A health expert, Dr. Chinonso Egemba, has warned against leaving towels to dry in the bathroom after cleaning the body, noting that it can lead to the growth of harmful organisms like fungi and bacteria.
The medical practitioner, popularly known as ‘Aproko Doctor ‘on social media, said the appropriate place to dry a towel is where it can be directly hit by sun rays.
In a post on his Instagram page @aproko_doctor, Egemba explained that using a towel that is not properly dried can be harmful to the skin, and can cause skin irritations.
He said, “When you finish taking your bath, take the bath towel, go outside and hang it. That extra two minutes you spend will not make you go late to the office and will also help save your skin, because skincare does not start from buying skincare products, it starts from making sure your towel is dry and clean.”
According to Time, an online publication on it health page, towels are great bacteria traps because every time they are used, natural skin bacteria, and any other germs on the body are transferred to their surface.
“But towels offer the perfect environment for bacteria and other microorganisms to grow because they’re often damp, warm and absorbent, and they hang in dark bathrooms.
“Because your hands can transfer microbes to your towels from whatever they touch, the bathroom is an especially threatening place for a towel to spend most of its time.
An Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Emily Martin said, “Most of these germs won’t have any negative health effects because they’re coming from you. Our bodies are adapted to being able to live in this environment with all of these microbes around.”
Healthline, an online health portal noted that bath towels store different types of microorganisms that people might not welcome into their personal hygiene routine.
The health portal noted that damp towels gives room for breeding of unwanted germs.
It stated, “It’s easy to assume that because you’re clean when you dry off with a bath towel, your towel stays pretty clean even after a few uses. But bath towels host a variety of microorganisms that you might not welcome into your hygiene routine.
“Towels absorb a lot of water and remain damp for hours and it is the perfect breeding ground for unwanted germs. That’s why towels should be washed every three uses.
“You have 19 million skin cells and 650 sweat glands in every inch of your body and one powerful tool keeps it all clean day after day – your bath towel.
“Dead cells make up the top 20 layers of your skin. Some of these cells scrub off in the shower, but many of them will end up on your bath towel every day.”
“The best way to prevent germs from growing on your bath towel is to let it dry completely between each use, and wash it frequently. The consequences of using a dirty towel include irritated skin and possibly spreading infections. The bacteria that causes staph infections is known to spread on towels and linens.
“The best way to prevent germs from growing on your bath towel is to let it dry completely between each use, and wash it frequently.
The Cleaning Institute recommends washing bath towels after three uses. If you shower every day, that means laundry almost twice a week. Regular laundry is sufficient to clean towels and remove any germs that are starting to accumulate.
“Washcloths that you use to lather and scrub in the shower should air-dry and be washed after every use.”
Source: HealthWise
