Give New Life To Old Towels With These Bathroom Hacks

Are you tired of looking at that sad little pile of old towels in the bottom of your linen closet? You know, the ones you've had for years but don't really know what to do with. You've long since gotten new towels that match your updated bathroom decor, but those old ones just kind of ... sit there. You may wonder how many bath towels one home could possibly need, but before you start bagging them up, try repurposing them. There are many ways to use them around the house, and you can even reuse old towels in the garden. Check out these creative ways to give old towels new life — without ever leaving the bathroom. 

As it turns out, upcycling towels is not only good for clearing space in your linen closet but pretty fantastic for the environment, too. A significant amount of municipal solid waste comes from textiles. Over one million tons of those textiles are towels, sheets, and pillowcases, all of which end up in the landfill each year. But why toss out old towels when there are so many ways to repurpose them? From cleaning rags and mop cloths, to makeup pads and bath mats, there's plenty of reasons to keep discarded towels out of the trash.

If you have a dry/wet mop that uses disposable pads, you know how much waste they create every time you use them. A more eco-friendly and cash-saving way to clean your floors is by making your own reusable mop cloth from an old towel. Cut an 11-by-12-inch rectangle from a towel, fold the edges a ¼-inch, then sew a seam all the way around. Attach your reusable pad to the mop by pushing the edges into the corner grooves, or use a snap or elastic fastener. Now you can feel good about mopping the bathroom floor. 

An incredibly easy way to reuse old towels is to cut them into smaller squares and use them as cleaning rags. They are super gentle and absorbent, making cleaning a breeze. They're also way more durable than paper towels, as well as less wasteful. Keep a basket of them under the bathroom sink to use for quick wipe downs of the countertop or shower and, of course, for those more thorough cleanings. While you don't have to sew the edges, it does help them last longer and keep them from fraying too much.

Drawer liners are such a great way to protect your bathroom cabinets and the contents of the drawers. These towel liners will absorb spills from makeup or toiletry items and make drawers easy to clean, as you can simply pull out the cloth and toss it in the laundry. To make your own liner with a towel, simply measure the inside of the drawer and cut the towel to size. Optionally, you can sew the edges for a more finished look. Once it's ready, simply lay it in the drawer and place your bathroom essentials on top.

If you have one too many bath towels laying around, an easy way to repurpose them is to cut them into washcloths. Measure the size you'd like and cut them out. A standard wash cloth is 13-by-13 inches but the beauty in doing it yourself is that you can make them whatever size you'd like. You can sew the edges with colorful ribbon or fabric to make them more unique and even give them as gifts. 

Make a truly unique bath mat with only two or three old towels. Pick a few with colors that match your bathroom. Cut them length-wise into 4-inch strips. Place three strips on top of each other, sewing their tops together. Braid them together and put a pin at the end of the braid to temporarily hold it. Repeat the process with the remaining strips, then sew them all together, making one long braid. For an even cushier bathmat, try making one from an old fleece blanket. 

Makeup remover pads are a great convenience to have on hand, but like other single-use items, they create a lot of waste. Fortunately, you can make your own reusable version out of old bathroom towels. Use a cup to trace a circle on the towel, then cut it out (stack a few on top of each other if your towels have gotten thin). Then stitch around the outside and you're all set. Use, wash, repeat.

Making your own bath mitt is a great way to elevate your wash cloth game. Start by cutting a 31-by-21-centimeter square from your old bath towel (you can make it larger or smaller, whatever works for you). Fold it in half and cut one end in a rounded shape like the contour of a mitten. Sew the seam along the contoured edge, all the way down the long side, keeping the opposite end open. Flip the mitt inside out and sew a seam around the open ends or use edging tape to finish the mitt.

For a spa experience in your own bathroom, slippers are a must. Making yourself a pair out of an old bath towel is surprisingly easy. Use a pair of sandals to trace an outline on the towel for the perfect fit. Then cut out two half circles, measuring about half the length of the sandals. This is going to be sewn onto the bottoms to create the top part of the slipper. If you want them to be extra soft, cut multiple layers of towel together or add batting material to the layers.

Hair wraps, aka towel turbans, are great for drying your hair without the weight of a full-size towel hanging off your head. And you can easily make your own from an old towel. Start by folding the towel in half and cut one 21-inch line (add inches for longer hair). Then draw a half circle from one end to the other, making one end more narrow. Sew the curved side together, then flip inside out. Sew the seams of the long side, then attach a button to one end and an elastic loop to the other.

Have trouble holding onto the bar of soap in the shower? You need a soap holder, and of course, you can make your own. Cut a 4-by-10-inch strip from an old towel and fold it into thirds (like you would a letter) with the 4-inch side at the top and bottom. Sew straight down both sides and then turn it inside out. You now have a pocketed soap holder. Optionally, you can sew on a piece of extra towel fabric or elastic in a loop so you can hang it up.