Episode 161: How Often Should You Wash Your Bath Towels?

This really comes down to personal preference. There are no hard and fast rules, but most people tend to have a separate hand towel in the bathroom for drying freshly washed hands. It also means any guests visiting your toilet don’t have to dry their hands on your bath towel. You might think your towel is fine because you only use it on your clean body but think again. Even your freshly washed skin can harbor germs and bacteria that will transfer to your towel when you dry your skin. Additionally, bathrooms are warm, humid spaces that make them the perfect breeding ground for bacteria — meaning there could also be airborne bacteria and molds landing on your towel. If you typically use the same bath towel for a few days at a time, you're not alone. According to Good Housekeeping, almost 50% of the people surveyed said they go for a full week before they retire a towel. As for towels that you take outside the house, such as to use at the gym, the pool, or the beach, Dr. Oakley recommends washing them after every use as they come in contact with sweat, airborne bacteria, and other contaminants. Most of us would agree that there’s something very comforting about wrapping yourself in a big, warm, fluffy bath towel after a bath or shower. It’s less comforting, though, to think about the germs and bacteria that may be breeding on your towels. If your towel smells, that's a warning to wash it sooner rather than later, so if you catch a musty whiff before you start to dry off, err on the side of caution and toss it into the laundry basket. Dr. Oakley and Holly share in this episode how often they wash their bath towels. So, listen up LBP besties, washing your towels is seriously easy. So, there’s no need to stress. It's just a case of knowing how to wash towels effectively, that's all. So, for best results, here's what you need to do. • Wash white towels at a high temperature (this helps to keep them looking nice and bright) • Clean colored towels on a warm (not hot) cycle • Only use fabric softener sparingly as it can impact the absorbency of towels — white vinegar is an effective alternative. • The best way to dry towels is in the tumble dryer with a couple of dryer balls MAD-LOVE going out to our wonderful Sponsor UTIVA!!! Utiva Bladder Health is clinically proven to help reduce overactive bladder and lower urinary tract symptoms. You can help lower your risk of preventing UTIs. Dr. Oakley loves and recommends Utiva to her patients after radiation to the pelvis, from uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer to breast cancer and she takes it daily herself. Check it out: https://www.utivahealth.com/ - Her favorite is the Utiva Cranberry PACs: it’s a simple, small, once-a-day pill taken for daily support of the urinary tract to prevent ongoing UTIs. PACs are also the antioxidant of the cranberry and provide other gut health benefits. Just toss it in your purse so you’ll always be prepared!! Thank you, ladies, for listening. Always feel free to ask Dr. Oakley any women’s health questions at any time. Please send in your comments, questions, and suggestions for future topics at [email protected]. Follow us on Insta & FB: The lady Bod Pod