This might be a slightly more gross read than you were prepared for. We all clean our bath towels and change them, but how often? According to this article apparently not often enough. Even when we do clean them his article showed me that we might not be cleaning them well enough. Change your towels at least once a week and use bleach when you wash them.
Key Takeaways:
- Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona recently interviewed by Southern Living, says he found that nearly 90% of bathroom towels are contaminated with coliform bacteria and about 14% carry E. coli
- His previously published research also found these bacteria on kitchen hand towels, with the numbers of E. coli directly in proportion to how frequently towels were washed — mainly because most people don’t wash their hands thoroughly enough
- Towels — or biodegradable, compostable cellulose sponges — are still the preferred method for eco-friendly and sanitary cleaning, but the main takeaway from this news is to make sure that you’re hanging your towels (including bath towels) to dry outside the bathroom
“Most people don’t wash their hands thoroughly enough, so when they dry their hands on a towel they’re just rubbing bacteria into a place it’s likely to grow.”
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/your-towels-are-dirtier-than-you-think-new-study-says-250523
