Damp in the bathroom and the textiles
Short answer: A bathroom without ventilation ruins towels faster than use does. Five minutes of airing after a bath changes more than anything else, and it costs nothing to make it a habit.
Why damp is the real problem
Many people think a towel wears out from use and washing. In reality it is often the damp that does the most harm. When the air in the bathroom is saturated with steam after a hot shower, the towel cannot release its water and stays damp well into the day.
What damp does to the fabric
Textiles that never dry completely get bacteria and mould in the fibres. That gives the sour smell that returns as soon as the towel gets wet again, however often you wash it. The smell is not a sign that you washed too little, but that the towel has not had enough air.
Five minutes of airing
Open the window or switch on the fan straight after the shower. Five to ten minutes of airing is often enough to push the damp air out and let dry air in. It is the easiest change you can make and needs no money or equipment, only a habit built into your morning routine.
Window or fan
If you have a window, it is usually the best solution because it replaces the air completely. A fan does the job if it is strong enough and runs long enough after the shower. Leave it on while you get dressed, and switch it off only when the mirror is clear and the air feels dry.
Spread the towels fully out
Even the best airing does not help if the towel hangs folded on a hook. Spread it over a rail so both sides meet air. It then dries much faster, and you can use it more times before washing. See our bamboo towels if you want to replace yours.
Wipe the water off the tiles
Water on tiles and glass evaporates and raises the humidity in the room. Remove it with a squeegee after the shower. It takes under a minute and means far less moisture for the towels to compete with. It is a small move many people overlook, yet it makes a noticeable difference.
If the room has no window
If your bathroom has no window, leave the door open after a bath so the damp can escape into the rest of the home. Also choose lighter towels that dry faster. A heavy towel in a closed room struggles to dry between two showers, however good it is, so weight is worth thinking about.
Other textiles in the room
It is not only the towels that suffer. Bath mats, robes and curtains fare the same if they never dry. Hang the robe up so it does not lie crumpled, and let the bath mat hang over the edge of the tub. Also see bamboo bedding and explore more textiles from Turiform.
Make it a habit
What works are the habits you actually keep. Set up a fixed routine: open the window, spread the towel out, wipe the tiles. Three actions that together take a few minutes but extend the life of your towels and keep the bathroom pleasant. After a week you do it without thinking.
Frequently asked questions
How long should you air the room
Five to ten minutes after every bath is enough. Open the window fully if you can so the air is replaced quickly. The longer the draught works, the more moisture escapes and the drier the towels become.
Does a dehumidifier help
Yes, in a room with no window it is the most effective solution. It removes moisture from the air instead of moving it around, and it can run while you are out of the room.
Can you rescue smelling towels
Wash at sixty degrees with a cup of vinegar in the softener drawer, then make sure they dry completely. Without better airing the smell often returns, so change the bathroom habits too.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
