A recent study conducted by a shower company in the UK asked 2,200 people how often they wash their towels, and the results are quite disturbing.
Shockingly, almost a quarter (24 percent) of respondents admitted to washing their towels only once a week. Even worse, 5 percent claimed to wash their towels after every single bath or shower. And believe it or not, a staggering 3 percent of people surveyed confessed to washing their bathroom towels only once a year. If these findings are representative of the entire UK population, that would mean over 1.5 million people have such poor towel hygiene habits.
What lurks in dirty towels?
According to the survey, a freshly washed towel contains around 190,000 bacteria. However, after just one day of use, that number skyrockets to 17 million. And after a week, it reaches a shocking 94 million bacteria.
While many of these bacteria are harmless, some can make you sick. One of the most concerning culprits is Escherichia coli, a pathogenic bacteria found in feces that can cause severe food poisoning.
A study conducted by microbiologists at the University of Arizona found that 89 percent of kitchen towels tested positive for coliform bacteria, with 25 percent also containing E. coli. Coliform bacteria are typically found in animal feces and are a clear sign of unsanitary conditions. Similar findings have been reported for bathroom towels, with 90 percent carrying coliform bacteria and 14 percent carrying E. coli.
While the risk of ingesting pathogenic bacteria from a dirty towel is relatively low, it can introduce germs into the skin through cuts, scrapes, and abrasions.
In fact, a study conducted in 2003 found that an outbreak of MRSA among college football players in Los Angeles was likely caused by sharing dirty towels. The athletes used these towels to dry off turf burns they acquired during the game.
Other studies have also linked sharing dirty towels to outbreaks of Bacillus cereus, a potentially pathogenic bacterium commonly found in soil and food.
“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,” said Dr. Hamdan Abdullah Hamed, a board-certified dermatologist and medical practitioner in the UAE, commenting on the survey findings.
How often should you wash your bathroom towel?
According to Dr. Hamed, it is recommended to wash towels after every three to four uses to eliminate bacteria, dirt, dead skin cells, and allergens. This ensures optimal hygiene and minimizes health risks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends washing bath towels after three to five uses, which translates to approximately once or twice a week if you shower regularly. However, it seems that only a quarter of Brits adhere to this guideline.
