New research has uncovered a startling hygiene habit among Brits – nearly two million people in the UK wash their bathroom towels only once a year. Showers to You, a bath experts’ company, conducted the study, revealing some alarming facts about towel cleanliness.
Despite towels accumulating up to 94 million bacteria after just one week of use, a significant number of Brits seem unfazed. Men, in particular, were found to be five times more likely to wash their towels only once annually, compared to just one percent of women.
The survey also highlighted that one-third of the UK population admitted to washing their bathroom towels only once every three months, totaling approximately 17 million individuals. Notably, residents of Leicester and Glasgow were identified as the ones most likely to wait the longest between washes, with 41 percent from both cities confessing to a three-month washing cycle.
Guidelines recommend washing towels after just three uses, a far cry from the habits revealed in the study. Towels present an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and germs due to their constant dampness. However, regular washing and drying can sometimes lead to stiff and scratchy towel fibers. To combat this, experts advise washing towels at temperatures between 30 to 40 degrees Celsius. According to Tom Drake, a DIY expert at Only Radiators, using warm water allows better detergent absorption and reduces the buildup of soap and detergent residues.
This alarming revelation caught the attention of Roman Kemp, who recently sparked a debate on towel hygiene by admitting to leaving his bath towels unwashed for two to three weeks at a time. Perhaps it’s time for all of us to reconsider our towel care routines and put those towels in the washing machine more often for the sake of cleanliness and good health!
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