The truth about how often you should wash your towels

It’s a brutal fact of life, but just when you see the bottom of that laundry basket, it magically fills up again. So it’s no wonder that most people wash their towels once a week.

And while the weekly towel wash may lighten the laundry load, it may not be good for your health and hygiene. So how often should we be washing our towels?

Speaking to TODAY Extra, laundry expert Nicole Gibson answers the pressing question about load management.

Gibson recommends washing your towels every three days and for those who shower frequently, you should use a new towel every day.

She also adds that if you are fond of big fluffy luxurious towels then you should be washing them more often. And this is why.

“Thick towels take longer to dry, and they may seem dry superficially but deep down in the fibres they’re actually still damp and harbouring bacteria,” she explained.

“So you may in fact be wiping yourself with a bacterial towel.”

Gibson advised that to extend the time between washes, it would be good to use towels that have a silver thread embedded in them. She explained that the silver actually eliminates any bacteria and can extend your wash time by up to seven days.

And when it comes to hand towels, Gibson recommends washing them every day unless they have a silver thread in which case you can leave them for up to seven days.

She states that towels and pillowcases should be deep cleaned in hot water and quality detergent every few months.

And just when you think you’re on a roll when washing your towels, Gibson says consideration should also be given to how often you wash your bedding.

She said that we should be throwing our sheets in the wash once a week, but happily, once a fortnight is also acceptable.

But sheets and towels aren’t the only things that need to be washed regularly to maintain good hygiene. Your undies should also be taking a regular spin around the washing machine.

When it comes to washing bras Gibson said, “Look, it really depends on the season and the job you have. Obviously in the cooler months you can get away with washing every two to three days.”

She advised Queenslanders though to be a bit more vigilant about washing their undies saying this should happen daily as the temperature rises.

She said bras don’t require a deep clean like your towels but it’s not a bad idea to give them a proper wash.

“My daughter’s an athlete so we deep clean her sports bras quite regularly and it is horrendous the amount of grime that comes out,” she explained.