And since we're talking about it......
By arkaf61
@arkaf61 (10881)
Canada
March 24, 2008 10:32pm CST
.. in a matter of speaking. At least I was.
Just finished posting a discussion about the size of bath towel I prefer.
I guess it's the effect of a nice shower where - and this is rare - nobody used the water while I was taking it .
I always call downstairs to tell my in laws that I am taking a shower so they know and don't use the water, but no matter what they always do. Except for today LOL
In any case, this is not what I wanted to discuss.
My question is: Do you put the towel for washing after each time that you take a shower?
I don't. After all I just took a shower, didn't I? I"m pretty sure I am clean, at least I do my best to be.
It's my own towel and each one has theirs, so no one else uses it.
And... I'm not crazy. 
DO the math. There are 5 people living here. Each one of us has a towel. We all take a shower at least once a day, sometimes more. If we were to put that towel in the laundry basket after each showers, how many towels would I need each week? LOL
WHy do I ask? Because I know that my mother in law does put her bath towel for washing after each shower. And she does take more than one shower a day.
Of course it probably helps that they're only two downstairs.
But as I said above... aren't we clean after taking a shower? How are we getting the towel so dirty that it needs washing?
I know it's a question of preference, and that's what I want to know... what are your preferences in this matter? Do you or do you not put that bath towel for washing after using it once?
DO the math. There are 5 people living here. Each one of us has a towel. We all take a shower at least once a day, sometimes more. If we were to put that towel in the laundry basket after each showers, how many towels would I need each week? LOL
WHy do I ask? Because I know that my mother in law does put her bath towel for washing after each shower. And she does take more than one shower a day.
Of course it probably helps that they're only two downstairs.
But as I said above... aren't we clean after taking a shower? How are we getting the towel so dirty that it needs washing?
I know it's a question of preference, and that's what I want to know... what are your preferences in this matter? Do you or do you not put that bath towel for washing after using it once?6 people like this
15 responses
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
28 Mar 08
I use the same towel for bath for about 3-4 days. I wash my towel in sanitation cycle, so it cost more than an average wash, because it uses very hot water.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
28 Mar 08
I like very dry towels, so I want to make sure my towels are dry and warm. I wouldn't use wet towel....
During the summer I change my towels more often....
1 person likes this
@KATRINKA (1624)
• United States
28 Mar 08
I hate to admit it, but I get a new towel each time I shower, and I do shower at the least, once a day. I also use two towels and two wash cloths. It's a habit I acquired when I was in nursing school. When we bathed patients, we always used two towels and two wash cloths. One for the face, the other for the rest of the body. I realize this was mostly used for incontentent or bed-ridden people, but it carried over into my daily life. I've been working on it, though. Since I moved here, I noticed my water and electric bill doubled because of my habit.
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
1 Apr 08
I also wash mine in the sanitation cycle. And like you the towel really has to be dry. In the winter, once I use it I hand it right where the warm air from the heating comes from. So it's always dry and warm.
Katrinka I can see were you got used to the two towels, but as you are noticing now, it does hit on the utility bills quite a lot :)
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
25 Mar 08
There are three of us living here. Myself and tow almost grown up grandkids. None of us really get dirty so to speak. So there really is any reason to wash the towels after each use. After spending 15 to 20 min. in the shower a person should be clean. It would really take a lot of water to wash 21 towels every week. So we should be able to at least be down to 2 each a week even some time 1.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
27 Mar 08
Well Twin I am different there lol I use a fresh Towel every Day and I live alone, it is not because it is dirty it is that I love fresh Towels and always have
I brought my Children up that way as well lol and to this Day they use a fresh Towel every Day
It is just the freshness I love when I get out of the Shower
Oh here is a Hint Don't tell the In Laws and you will find that they will not use the water I guess they do it on Purpose
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
25 Mar 08
We have our own towels here, I believe each one has a pair of it. We only do the laundry once a week, one person a day. I hang my used towel to dry, it's easier to let it dry now since it's already summer and just hang it on the clothesline to dry.
I stay for a long time in the shower room, do my best to clean myself and scrubbing my body to remove those dirt. I am sure that when I come out, I feel fresh and light..
