How many towels should a family of 5 have? Can you wash bath towels with clothes? Is it bad to wash towels with sheets?

How many towels should a family of 5 have?

So, how many towels should a family of 5-have? It all depends on how much washing you can be bothered to do.

The first and most important question to ask is how often should one wash a bath towel? As a rule of thumb, you must wash your towel at least once a week. If you leave a towel longer than that before you clean it, it will only be collecting germs.

As for how many towels each individual should have in a family of 5, as a rule of thumb, you should have at least two full towel sets per person; that’s a bath towel and a smaller face towel such as a flannel.

With two sets each, each individual in the family can use a bath towel for a week, put it in the wash basket, and then grab another fresh bath towel to use for the following week. During that time, you will have plenty of time to wash the other 5 sets and start the process again.

This is perhaps the most efficient means of cycling your towels. The important thing, however, is that everyone is using their own towel and that they are thoroughly dried after each use. If, however, the bath towels are thrown on the floor after use, they won’t dry properly and the germs will reproduce at a staggering pace.

So, keep to a relatively strict towel washing cycle and make sure that every family member is clear on their best hygiene practices.

 

Can you wash bath towels with clothes?

Are you able to wash bath towels with clothes? While it may be tempting to save time by combining your washing requirements, washing bath towels with clothes isn’t the best idea. This is because germs can easily be passed between the items in the wash, making it rather unsanitary. That, and when you keep your towels in a separate wash, you can adjust the settings accordingly.

For example; if you are washing towels with light clothing, you will either be putting the more delicate items through far too an intense wash, or alternatively not washing your towels quite thoroughly enough.

The best practice is to wash your towels separately from your clothing. If you are concerned with keeping your laundry bills down as much as possible, we would highly recommend hand-washing clothing as a cheaper alternative. Not only is hand-washing clothing much cheaper, but it can help to preserve your clothing in a way that the more intensive washing machines cannot. Certainly, the process is more labour intensive and requires additional effort, but in such times where saving every penny is becoming more important, this is an approach that is well worth your consideration.

 

Is it bad to wash towels with sheets?

What about sheets? Is it bad to wash your towels with sheets? Just like washing your towels with clothing, doing the same with sheets is a bad idea. This is largely because the materials are so vastly different. Towels are highly sturdy and durable and designed to take abuse, whereas bedsheets are lightweight and delicate, designed to feel comfy to the touch. If you start washing your sheets with your towels, you are more likely to ruin them – thus needing to replace your bedsheets sooner than is necessary.

How often should you buy more towels?

Now that we know roughly how many towels a family of 5 would need, how often should they be replaced? How do you know when to buy new towels? This depends on a variety of factors and there is no one hard and fast rule here for everyone. Ultimately, you should replace your towels as soon as they start to lose their absorbency.

As a general rule of thumb, aim to replace your towels at least once every two years. That way, when you step out of the shower you can enjoy that nice and fuzzy feeling of being wrapped in a quality towel, for longer.

It may be tempting to save money and put off replacing your towels for as long as possible, but a towel that has lost its absorbency is a waste of your time.

Should you buy expensive towels?

Another common question that people ask is whether or not it is worth buying expensive towels. The real question is: should you buy high-quality towels, and the answer is yes. Certainly, the finest quality towels are considerably more expensive than low-quality towels, but it is worth paying the extra. Not only are quality towels better to the touch, but they do a far superior job of properly drying your body. Additionally, a superior towel will last much longer than a cheap towel. In fact, when you buy cheap, you will most likely have to replace them more often, which ultimately adds up to be more expensive in the long run.

Conclusion

To recap:

  • For a family of 5, as a rule of thumb, you should have at least two full towel sets per person.
  • While it may be tempting to save time by combining your washing requirements, washing bath towels with clothes isn’t the best idea.
  • Just like washing your towels with clothing, doing the same with sheets isn’t advised.
  • As a general rule of thumb, aim to replace your towels at least once every two years.
  • It is definitely worth paying more money for high-quality towels as opposed to skimping and going for the cheapest option. Something like a Thai Hotel Towel will deliver the kind of quality you’d expect to find in 5-star accommodation!
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