HOW TOWELS MAKE THINGS DIRTIER
We think that towels are clean, because we use them to clean ourselves only after having a shower. So if they’re only coming in contact with a clean body, how can they become dirty, right? Wrong. Because among all the fabrics that a typical household has, towels always rank at the top for being the dirtiest. Why? Because we don’t bother cleaning them often enough.
A 2014 study from the University of Arizona has found enteric bacteria in 89% and E. Coli in 25.6% of towels taken from households.
If we look at the common kitchen towel, it is by far the biggest culprit when it comes to dirt. You may think you’re cleaning your table before food is placed on it, but if you’re using a dirty kitchen rag, you’re likely introducing hundreds of thousands of bacteria. What is the solution, then? Clean kitchen towels after every use. If this is not practical, dip them in a bleach solution and hang them out to dry. Fill up your sink with water and add teaspoons of bleach. Soak your towels in this solution and hang them out to dry.
Even bath towels are dirtier than we think because every time we dry ourselves with them, some dead skin cells get caught in the fabric. The recommendation is to wash bath towels every three to five uses. To avoid the musty smell, try using vinegar instead of the regular fabric softener that you use.
But remember that your towels are not as clean as you think they are.
