Stop Using My Decorative Towels!!!

[kinntj]

OP, I would use your decorative towels in your situation. I would use the towel hanging up always, unless there were disposable ones out or a pile of fingertip towels. I would admire yours as I wiped my hands on them.

I think a towel laying on the sink is icky and the opposite of impressing people despite the fancy towels hanging.

 

[JessicaR]

If you put it out someone is going to use it. Its a towel no matter how pretty it may be.

 

[lillygator]

this really is hilarious!

 

[MELSMICE]

I haven't read the entire thread - but I would choose the driest towel (or piece of towel) there is to dry my hands - decorative or not. "Wet" is just gross to me!!!

That being said, I have solved the issue in my home..........I bought about 50 white inexpensive terry washcloths from Target. I have them folded on a shelf in my bathroom to use as hand towels. There is a little basket next to the sink to put the used ones in. Everyone gets a fresh towel each time they wash their hands.

I got the idea from the BC & YC (& my brother that put them in his guest bathroom first!!!).

 

[smiley]

When we have guests, we put out a basket of folded paper towels on the counter by the sink. They work well, everyone knows what they are for and everyone gets a fresh, clean towel.

My MIL did that for a party a few years ago and got many positive comments from her guests.

I do a smilar thing only instead of paper towels I place a basket of oversized washcloths on the counter with a basket on the floor that has a little sign that says "used washcloths."

If someone does use my decorative towels it doesn't bother me too much since they can be washed. Yes, towels will fade and become mishapen over time but, they are used so infrequently I don't waste my time worrying about such a small issue.

The main thing is that you can all enjoy each other's company. Life is way too short to worry about somebody wiping their hands on my decorative towels.

 

[metime]

Nothing is more welcoming than walking into someones house when they don't want you there.

My mother in law is like that and wonders why we always stay in a hotel when we visit. Her house looks great all the time and no one ever wants to go see it because you can't lean on the decorative pillows, you can't use a glass with out washing it right after and hand drying it, you can't use the towels either. If you sleep in a bed she takes everything off that would offer any comfort or warmth because she wants the bedding to not look worn.


If you are bothered by people touching something put it away or don't invite people over.

 

[Imzadi]

I do a smilar thing only instead of paper towels I place a basket of oversized washcloths on the counter with a basket on the floor that has a little sign that says "used washcloths."

To get around the need to hang up signs, just use one of the towels and toss it in the washcloth/towel basket before people come over. People will then understand what the basket is for.

We use this trick in catering. On the buffet table where we set out coffee & tea, people need some place to dispose of their dunked tea bags, used sugar packets and discarded tea envelopes. We simply grab a sugar packet, crumple it up and throw it in the little basket put there for that purpose.

Every once in a while, we get a new waiter who sees the trash in the basket and dumps it totally empty, not realising they are supposed to leave one in the basket. As soon as that happens, the used tea bags & packets end up all over the table, staining the table cloth. People will even leave used tea bags on existing used sugar packets, trying to be neat with their discards. People see the empty basket and don't know what it's there for. They think whatever originally was contained in the basket got used up. They are reticent to throw the used tea bags in there, soiling the basket, that may simply need refilling.

Once we put a crumpled sugar pack in there again, people use it again for trash instead of leaving tea bags on the table, even though there are now obvious stains that other people have already left their tea bags there.

 

[LimeGreenEd]

Put away the fru fru towels. I just want to dry my hands and get back to the party.

 

[aprilgail2]

When we have guests, we put out a basket of folded paper towels on the counter by the sink. They work well, everyone knows what they are for and everyone gets a fresh, clean towel.

My MIL did that for a party a few years ago and got many positive comments from her guests.

thats what we do. I would never use someones towel that was left on the sink that everyone else has used- I am to much of a germ freak for that!

