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Do your Towels Need to be Replaced?
Hi Everyone –
It is hot in the USA. In NYC we have had four 90 degree days in a row – with no cloud cover.
This has me sweating – a lot lol. And with numerous clothing changes during the day, it has me thinking – how long can we use certain items before recycling and replacing them? I normally have towels until they are either threadbare or visibly discolored before they get repurposed as rags. But what about exercise gear? Our underwear lol?
Well this week I did some research and found some surprising answers. I hope you find it interesting too.
Stay cool and wear cotton!
Be well –
Christine
Differing Opinions
You may or may not be surprised to learn that there are many differences of opinion on when a piece of clothing needs to be replaced.
No surprise that more of the “replace every 6 -12 months” opinions came from clothing manufacturers. Doctors, hygienists and people who study diseases and bacteria, say that a piece of clothing can be worn for as long as you like, even underwear, as long as you wash it properly.
As someone who works out regularly, my workout gear takes a beating every single day. Everyone agreed that once it is stretched out and not holding you up and in as needed, the clothing can be used as loungewear and retired from work outs.
But, what about odors?
Any workout clothing should be washed immediately according to every expert, but should odors set in, they recommended using vinegar and or baking soda. You can read WebMD’s suggestion here.
I also found it interesting that our undergarments actually carry a small amount of bacteria even after washing – which is, well, a little gross.
If this bothers you too, spraying the garment with hydrogen peroxide before washing is helpful.
Lastly, if any odors do remain after repeated treatment, it is then time to toss it.
What about towels?
Most say to replace towels every two years or sooner if needed, depending on the quality, but what I found hilarious and also shocking, is there were articles on when to wash towels. What?! Lol.
According to a BBC article some people wait months – like 3 months – to wash a towel. O.M.G. lol.
They didn’t say who, but this has to be a college student right?
Seriously though – once a week is the minimum, every three days is best, simply because our towels can hold bacteria and if we have an open cut from shaving or a wound opens from showering, we can actually get a bad infection! Who knew?
Towels with odors can be treated with white vinegar – just like clothing. Soak for an hour in a cup of vinegar and enough water to saturate it. Best in the washer if you have a soaking option. If that doesn’t work – then toss. Don’t use as rags, as the smells can be transferred to tiles and grout when cleaning – I speak from experience!
Lastly – kitchen towels need to be washed immediately after any raw meat has touched them and every few days wash and replace them. Never use a kitchen towel as a bath towel and vice versa, to avoid getting a possible infection (and hair that smells like onions lol).
Stains & Odors
Remember we make an excellent stain remover that also removes odors and can be used regularly on any item that can be washed – even sneakers!
I hope this was helpful!