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Towel sharing of any kind is a big no-no, even if the towel was just used after stepping out of the shower. Bacteria such as staph infection bacteria can live on the towel for a few hours, days, or even months. This is probably longer for a towel, since it has the ability to retain moisture and other bacteria, too.
Why you shouldn’t use the same towel?
People who have a skin condition like eczema and frequently reuse towels are potentially more at risk of developing an infection from something like Staphylococcus aureus, or staph, a bacteria that often lives on people’s skin, says Dr. Kassouf.
Should everyone have their own towel?
Each family member should have their own. “You can’t share a towel,” insists Lynsey Crombie, AKA Queen of Clean, from Channel 4’s Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners. A poll of 3,000 people by Hubbub, an environmental charity, found that people washed their towels every 11 days.
What happens if you use someone else’s towel?
Using a teammate’s towel after they’ve used it will transfer their bacteria to your skin. If they have an infection caused by harmful agents, those pathogens could travel to your body, likely giving you the very same infection.
When should you throw away towels?
Ultimately, though, when a towel’s threads begin to pull—or you notice a lingering odor, despite a careful wash—it’s time to toss it; you can expect body and hand towels to last between two to five years depending on their quality. Wash cloths, on the other hand, should be replaced every one or two years, notes Winch.
It is something that most couples wouldn’t think twice about doing but research suggests that sharing a towel with your partner could spread harmful bacteria. However, the research by bathroom company Drench found that almost all used towels contained coliform bacteria, a form of faecal bacteria, AKA poo.
Can you get sick from using someone else’s towel?
When you dry off with a towel, that towel collects your own bacteria. Using a teammate’s towel after they’ve used it will transfer their bacteria to your skin. If they have an infection caused by harmful agents, those pathogens could travel to your body, likely giving you the very same infection.