Why you should wash your bathroom towels regularly

While guidance shows that towels should be washed after three uses, bathroom experts Showers to You surveyed 2,200 UK residents and found that many were using their towels for much longer before giving them a freshen-up.

Through a survey of 2,200 UK residents, Showers to You found that three per cent of respondents wash their bathroom towels once a year, equating to 1,595,646 people based on the latest adult population estimates from the Office of National Statistics.

With freshly washed towels containing 190,000 counts of bacteria — increasing to 17 million after just one day of use, and soaring to as high as 94 million after a week — you may be shocked to find out that new research from bath experts at Showers to You indicates over 1 million UK residents only wash their bathroom towels once a year.

Almost one in ten respondents (eight per cent) stated they will only wash their bathroom towels twice a year, indicating over 1.5 million people across the country give their towels a clean every six months, while a third of respondents (33 per cent) will only wash their bathroom towels once every three months at the most.

Men were five times more likely to clean their bathroom towels just once a year, with five per cent of male respondents admitting to giving them an annual wash, compared to one per cent of women.

Martin Smith, the founder of Showers to You commented “The bathroom should in theory be one of the cleanest rooms in the home, however our research shows that many people across the country could be ignoring a key step in ensuring proper bathroom hygiene.

“While it’s encouraging to see the data shows the majority of respondents are keeping up with regularly washing their bathroom towels, everyone should ensure they are ensuring a regular routine of washing their towels in line with guidance from health professionals, especially for those who only give their towels an annual wash.”

The study goes on to reveal that those in Leicester and Glasgow are most likely to go the longest without washing their bathroom towels, with over four in ten (41 per cent) from both cities admitting to only washing their towels every three months at the most.

However, it’s not all bad news for the nation’s bathroom hygiene, with 38 per cent of respondents stating they wash their towels once a month, almost a quarter (24 per cent) washing their towels once a week and one in 20 (5 per cent) health-conscious residents washing their towels every single day.

Commenting on the research, Dr Hamdan Abdullah Hamed MBChB, a board-certified Dermatologist and Co-founder of PowerYourCurls.com, states:

“It is crucial to maintain proper hygiene in our everyday routines, including the use and care of bathroom towels. Regular washing of bathroom towels is important to maintain cleanliness and reduce the risk of infections. Towels tend to accumulate moisture, creating an environment conducive to bacterial and fungal growth. Bacteria like staphylococcus aureus can lead to skin infections, while fungi like Candida yeast can cause issues like athlete's foot or yeast infections."

Visual cleanliness is the most common factor that causes people to wash their bathroom towels (67 per cent), followed by smell (61 per cent) and ‘number of uses’ (58 per cent). Worryingly, however, one in six respondents (15 per cent) stated they will only wash their towels once they have become stiff.

While the study found that one in nine respondents (11 per cent) aren’t concerned at all by bacteria or hygiene issues stemming from not washing their bathroom towels, the NHS advises that towels can spread germs if not washed frequently.

“Additionally, dirty towels may contain allergens that can trigger allergic reactions or skin irritations in sensitive individuals. Therefore, it is recommended to wash towels after every three to four uses to eliminate bacteria, dirt, dead skin cells, and allergens, ensuring optimal hygiene and minimising health risks.” - Dr. Hamdan Abdullah Hamed MBChB

Banner credit: Towels (Михаил Руденко)