You may have seen the signs in hotel rooms urging guests not to reuse towels. But do hotels reuse towels? And if they do, why would they ask guests not to do the same? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at 10 reasons why hotels might not want guests to reuse towels – and how many times a hotel can reuse a towel before it becomes less hygienic.
We asked the top ten hotels listed on here to find out their perspective on the reuse of towels and we found out a few noteworthy things!
Do Hotels Reuse Towels?
The answer is complicated and it really depends on the hotel. Some do and some don’t but the majority of them do have a system in place where they launder them after each use. There are a few reasons for this including;
Towels can have a musty smell if they are not washed often enough.
Your towel may have been used by someone who is sick and you don’t want to risk getting their illness.
Washing towels after each use ensures that they are clean and fresh for the next guest but there is a limit of how many times hotels can reuse towels and this timeframe differs from hotel to hotel.
How Many Times Do Hotels Reuse Towels?
The number of times a hotel can reuse towels before they need to be washed again varies. Some hotels claim that they can launder them up to 50 times before they start to break down. However, the more prestigious the hotel, the number is closer to 15-20 uses before the towel’s fabric starts to degrade and it becomes less absorbent and are replaced.
So, while hotels do reuse towels, there are limits to how often they can do so before the towel becomes less effective and needs to be replaced. And remember, if you have any doubts about the cleanliness of your towel, you can always request a new one from the front desk!
Why Do Hotels Ask Guests Not To Reuse The Same Towel?
While some hotels do reuse towels, there are a few reasons why they might not want guests to do the same. Here are a few of those reasons:
Towels can become musty if they are not washed often enough.
If a towel is used more than once, it may not be as clean as you would like it to be, the longer a towel is used, the more chance for bacteria growth to develop and once this begins, washing towels effectively may be compromised.
So, while hotels do reuse towels, there are some good reasons why they might not want guests to do the same.
Remember: If you have any doubts about the cleanliness of your towel, you can always request a new one from the front desk!
Top 5 Reasons Why Hotels Reuse Towels
Here are a few reasons why hotels need to reuse towels.
Expenses
Washing and drying towels costs money in terms of water, electricity, and laundry detergent.
Water shortages
In some areas of the world, there is a limited supply of water. This is especially true during periods of drought. Hotels may choose to reuse towels in order to conserve water.
Environmental concerns
Laundry operations can generate a significant amount of pollution (from the release of chemicals and dyes into waterways). Reusing towels helps reduce this pollution.
Reduce wear and tear on towels
Frequent washing can cause wear and tear on towels, making them less absorbent and less durable over time. By reusing towels, hotels can help extend their lifespan.
Workload
Washing and drying towels takes time. If a hotel is short-staffed, it may not have the capacity to wash towels as often as necessary. Reusing towels helps alleviate this issue.
Hotels have to do their part to save the environment and one way they do this is by reducing the amount of water used. One load of laundry takes up a lot of water and it’s more efficient for the hotel to reuse towels a few times before laundering them.
How Often Do Hotels Throw Out Old Towels And Buy New Ones?
As mentioned above in this artlcle, the number of times a hotel can reuse towels before they need to be washed again varies. Some hotels claim that they can launder them up to 50 times before they start to break down. However, the more prestigious the hotel, the number is closer to 15-20 uses before the towel’s fabric starts to degrade and it becomes less absorbent and needs to be replaced.
So, while hotels do reuse towels, there are limits as to how often they do so in order not to sacrifice cleanliness or risk having guests use a musty-smelling towel. If you have any doubts about your towel, don’t hesitate to ask for a new one at the front desk!
How Do Hotels Keep Towels So Fresh?
There are a few tricks hotels do to their towels to keep them looking and feeling brand new.
Many hotels use a lot of bleach when laundering their towels which is quite common. This helps to keep them white and looking new.
They also have in house high-powered laundry machines that gets the towels clean and dry in a shorter amount of time than your home washing machine.
Hotels also wash their towels at a higher temperature than most home machines which also helps to kill any bacteria that might be present.
So, now you know the answer to do hotels reuse towels? And, you also know some of the reasons why they do it and why they sometimes ask guests not to do the same.
Conclusion
While some people might feel icky about using a towel that’s been used by someone else, the truth is that hotels have to do their part to save the environment. Reusing towels is one way they do this.
It is common-practice for hotels to reuse towels, so do hotels reuse towels? the definitive answer is YES!