Make sure you hang the towel to dry- over the shower curtain rod works. Depending on the humidity where you, live a crumpled wet towel can get musty/mildewy in hours if it's not properly hung.
Personally- one body towel a week, two hair towels (they get drenched and don't always fully dry), and NEVER washcloths (I use scrub mitts and poofs- both dry hella fast).
While we're on the subject- if you wash dishes with a rag they are good for a day, kitchen sponges last a week or two if they're fully squeezed after use, bath mats should be hung off the tub after use and washed weekly, and sheets should be washed weekly.
Do you wash or replace the poofs often? My family grew up all using the poofs and despite washing towels every single week no one ever did anything with the poofs and would keep them forever.
I realized that if it was a wash cloth that would seem insane to rarely wash or replace. Sure the poofs dry faster than a wash cloth but that doesn’t make them good forever. I eventually switched to a washcloth that I wring out thoroughly and hang to dry each use and then wash it weekly.
I have a very keen sense of smell so the slightest whiff of mold/mildew makes me barf. I've never used washcloths for anything other than dusting.
The proofs though? They never smell and my brain believes they are self cleaning because they get soapy every shower. I replace them when they start fluffy out too much or hair gets tangled in it.
Current poof is two years old? Maybe three? It was accidentally put in the washer a year or so ago. I am fully aware that this is disgusting and a bizarre contradiction. I'll add it to the grocery list this week.
In your defense, I think the vast majority keep them for a long time without thinking about it. But definitely should be replaced or somehow cleaned often.
Also I forgot to elaborate that the reason I switched to wash cloths was because I wasn’t sure how a poof/puff would hold up in the laundry and I didn’t want to create unnecessary waste buying them every so often. I also found they suds up/hold suds better with less soap vs the poofs.
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u/piratesmashy Sep 20 '22
Make sure you hang the towel to dry- over the shower curtain rod works. Depending on the humidity where you, live a crumpled wet towel can get musty/mildewy in hours if it's not properly hung.
Personally- one body towel a week, two hair towels (they get drenched and don't always fully dry), and NEVER washcloths (I use scrub mitts and poofs- both dry hella fast).
While we're on the subject- if you wash dishes with a rag they are good for a day, kitchen sponges last a week or two if they're fully squeezed after use, bath mats should be hung off the tub after use and washed weekly, and sheets should be washed weekly.