How Often Should You Wash Your Towels? I Bacteria Tested Mine!

Summary

In this video, the creator tests bacterial growth on bath towels to determine how often they should be washed. Following a request from viewers, the experiment involves washing a towel, drying it, then using it daily for a week while swabbing it for bacteria each morning. Results show that towels used only for showering can go up to 9 days before bacterial growth becomes significant, while towels used for multiple purposes in a bathroom accumulate bacteria much faster. The video also touches on the importance of changing hand towels regularly and discusses real-world challenges during the testing process.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video tests how often bath towels should be washed by examining bacterial growth after multiple uses.
• 😀 Two viewers, Miranda Ryan and Mixelina, suggested the idea of testing bacteria on bath towels used once versus multiple times.
• 😀 The control test involved washing a bath towel with Tide Pods and Lysol Laundry Sanitizer, drying it on high heat, then swabbing it to check for bacteria.
• 😀 After using the towel once (post-shower), the bacterial growth on the towel remained minimal or absent for the first few days.
• 😀 By day 9, significant bacterial growth was observed on the towel, with dozens of colonies showing up in multiple sections.
• 😀 The testing spanned 11 days, with bacterial growth gradually increasing over time, especially in the towel sections that were used more frequently.
• 😀 The experiment also tested family members' towels after a week of use without knowing they were part of the test. These towels showed significant bacterial growth.
• 😀 Hand towels in a high-traffic bathroom, left for three to four days without replacement, showed substantial bacterial growth, highlighting the need for frequent changes.
• 😀 The experiment's results emphasized the importance of drying towels thoroughly and using them only for the intended purpose (post-shower) to minimize bacterial growth.
• 😀 The creator explained how life challenges, such as family medical issues, impacted their ability to complete the full experiment and continue testing.
• 😀 The creator expressed their desire to continue testing and accepted suggestions from viewers for future experiments while balancing family responsibilities.

Q & A

Why did the creator choose to test bacterial growth on bath towels?

The creator was responding to viewer requests to understand how often bath towels should be washed and how bacterial growth varies depending on towel usage. The idea came from viewer suggestions that sought to compare bacterial growth on towels used once versus multiple times.

What was the control setup for the bacteria testing on bath towels?

The control setup involved washing the towel normally with Tide Pods and Lysol Laundry Sanitizer, then drying it on high heat for one hour. Afterward, the towel was swabbed for bacteria testing immediately after washing and drying to check for any bacterial presence before it was used.

How did the towel testing method work over the course of the experiment?

The creator swabbed the towel each morning after using it the previous night for a shower. The towel was used only for drying off after the shower, and tests were conducted every day for up to 11 days, tracking bacterial growth in different sections of the towel.

What were the findings for bacterial growth on the towel after the first day of use?

After the first day of use, there was no bacterial growth observed on the towel. Both the sections swabbed showed no bacterial colonies, indicating that a towel used once after being washed properly doesn't harbor significant bacteria immediately.

When did bacterial growth start to appear on the test towel?

Bacterial growth began to appear around day 3 of use. One section showed three tiny bacterial colonies, while other sections had no growth. This marked the start of noticeable bacteria accumulation on the towel.

What was the most significant observation from day 9 of the towel testing?

On day 9, bacterial growth became quite pronounced, with several sections of the towel showing bacterial colonies ranging from a dozen to over 20 colonies. This marked the point where the towel had substantial bacterial growth after almost a week and a half of use.

How did the bacterial growth on family members' towels compare to the test towel?

The family members' towels, which were used without any control or specific washing regimen, showed much more bacterial growth after just one week of use. These towels had significant bacterial colonies due to more varied uses, such as wiping faces, hands, and mouths.

Why did the creator choose to test hand towels as well?

The creator was curious about the rapid bacterial buildup on hand towels, particularly since they tend to stay moist longer and are used frequently. The goal was to compare the bacterial growth on hand towels after 1-4 days of use in a high-traffic bathroom setting.

What were the findings from the hand towel experiment?

The hand towels accumulated bacteria quickly, with substantial growth observed after just 3 days of use. Day 4 showed even more bacterial growth, highlighting the need for frequent changes of hand towels, ideally every 2-3 days.

What conclusions can be drawn from the towel bacteria test?

The key takeaway is that bath towels can generally last around 9 days before significant bacterial growth occurs if only used after showers. Family towels or those used in multiple contexts accumulate bacteria faster. Hand towels should be changed frequently, at least every 2-3 days, to avoid excessive bacterial buildup.