needed....
I will re-use ONCE if the towel seems okay.

But I don't use the thick heavy towels.
Not so bad to wash and dry.
We have white towels, so they get a dose of bleach with every wash,
an extra rinse with Downy Sensations....

I do have a small, high efficiency front loader.
And, we do not live in an area with water shortages.

So, I guess a clean soft dry fresh smelling towel is a luxury that I think is worth it.