A towel that has not been changed for weeks or a constantly wet towel or very stale bedding is a habitat of microbes that can harm us. However, this does not mean that we need to change them every day to enjoy good he alth. How often should we do it and how to wash towels and bedding, especially when someone is sick at home, explains Dr. Piotr Rzymski, microbiologist, medical biologist.
Katarzyna Hubicz: Doctor, how often should we replace the towel with a fresh one? And does it matter what we use the towel for?
Dr hab. Piotr Rzymski:We should change it at least once a week, assuming that the body towel is well dried after bathing, and the hand towel is not in a damp bathroom. However, in a shared bathroom, the hand towel is best changed after each guest visit. This will reduce the risk of transmission of fecal bacteria and other pathogens.
This risk may not be very high, but it grows the more people use the towel, especially when children use it. Let's not forget about kitchen towels, they are very susceptible to the growth of various bacteria, e.g. enterococci and staphylococci. This is because they are often not drained well after use, they are used by several household members, sometimes incorrectly, for various functions.
For example, a child may wipe their hands on a kitchen towel, the father wipes the kitchen table with it, and the mother wipes the dishes with it. In this way, it is easy to break down pathogens and even lead to food poisoning. Therefore, such towels are best changed more often than others - every 4 days.
Does too infrequent towel change harm your he alth?
- Yes. It is worth realizing that by wiping the skin after bathing, we transfer both fragments of dead epidermis and microorganisms on our skin to the towel. Moisture promotes their further development, as well as the colonization of the surface of the towel by other microorganisms present in the environment. Therefore, long-term use of the same towel increases the risk of skin and nail fungus, and may also aggravate the symptoms of atopic dermatitis. The risk is even greater if the towel is permanently wet.
So, a towel that has been used for too long favorsall dermatological problems. The risk of transmitting an infectious disease through towels is not very great, but it does occur when the towel is used by more than one person. Research shows that coliform bacteria are commonly found on body towels, including E. coli and their number increases with time of use.
Moreover, the development of filamentous fungi and the presence of toxins produced by them, e.g. ochratoxins or trichothecenes, were found on long-term used towels. That is why it is best not to share body towels, and change hand towels each time more people use them, e.g. after a party or visiting family. It is also best to use separate hand towels for the hands, body and face - this will reduce the risk of transfer of microorganisms.
And should we dry the towel after each use?
- Yes, because the towel absorbs water when wiped. The longer it stays wet, the better a substrate it becomes for bacterial and fungal growth. In summer, it is worth hanging a body towel outside (e.g. on a balcony or terrace), and in colder seasons, hang it on a bathroom radiator. You should also make sure that the bathroom is well ventilated and free of moisture, which will make it easier to maintain the hygiene of towels, including those for hands. If we have a window in it, we should open it regularly and ventilate it.
How do you know that microbes are multiplying in the fabric - can the smell indicate this?
- The unpleasant smell of the towel should be a signal to replace it immediately. However, when assessing the cleanliness of a towel, one should not only take into account its smell, because the presence of not all microorganisms must translate into it. The replacement criterion should always be the duration of use and whether more people have used the towel. We must realize that the towel will be continuously colonized by microorganisms and this is a natural process. To break it, we would have to sterilize the towel after each use, which is neither feasible nor advisable. Regular change of towels is enough.
How often should someone who is sick change their towels? Does the type of infection matter?
- There are no recommendations in this regard. In general, however, it is said that people with an infection should change their towels more than once a week - ideally after using them three times. to hands. It is best to collect dirty towels from such a person separately before washing, andwash separately afterwards, do not mix with other household members' towels.
At what temperature to wash towels used by he althy people, and at what temperature when someone is sick at home?
- Towels are best always washed at 60 degrees Celsius, regardless of who they were used by. This temperature eliminates most bacteria, fungi and viruses, and at the same time does not lead to the rapid destruction of the fabric.
Is it worth using fabric disinfectants when washing towels? These types of liquids and sprays are now available in many supermarkets.
- Let's not go overboard, home is not a hospital or a hotel. At home, it is enough to change towels regularly and wash them at 60 degrees C with a dedicated detergent. Let us remember that microorganisms - bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa - are a component of our environment. Although we can see them, they are present almost everywhere, on objects, on our skin. We are unable - and even it would be harmful - to sterilize our living environment. The point is only to prevent excessive growth of those microorganisms that are problematic for us, i.e. pathogenic. Fortunately, most we come in contact with do not belong to this group.
And are the towels worth ironing for safety?
- Towels washed at 60 degrees Celsius should not be ironed, because the direct action of such a high temperature will destroy the fibers of the fabric and make it less pleasant to use and it will absorb water worse, so in fact - less will fulfill its primary role. Washing at 60 degrees C of towels changed at least once a week is a perfectly sufficient method of caring for their hygiene at home.
And how often should we change the linen?
- At least once every two weeks, ideally once a week. We should remember that we spend a large part of our lives in bed, on average one third. Apart from dead epidermis, sweat, secretions and sebum, i.e. sebum, remain in the bedding. The point is therefore not to accumulate pollutants and microorganisms in the bed, which may become problematic in excess. It is facilitated by going to bed without prior bathing. In addition to changing the bed linen, it is important to shake the duvet well after bedtime and to ventilate the bedroom.
Should people who sleep naked change their sheets more often than those who sleep in their pajamas?
- If we sleep naked, which is what a lot of people like, it is best to change bedding more often - some people think that even after 3-4 days, but this is forimpossible for most people. So it is enough to do it once a week. Assuming we go to bed after our evening bath, of course.
What effect on he alth can be caused by changing bed linen too rarely?
- Long-term unchanged bedding is an excellent environment for the growth of bacteria, fungi, mites and the presence of allergens, e.g. mite faeces. Apart from washing it, it is important to shake it well and air it out every day, but these activities are not interchangeable. The secretions and dead epidermis that we leave in the bedding are conducive to the further existence and development of microorganisms. Such an environment is not favorable for allergy sufferers and asthmatics, it increases the risk of developing mycosis and eczema.
What about pet owners who sleep in the same bed with their pets?
- Bedding should be changed more often if dogs and cats live in the house, especially if we let them sleep in our bed. Once a week is enough.
Does the water temperature or the type of detergent used matter when washing the bedding?
- First, let's check what temperature is recommended for the bedding material. In most cases, it will be possible to wash it in 60 degrees C. However, do not worry if the recommended temperature is 40 degrees C, as is the case with, for example, flannel bedding, because this temperature will also remove a significant amount of microorganisms. You can always iron the bedding after washing and dispose of it in this way.
And can bed linen and towels be washed together with underwear or with heavily soiled clothes?
- No. It is best to wash all these items separately: bed linen, towels, underwear, outerwear, clothes that are particularly soiled, e.g. with vomit or faeces.
Piotr Rzymski - Polish medical and environmental biologist, dr hab. medical sciences, popularizer of scienceMedical and environmental biologist, co-author of over 150 scientific publications, academic lecturer, science promoter, science journalist. Scholarship holder of the Foundation for Polish Science and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, expert of the EU Research Executive Agency, ambassador of the international scientific network Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), member of the Program Council of the "Science Against Pandemic" initiative