I also have decorative towels that I would not want people to use. They have a fancy fringe on them that will not do up well. To prevent people from using them, I leave a stack of decorative paper towels next to the sink. They aren't paper towels on a roll like you use in the kitchen. They are fancy little individual paper towels that I get from Bed, Bath & Beyond. It seems to work. No one has tried to use my decorative towels.

LOL--can you imagine walking into a bathrom and having a roll of paper towels standing there next to the sink---how tacky LOL.

 

[muffyn]

My SIL has disposible towels in her guess bath.

What about something like this

http://www.lillianvernon.com/catalo...n=985&categoryId=&catTree=&clearance=&sid=eas


http://www.frontgate.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=2594&k=ZZ50867

I have put those in my guest baths whenever we expect company! but NO ONE uses them

guess I will have to put a sign up.... or something......

 

[Aimeedyan]

I am really into decorating my home, and I have taken a lot of time to fix up each space, and yes - I have decorative towels - but they are for use. I don't believe in buying "textiles" that no one can use. Towels, throw blankets, toss pillows, etc - we live here, my guests are welcome to feel at home here, there is no reason to have items that serve no purpose.

I can find decorative towels (or pillows, blankets, etc) that are durable AND pretty.

A damp (thanks to someone drying their hands) towel lying on the edge of a sink is unpleasant and gross. A towel hanging (so it can DRY) is where I dry my hands. I would assume someone cleaned the bathroom with the slightly damp non-decorative towel and forgot to throw it in the laundry

If you want to have pretty things just to look at, put them away when you have guests over.

 

[MiniGirl]

Add me to those who would use the decorative towels.

Honestly, if i saw a towel folded up and next to the sink, it would make me smile. I'd think you were like me and tidying up/wiping down everything before your guests came, got distracted, and left the towel out accidentally.

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

I am interested to read all these differing opinions on guest towels. I bought some expensive towels earlier this year. I paid almost $200 for two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths. I bought them because they are the most beautiful towels I've ever seen, and I certainly didn't want anyone using them. I know they won't be as pretty after they are washed. They have a suede type material on the bottom third of the towels, and are embroidered on the suede. I know they'll never look the same after they are washed, and I'm concerned the red terry will fade onto the suede part when I wash them. I bought them for decorating my bathroom, and because they make ME smile to look at them. I planned to use them in my guest bathroom, but since I didn't want anyone using them, I put them in MY bathroom. My DH knows better than to touch them. I dust them like I would anything else in the house. I doubt I will wash them for a couple of YEARS. BTW, they are not in the same room as the toilet, so no yucky toilet germs spewing up on them. Feel free to use any other towels, linens, bedding at my house but please do not use my red Pendleton towels.

 

[~Kik-Kik~]

I am interested to read all these differing opinions on guest towels. I bought some expensive towels earlier this year. I paid almost $200 for two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths. I bought them because they are the most beautiful towels I've ever seen, and I certainly didn't want anyone using them. I know they won't be as pretty after they are washed. They have a suede type material on the bottom third of the towels, and are embroidered on the suede. I know they'll never look the same after they are washed, and I'm concerned the red terry will fade onto the suede part when I wash them. I bought them for decorating my bathroom, and because they make ME smile to look at them. I planned to use them in my guest bathroom, but since I didn't want anyone using them, I put them in MY bathroom. My DH knows better than to touch them. I dust them like I would anything else in the house. I doubt I will wash them for a couple of YEARS. BTW, they are not in the same room as the toilet, so no yucky toilet germs spewing up on them. Feel free to use any other towels, linens, bedding at my house but please do not use my red Pendleton towels.

Smart lady. You have seemed to have avoided everything that was negative about useing towels for decoration.

I think half of the problem here that people put these things to show off, but these are things that we use everyday. You can't expect to put these out have guests forget about the fact that most towels hanging are for drying your hands. If you don't want people to use them here are some suggestions.

1. buy fancy paper towels.
2. put the good ones away from the party or whatever and put out ones ments for washing.
3. put a sign over the towels saying "don't use me"
4. Make an announcement when the guests come that they are not to be used.

