If you don’t wash your towels, they will be dirty. But that’s not enough, something way worse will happen. In an upcoming study, Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, found that almost 90% of bathroom towels are contaminated. They have in fact coliform bacteria, bacteria usually found in human feces. Gerba also realized that 14% of bathroom towels contain E. Coli.
Basically, towels are a bacteria trap and it’s easy for bacteria to grow on them. Fortunately, most bacteria come from you so they shouldn’t be harmful. Our bodies are in fact used to them and can adapt easily. However, you could be at risk if you share towels.
You can limit the number of bacteria with regular washing. You should wash them after two days of use. To eliminate the bacteria, you should use a detergent with activated oxygen bleach.
Susan Whittier, director of clinical microbiology at New York-Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Center, told Time that if the towels dry completely between uses, there should not be any passing bacteria between people. Still, it is recommended to wash all towels at least once a week.