A moist, used washcloth that is left to air dry each day creates an ideal environment for mold and bacteria to thrive. “Certain infections such as pink eye and staph infection can be spread through sharing washcloths,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin founder Dr. Joel Schlessinger.
It's a long-standing debate: Should you use a washcloth, loofah, or just your hands to clean your body? This is a matter of personal preference, but microorganisms can grow on washcloths and loofahs if the materials don't dry completely.
You should wash your towels and washcloths after every 3-5 uses, although some experts say your washcloth should only be used once before washing. When it comes to replacing your bath towels and washcloths, there's no hard and fast rule. You just need to pay attention to the absorbency and softness.
If you start with a single bacterium, you will have two bacteria after a couple of hours. Then, you'll have four bacteria in three hours and eight bacteria by four hours. After a full day, there could be 4,096 bacteria on your washcloth.
In fact, dermatologists recommend showering in water that's lukewarm or slightly warm. Do a quick rinse to wet your skin before applying any soap. Using a loofah, washcloth, or just your hands, apply bar soap or bodywash to your body. Start at your neck and shoulders, and work your way down the length of your body.
Scrubbing up with your hands is recommended. "It's best to just wash with our hands," suggests Erum Ilyas, MD, MBE, FAAD. "Loofahs have been well-documented reservoirs of bacteria. They have been shown to grow Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, and more.
Washcloths are much better than loofahs because loofahs are far more likely to carry germs. Personal hygiene is one of the most effective methods to avoid infectious diseases, bacterial infections, and even viral infections including COVID-19, colds, and flu.
Sponges can harbor more bacteria than dishcloths because they're thicker, dry more slowly and have lots of holes that can trap small food particles. Whether you use a cloth or a sponge, rinse it thoroughly under hot running water after each use and wring it well. Store it so that it dries quickly and remains dry.
Just fill a pot with water, bring it to a rolling boil, add the rags to the water, and keep them in the boiling water for about 15 minutes. This will kill off anything nasty that's living inside the towels.
The Cleaning Institute recommends washing bath towels after three uses. If you shower every day, that means laundry almost twice a week. Regular laundry is sufficient to clean towels and remove any germs that are starting to accumulate.
For starters, washcloths should only be used one time before being washed again. Full-sized body towels have some more leeway (since they don't become as wet) of about three or four uses. Towels should be hung to dry, and then placed in the washer. If this is not done, bacteria will thrive on the cloths.
That smell is caused by a buildup of body oils and soap, which may not be completely removed if you launder your washcloths in cold or warm water.
As a general rule, launder your bath towel (or swap in a clean one) at least once a week and your washcloth a couple times a week. Wash towels more frequently if you're sick to avoid reinfection.
Another very affordable alternative to a loofah or a washcloth is a body brush, made out of boar bristles. It is highly recommendable for gentle and abrasive skin.
The best results were found by soaking the sponges in a solution of one-quarter to one-half of a teaspoon of concentrated bleach per quart of warm water. Soak the sponge for one minute. Once done soaking, wring out and let it air dry.
Bacteria can survive regular detergent, according to Gerba, so use hot water and a product with activated oxygen bleach to thoroughly clean towels. You may be able to go slightly longer before washing if you're careful about keeping towels very dry, Whittier says.
For a bathtub, we recommend ¼ cup borax, ¼ cub washing soda, and ½ cup detergent. Stir to dissolve. Completely submerge your towels in the mixture and soak until the water has cooled, which usually takes four to five hours. Stir occasionally to help coax out all the buildup in the towels.
A washcloth is the best natural manual exfoliator, promoting smoother & healthier skin. Skin no longer feels flaky & rough as the excess dirt, oils & odour-causing bacteria will be lifted up & washed away properly with a washcloth. Eco-friendly tip - skip the bath gel scrubs that contain microbeads.
Your gut is home to most of the microbes in your body, but your skin, mouth, lungs, and genitalia also harbour diverse populations. And as research continues into body biomes, it should reveal answers about how these microorganisms are promoting health or even disease.
Sea sponge is an alternative to loofahs. Like loofahs, they don't have any dyes, preservatives, or chemicals inside. Sea sponge has some naturally occurring enzymes that kill bacteria. Sea sponge will still need to be cleaned regularly, dried after your shower, and replaced frequently.
Shower exfoliating cloths are the best way to hygienically exfoliate your body skin. In my opinion and professional experience, a non-porous, synthetic plastic sponge or cloth is the most effective way to exfoliate and a safer option than a loofah. It exfoliates and dries better.
The three areas, according to one doctor, you really only need to wash with soap are your armpits, groin and feet. The rest of your body is good with a simple rinse of water.
A washcloth is the smallest type of bath linen. Sometimes called a flannel or washrag, it's made of the same materials as bath towels and is designed to be absorbent, soft and quick-drying. What are washcloths used for? Adults often use them for skincare, and there are also washcloths for babies.
Using a clean, soft washcloth is effective for cleaning your face, but unless you use a new one every day, you should probably stick with using your hands to scrub, Dr. Green says. Also, ideally, you should change the towel you use to dry your face every couple of days to keep bacteria at bay, adds Dr. Gohara.