Keep Your Bathroom Towels Fresh For Longer With A Trick That Hotels Love To Use

Do your bath towels develop the same off-putting musty odor, no matter what you do? Your cleaning routine or the towels themselves might not be to blame — the problem might be where you hang them between uses. You may have heard the rule about never storing towels in the bathroom, and the same advice applies to your bath towels between washes. You should be washing your bath towels at least once a week to prevent excess bacterial growth, but if your bathroom doesn't have great ventilation and tends to stay humid long after your shower, it's likely that leaving your towels in the bathroom to dry turns them into a breeding ground for bacteria. 

Hotels are no strangers to this issue and follow stringent rules not only to ensure a clean and enjoyable stay for their guests, but also to prevent the spread of harmful contaminants. According to a 2023 analysis in Scientific Reports, towels pose unique bacterial challenges distinct from other linens, like clothing or bedsheets, due to their fiber makeup and exposure to excess moisture. Damp towels allow for excess growth of yeasts, molds, and allergens and can allow the spread of fungal infections and viruses. So one hotel trick is to hang towels outside of a humid bathroom so they can dry completely between uses.

With proper cleaning and care, you can keep your bath towels fresher (and safe from contaminants) for longer. If you want to give your musty towels new life, give them a good laundering first — using bleach if it's safe for your towels — and make sure to avoid these common towel washing mistakes. Then, create a designated place outside the bathroom to dry towels between each use. You can hang hooks on the wall outside the bathroom door, or install a towel rack in every bedroom for each person to store their towels. Another idea is to invest in a freestanding towel warmer and store your towels on it in a well-ventilated laundry room or bedroom. This simple habit can keep harmful bacteria at bay, which will leave your towels feeling and smelling fresher.

Remember that the same rule applies to all your bathroom linens. If you are drying your towels in another space and still have a musty smell, your bath mat, hand towels, or even the shower curtain could be at fault. Do some investigating, and try switching out the linens in your bathroom to allow them to dry completely and see if that mitigates the smell. Of course, there are also other unexpected reasons why your house smells musty that could include more structurally related causes, like a dirty HVAC or leaky pipes.