A bath towel that doesn’t dry fast enough can go from fresh and clean to a sour, mildew-y mess in a single day, especially if your bathroom is small or humid. Most people assume the fix is washing their towels more often, but the real issue is actually how you hang the towel after each use.
We spoke with a couple of laundry experts who shared the biggest mistake people make when hanging towels, along with some tips to keep them odor-free for longer. This guidance should make your weekly towel routine significantly easier and more sanitary.
This Biggest Mistake You’re Making When You Hang Your Towels
When we asked the pros about the biggest towel-hanging mistake, they both called out the same thing: folding the towel instead of spreading it out. “The best way to keep towels from getting that mildew smell is to let them breathe,” says Ashley Kidder, laundry expert and founder of Mountains of Laundry. “After every use, I always tell clients to hang towels fully open (not folded over) so air can circulate.” You can technically “fold” the towel over a bar, but Kidder says you don’t want the sides touching at all, so the towel dries more evenly.
Cleaning expert Gerardo Mellado notes that most people fold towels in half before hanging them, but he says, “that traps moisture, especially in humid bathrooms.” Whether you use a bar or a hook, make sure the towel isn’t bunched up as it hangs, so every inch of the fabric feels dry within four to six hours. A towel that dries quickly and evenly is one you can reuse without washing.
Other Towel Hanging Mistakes People Make
Besides folding or bunching the towel before hanging, there are a few other mishaps that you may not even realize are a problem. Here are some other factors that might be slowing down the towel-drying process in your bathroom.
Not Shaking the Towel First
The point of hanging towels between uses is to prevent mildew. To help this process along, Mellado says to give the towel a quick shake before you hang it, then “spread it fully open on a wide bar or hook so air can reach both sides.” Not shaking first can leave some damp towel fibers clumped together, which prevents air from moving through the towel.
Using the Shower Rod
You can use a designated towel rod or a hook, but skip the shower rod, which is one of the worst spots to hang your bath towels. Kidder says tossing a damp towel over the rod can give the illusion of a dry towel, but it stays damp in the middle, “which is basically a mildew party.” She adds that the problem isn’t the rod itself: “It’s the steam and lack of airflow up there. Towels tend to sit in a humid spot, especially if you close the curtain afterward.”
Hanging Behind a Door
The common theme here is that poor airflow is one of the biggest reasons towels stay damp longer than they should. “Another mistake is leaving damp towels on hooks behind closed doors, where there’s little air movement,” says Mellado. Keeping the door open or running a fan helps move moisture out of the room so the towel can dry all the way through.
Letting Them Sit Wet in a Laundry Basket
Mellado also emphasized not leaving wet towels in laundry baskets where they'll sit for several days. If the towel is ready for a wash, place it in the hamper only when it is fully dry to prevent mildew from developing. Or you can bring the hamper to the laundry room and do a load of towels immediately, but we all know that's not always realistic. A quick air-dry before tossing dirty towels in the hamper keeps these hard-to-remove odors from spreading to the rest of your laundry.
Where to Hang Damp Towels and When to Wash Them
So, how often do you actually need to wash your towels? It depends, but Kidder says every three to four uses is a good rule of thumb, and “more often if you live in a humid climate or if your bathroom doesn’t get much airflow.” If, despite your best efforts, your towels won’t dry evenly when hung, Mellado says to wash them every two days. Here’s how both experts recommend hanging your towels to prevent mildew and extend the life of the fabric.
On a Towel Bar
When using a towel bar, Kidder notes that the towel should hang fully open, and you should make sure there aren’t any layers pressed together. “That way, both sides can actually dry instead of trapping moisture in the middle,” she says. When installing a towel bar, Mellado recommends placing it somewhere with good ventilation, like near a window or under a fan.
On Individual Hooks
Both experts said towel hooks are fine to use, too. But if you have the room, make sure every family member has their own hook, so the towels aren’t hung on top of each other. “If you have multiple people in the household, stacking or bunching [towels] together traps moisture and is a fast track to that ‘ugh’ smell,” says Kidder. “The trick is giving the towel a good shake first, then draping it so it hangs as open and loose as possible.”
Read more at Real Simple
Related Links
How much would a 50-year mortgage cost homebuyers?
The #1 Thing You Should Do for Your Garden Before the First Frost, According to Pros
6 Ways to Make Your Bedroom Instantly Cozier for Cold Weather, According to Designers
If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.
