Learned how often and correctly to wash towels and bed linens 05:59

Towels are considered personal hygiene products. This means that each family member should have their own set of towels, ideally consisting of five pieces for the face, hands, feet, whole body and intimate areas. Gemotest Laboratory specialist doctor Roman Ivanov told socialbites.ca about this.

“They should be washed as often: a towel for the body – every 3-4 days, for arms and legs – every 2 days, for the face – daily, for intimate areas – after each use. At the same time, you must understand that towels absorb not only dust and dirt that a person brings from the street, but also particles of dead skin, sweat and bacteria,” explained the doctor.

A humid environment is an ideal incubator for bacteria to multiply. If the towel is not dried well enough after use, dangerous microbes such as E. coli, staphylococcus, streptococcus and salmonella may develop in it. All of them can cause infectious diseases. Towels should be machine washed at 90°C. For washing, it is better to choose liquid products in gel or capsule form. Powder washes the fabric no worse, but it is more difficult to wash from the pile and may remain on the towel in the form of white grains.

After washing, towels should be dried thoroughly and preferably ironed. You cannot put wet towels in the closet: even if a small amount of bacteria remains on them, microorganisms will quickly regain their numbers in a dark and damp environment.

“In summer and off-season, it is recommended to wash linens once a week. You’ll probably have to do this more often on hot summer days. In winter, when the dust content in the air decreases and the temperature is not too “pleasant” for the growth of bacteria, you can remake the bed every two weeks. If you have skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis or psoriasis, or if a pet sleeps in your bed, you will need to wash your clothes several times a week. The same rule applies if you have a cold,” explained Roman Ivanov.

The washing mode depends on the fabric from which the bed linen is made.

“When choosing a laundry detergent, it is useful to examine the composition of the product. Synthetic powders and gels often contain surfactants (surfactants), phosphates, chlorine, fragrances and phthalates. All these components allow you to soften tap water, create foam and effectively remove stains. However, some of them can settle on the skin and respiratory tract and be irritating or cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, such drugs should be used with caution by people prone to atopy.

Phosphate-free products contain fewer active ingredients. The concentration of surfactants in them is lower and there is no chlorine and phosphate at all. Such powders and gels wash things well, usually do not cause allergies and do not irritate the skin. There are also organic products; they are made from natural ingredients such as soda, soap oils, vegetable oils and extracts,” concluded the expert.

Previously hotel workers in Anapa stolen We opened a business with 2300 sets of bed linen.