2 people like this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
25 Mar 08
Unless there is any special reason we only do the laundry once a week too.
We would need at least 35 towels for all of us each week if we put them in the laundry basket after each shower.
I don't really think we can be that dirty after a shower :)
2 people like this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
26 Mar 08
I definitel;y do not put the towel in the wash after I have used it once. And I get furious at anyone else in my family who does. It is silly to be obessed about constant washing.
I get mad about this because of my step children. They are obsessive about cleanliness to the pint of being ridiculous, & I refuse to wash their towel every time they visit.
Like you, there are five in our family & I dont want more work to do. Naturally, I dont want anyone using a dirty towel but I would think a wash once per week is enough. The key issue with towels is to keep them aired.
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
26 Mar 08
I reuse my bath towel after I use it. I agree! Why not? I just spent time getting my body nice and clean. So, why not use it more than once? I never understood the need to use a new towel after each shower. Unless you are careless and leave your towels on the floor after you shower. Then maybe I can understand why one would want to wash their towels after each use. But, I hang my towel immediately after i am done drying off so, it never touches the floor.
I say, save some water, which is a precious natural resource that, especially in drought areas like mine, you only waste if you have to wash your towels after each and every use!
2 people like this
@SViswan (12051)
• India
25 Mar 08
I don't put it for a wash after every shower. And like you, we are 4 of us and all of us have different towels. the babies clothes and stuff are washed separately...so imagine the laundry load I will have if I put it for wash after every single shower!
But I use the same towel only two days....I've planned the laundry routine based on the towels and my son's school uniform. Works perfectly for me!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160677)
• United States
27 Mar 08
For the same reasons you mention, plus wear and tear on towels, I do not wash it each time I shower. I do hang it up and make sure it can get dried out. I would spend a lot of extra time on laundry, and be that much harder on the environment, if I was constantly washing the towels.
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
25 Mar 08
I use to when I was living at home. But now I dont. I never really thought about it before. Maybe because I wasnt the one doing the wash.LOL Now my hubby and I use our towel 3 or 4 times before putting it in the wash. Its bad enough I dont have many towels.LOL
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
25 Mar 08
there are 5 in our family and we all maintain our own towel - (I get two due to long hair, but, the hair towel is a thin small lightweight towel that is not good for drying off the body anyhow)
We keep this towel for 3 showers and then switch out... usually.
1 person likes this
@eden32 (3973)
• United States
25 Mar 08
I hang my towel up to dry after I wash and use it again. When I was a kid that was a hard rule of my mothers, and now as an adult I totally get why. Laundry is my least favorite chore, and towels add up mighty fast if you don't reuse them. You are clean when you get out of the shower, there's no good reason not to use it a few times before washing it.
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
27 Mar 08
Well for me I can only do the laundry once a week, so I could not use a new towel every time I took a shower. There are quite a few of us here at home which would make it even worse.
But the thing is , if we only change every 3 or 4 times we take a shower than we're ok:)
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
25 Mar 08
Do people really do that? OMG. Only in a hotel! And then only if it is just one night that we are staying. Do you know the necklace some famous lady from history was alleged to have worn that read "Touch me not, for I belong to Caesar?" (or was it here dog, lol?)
I don't mean to be unkind, but I think your MIL is so "touched" that she should wear a tag that reads "Certified."
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
25 Mar 08
hehehe
YOu know we don't really chat now, me and her, but when we did I asked her why. Her answer was "God forbid that I used it more than once!!!" I never really understood since it still didn't make sense to me, but ... it's her way.. Whatever works I guess.
It's just that now we are paying the bills by ourselves. THey're not paying their part anymore, and... well all those towels add up to more loads.
THen again I shouldn't worry about the towels since she is the kind of person that will get a load going with only a t-shirt in.
I just think that maybe now that she isn't paying the bills, she could try to use less?
@phoenix25 (1541)
• United States
10 May 08
I hang mine up to dry after I use it and I use it a few times before I wash it. I have never had a problem doing this. I have always reused towels before washing them. Now, if I were to just leave them wet on the floor and not let them dry properly, then I would get a clean towel, but I don't do that. That sucks that people always use water while you are in the shower. Here at my house, nobody uses water while I'm in the shower so I always get a nice one. :)