It's unrealistic for people just to KNOW this.

 

[Imzadi]

I am interested to read all these differing opinions on guest towels. I bought some expensive towels earlier this year. I paid almost $200 for two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths. I bought them because they are the most beautiful towels I've ever seen, and I certainly didn't want anyone using them. I know they won't be as pretty after they are washed. They have a suede type material on the bottom third of the towels, and are embroidered on the suede. I know they'll never look the same after they are washed, and I'm concerned the red terry will fade onto the suede part when I wash them. I bought them for decorating my bathroom, and because they make ME smile to look at them. I planned to use them in my guest bathroom, but since I didn't want anyone using them, I put them in MY bathroom. My DH knows better than to touch them. I dust them like I would anything else in the house. I doubt I will wash them for a couple of YEARS. BTW, they are not in the same room as the toilet, so no yucky toilet germs spewing up on them. Feel free to use any other towels, linens, bedding at my house but please do not use my red Pendleton towels.

I think the main difference is that you realised the towels are for your benefit, not your guests. So you put them where you can see them. Plus you trained your DH not to touch them. So it all works out.

The OP put her towels in the guest room, but they also are really for her benefit, not the guests. I'm sure they make her smile too when she goes in there to look at them. But, she hasn't trained her guests, and since they think "guest" towels are there for their benefit, they use them.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Quite the thread! Who knew there would be so much passion surrounding towels!?

I've found quite the opposite to be true in our home. I was pretty shocked to find guests coming out of the bathroom wiping their hands on their clothing instead of using what they thought were "show towels."

I'd never heard of the concept of not allowing towels hung in a bath to be used, so wasn't too sure how to handle it.

Now, if I see people doing that I just gently and quietly tell them it's ok to use the towels.

They aren't particularly fancy, but are somewhat decorative. I'm guessing that there must be enough instances of "show towels" for guests to not use towels that are more elaborate than plain terry.

We like to put out nicer towels and soap for our guests. Perhaps I should put up a small sign that says, "PLEASE USE!"

 

[Imzadi]

Quite the thread! Who knew there would be so much passion surrounding towels!?

I've found quite the opposite to be true in our home. I was pretty shocked to find guests coming out of the bathroom wiping their hands on their clothing instead of using what they thought were "show towels."

I'd never heard of the concept of not allowing towels hung in a bath to be used, so wasn't too sure how to handle it.

Now, if I see people doing that I just gently and quietly tell them it's ok to use the towels.

They aren't particularly fancy, but are somewhat decorative. I'm guessing that there must be enough instances of "show towels" for guests to not use towels that are more elaborate than plain terry.

We like to put out nicer towels and soap for our guests. Perhaps I should put up a small sign that says, "PLEASE USE!"

Tsk! Tsk! It's people like you, who, after the OP has finally trained all her guests to NOT use the decorative towels, you go and cancel out all that training.

 

[MM27]

I would not use the towel by the sink because I would think that someone was using it and forgot it there. I'm not all that keen on using towels hanging in someone's bathroom either though because I can't help thinking how many hands have probably touched them before mine. I'd prefer a paper towel.

 

[AKL_Megs]

(I thought this might be a good Dis topic...)

I guess I was right! Two days and seven pages later...



I guess I understand my mistake now. I never before realized how serious we all take hand towels! I am SO off to Kohls to buy a bunch of those fingertip towels and a basket to solve this problem!!!

Thanks all, and I am glad my decorative towels were a source of entertainment!!!

 

[Liberty Belle]

I guess I was right! Two days and seven pages later...



I guess I understand my mistake now. I never before realized how serious we all take hand towels! I am SO off to Kohls to buy a bunch of those fingertip towels and a basket to solve this problem!!!

Thanks all, and I am glad my decorative towels were a source of entertainment!!!

I think you should get negative points for being such a good sport.