How many towels should a good housewife have?

The aesthetics of the house and the art of housekeeping are known not by hearsay to any woman – each of us strives for her house to be not only beautiful, but also rationally organized, convenient for its residents. At first glance, simple questions – how many towels do you need to have in the house? What kind of towels should you buy? – can cause difficulties for young, inexperienced housewives, and therefore today we will deal with these issues thoroughly.

What kind of towels do I need to have in the house? Making a list

A towel is a universal thing, in every home there should be enough of them. As you know, towels in their large group are divided into subgroups:

• Towels for showers, saunas, baths, baths – these are very large terry towels, approximately 100×150 cm, 70×140 cm, made of cotton thread, with good absorbency. Narrower towels are convenient to use after a bath or shower, wider ones – in baths and saunas.
• Beach towels – large thin terry or velor towels of medium size 100×180 cm, which are used for laying on sun loungers or sand. Beach towels are not recommended to be used as bath towels, they are less wear-resistant and practical, have bright colors on the surface.
• Terry sheets – 150×200 cm, 150×250 cm, 160×200 cm, 175×200 cm, 175×250 cm, they can be used after a bath, sauna, during a massage session, as well as shelter on hot days instead of a blanket.
• Towels for face, hands, feet – terry or thick fabric, very soft towels with an average size of 50×100 cm, 40×80 cm, 30×50 cm. These towels must be individual for each family member (a hand towel can be shared).
• Foot towel, bath mat – Terry towel measuring 50×70 cm, sometimes rubberized on one side, from slipping on wet tiles.
• Toilet napkins – small towels – 30×30 cm, 30×50 cm, very soft, used as towels for intimate hygiene, the same towels can be used for wiping hands in the kitchen.
• Kitchen towels – linen, cotton linen towels, very soft and light, are “waffle”. These towels are universal – they are used for drying hands, the same – for wiping dishes, for vegetables and fruits, covering dishes.
• Baby towels – soft terry towels 34×76 cm in size, with bright colors or applications.

Read also: 10 great tips to tidy up your life

How many towels should each housewife have in the house

A towel is one thing that never happens. We will try to determine how many towels you need to have at least in a family of three (parents and a child) – and each hostess will determine the maximum number of towels based on her needs.

• Bath towels – 6 pcs.
• Face towels – 6 pcs.
• Hand towels – 4 pcs.
• Foot towels – 6 pcs.
• Towels for intimate hygiene – 6 pcs.
• Medium towels for guests – 2-3 pcs.
• Kitchen towels – 6-7 pcs.
• Cloth or terry kitchen napkins – 6-7 pcs.
• Beach towels – 3 pcs.
• Terry sheets – 3 pcs.

We calculated this number of towels, taking into account the need to change, wash towels – 2 changes for each person.

Read also: How to descale your kettle: 3 simple and effective ways

How often should towels be changed

Nowadays, no sane person would use one towel for all needs, and even for the whole family. A good housewife always sets the washing mode for the family’s towels herself – and indeed, this thing should be washed – the more often the better (by the way, all towels after washing must be ironed with a hot iron, for greater disinfection; very fluffy bath towels are good to iron and disinfect through the iron – steamer). Here are the norms for changing different types of towels in the house:

• Face towels – change every other day.
• Towel for intimate hygiene – change daily.
• Foot towel – after 2-3 days.
• Hand towel – change every 1-2 days.
• Bath towels – change every 2-3 days.
• Kitchen towels for hands, dishes – daily change.
• Kitchen napkins – change daily.

Useful advice: in order to reduce the amount of washing, wise housewives are increasingly using disposable paper towels, which are very convenient and hygienic for wiping their hands in the kitchen, after washing their face, for intimate hygiene.

Factors to Consider When Buying Towels

Here we present the most useful tips that housewives may need when buying high-quality and comfortable towels.

1. A good towel is made from cotton thread or linen, cotton linen. Today you can find towels made of microfiber – they are soft, absorb moisture well, very beautiful and light, but not as durable as towels made from natural materials. Cotton fiber from Egypt has received worldwide recognition – towels made from it are the best.
2. Do not buy towels made from mixed fabrics containing up to 50% synthetic fibers. Such towels are very pleasant to the touch, beautiful and bright, keep their shape well, lightweight, dry quickly. But when wiping, they poorly absorb moisture, “creak” on the body, leaving unpleasant sensations. In addition, these poor quality towels can be very shedding.
3. If you buy towels for travel, stop your choice not on terry towels, but on waffle towels. These towels are much lighter and smaller in volume, but they wipe off moisture very well, moreover, they are easy to wash.
4. The quality of terry towels (terry sheets and terry robes) is assessed by their density. Towels with a density below 320g per m2 do not absorb as much moisture as they gather with a higher density, they become wet faster, lose their shape, fade, wear out. If you buy towels for a bath or shower, bath or sauna, choose samples with a density of at least 470g per m2. Thicker towels are even more durable, but more difficult to wash and dry.
5. The pile of terry towels (as well as terry dressing gowns) can also vary in height. Too short a nap of a towel, from 3.5 mm, makes this product quite tough over time, it wears out faster. A very long pile of a terry towel – from 7-8 mm and more, tangles the hair, stretches out in loops, clings to everything, accordingly – they quickly lose their fluffy beautiful appearance. The most optimal terry towel pile length is from 4 mm to 5 mm.
6. For use in the kitchen, it is better to buy not terry, but waffle or linen towels – they are easier to wash and dry faster, they are easy to iron, they retain their appearance longer, absorb moisture well, wipe the dishes without leaving lint on it.
7. When buying, carefully look at the product labeling. If it says “100% cotton (M)”, then this is a product with the inclusion of synthetic fibers in cotton. If the marking indicates (PC) – the product includes polyestercotton man-made fiber.
8. When buying, carefully inspect the product – it should be evenly colored, and on both sides, have a silky surface. Pay attention to the smell of the product – it is normal, a high-quality towel should not smell of chemicals.
9. After running your hand over the surface of the product, look at your palm to see if it is stained with the dyes that make up the towel. If the seller permits, it is best to draw a white napkin on the surface of the towel – the poor-quality color will be “evident” immediately.
10. If you see soybean fiber (“SPF”, soybean protein fiber) in the towel, then you can safely purchase this product. This fiber was developed in South Korea and contains a substance obtained from the processing of proteins from soybeans. This fiber dries faster than cotton, it absorbs moisture much better. Soy fiber products cannot be confused with any others – they are very soft, pleasant to the touch, similar to cashmere or silk. It is necessary to wash such products at a temperature not higher than 60 degrees, and then they do not lose their shape and their wonderful properties for a very long time. Soy fiber is an agent that prevents skin inflammation and skin aging.
11. Currently, terry products are popular, which contain special fibers – lyocell (Lenzing Lyocell Micro). This fiber is made from eucalyptus wood, it absorbs moisture better, much faster than cotton, dries up, does not acquire any odors, does not “absorb” dust particles. Towels with lyocell fiber are very soft to the touch, reminiscent of silk fabric. Such towels are washed at a temperature not exceeding 60 ° C.