How often do you clean your towel?

craker

The condition of the work shower room has become a hot topic - someone thought it would be a good idea to add a drying room (it's a cleaners' cupboard with a radiator and drying stand) and loads of towels got moved to this warm airless cupboard, adjacent to the ladies toilets. Before long the ladies were complaining about the stench - rightly so, some of them towels could have got up and headed out of the door by themselves.

Since all the towels in the cupboard must now be kept clean, and there are still complaints about the smell, anyone like to suggest a good working period for my office towel?

Previously I'd happily go months without the hygiene fascists bothering me, now I seem to be taking them home once every couple of weeks. But they seems so... clean...

MrSweary

Firstly, you're disgusting. Secondly, I don't have to wash my towels as they are provided with the work shower facilities. 8)

MonkeyMonster

couple of weeks given environment and usage seems about okay. try vanish antibacterial (or similar) as well to help (I use it on

Half the time of a home wash sequence would make sense.

tilt

Mine get washed weekly.

Gallywomack

The weekend after I notice it's started to get a bit whiffy. So every 2-3 weeks in practice. Should probably do it weekly but frankly if there's one thing I dislike, it's transporting towels.

monkeycowboy

I come out clean from the shower so don't see the point in washing it, I never go out with a dirty willy either, so dont bother washing my hands after peeing.

tilt

^^^ pretty sure no-one asked that dude.

indyp

A few months does sound pretty filthy so no suprise of complaints! A good tip is to brush as much water off with your hands before stepping out - you can do body,legs,arms,hair, reach and do back etc, results in less water for the towel to absorb so not only will it dry quicker, it should remain cleaner for a few days longer.

arran77

Just tell the ladies complaining about the smell that if they don't like it perhaps they would be so good as to wash your towel for you, if not then STFU

CiB

Point out to the ladies that you don't know how to use a towel correctly so perhaps they could pat you dry after your shower...

An old camping tip is not to use full size or even half sized towels, but instead use those little things that are halfway between a flannel & a hand towel. Do the big water clearing off the torso legs & arms still in the shower and finish off with this small towel. Win win win win win win as far as as I can see - cleaner towel, not so much shower water to create the damp smell and much easier to carry when you do take it home.

ETA I leave mine in my desk drawer & after 2 or 3 months it might make itself known enough to warrant going home for a wash. It's never bad bad though.

anthdci

I have two towels at work at any one time. Ill use one on a monday, the second on a tuesday, the first on a wednesday, then the second on thursday. Ill take the first home on the wednesday and bring a replacement in on the friday, etc. So I always have two, that have been used no more than twice. But I don't have to carry two in my backpack. Obviously the days change as I cycle 5 days, but the routeen stays the same.

stu-bim

I would not consider myself too prissy but every week without fail it is switched over. Even with the brushing off water first

slowbike

I think I changed it last year somewhen .... about September time if I recall correctly ...

Quite handy really as it now follows me into the changing facility and dries me without me having to lift a finger ...

wgwarburton

You want a sports towel:

http://m.simplyswim.com/products/Speedo ... Towel.aspx

Mobile link, sorry. Rinse in hot water every time you shower to keep it clean. Wring out after use and keep it in its tube. Compact. Light. No need to dry it out. No smells.
Only downside is that you can't use it as a kilt to preserve your modesty. If you need to, you could get a sarong.

Cheers,
W.

leodis75

Every week, some peoples towels are really bad. When I have to clear the towel rail for space, I fold other towels up and pop them on the sink, the state of them, some are crusty and no doubt the people using them must smell really bad. Its the once in a while Monday brigade who are the worst offenders, if the towel is still there after a few days and its dry I move them all and pop in locker room.

mousetoo

Been in my new job for 13 months and the towel has been home once in that time for a wash (and that was only becasue I walked in on some dude drying his feet on it)

EKE_38BPM

Some of you lot are foul!

Kieran_Burns

I bring a fresh towel in every day. Clearly I'm the only one.

Do people throw theirs at the wall to see if it sticks before deciding on a fresh one?

Drfabulous0

What a hassle. Just save yourselves the bother and don't shower, see if the ladies like that better.

peat

MonkeyCowboy wrote:

I come out clean from the shower so don't see the point in washing it

You may well be 'clean', but your towel gets full of dead skin that bacteria like to eat. Hence a towel is never clean after use.

I change mine weekly. I use a compact sports towel thing, so not a bother to transport.

kennygalbraith

my rules are simple, I call it the 4-3-2-1- method

Every 4 weeks, wash towel.
Every 3 weeks, wash underwear.
Every 2 weeks, wash cycle clothes.
Every 1 week, have a shower.

Works everytime, easy to remember and environmentally friendly :roll:

spen666

kennygalbraith wrote:

my rules are simple, I call it the 4-3-2-1- method

Every 4 weeks wash towel
Every 3 weeks wash underwear
Every 2 weeks wash cycle clothes
Every 1 week have a shower

Works everytime, easy to remember and environmentally friendly :roll:

I think you've got a typo or two there,

Its spelt M-O-N-T-H-S, not w-e-e-k-s

kennygalbraith

I think you've misunderstood the context of the message, I meant W-E-E-K-S.

Dezcore

Take a fresh one every day to work. Go back in the bag in a plastic bag.