How often should I wash my washcloth?

The whole point of using a washcloth is to cleanse your face or body. But if you take the spreading power of bacteria for granted, that seemingly harmless little towel could potentially introduce new germs into your system.

Consider this: Nothing is ever completely germ-free, even a fresh towel that has just come from the dryer. So naturally a used washcloth that is left to air each day gives bacteria and other microbes more of a chance to grow and spread. And each time you use a cloth to wash your face, dead skin cells get caught in it, providing even more food for the bacteria that gather in the towel. Laundering your washcloth regularly may not kill every germ it contains, but it will lessen the overall amount of bacteria and decrease your chances of catching an illness [source: National Institutes of Health].

You should never share your washcloth with other people, including members of your family, since this can spread disease-causing bacteria and infections, including staph infection [source: Mayo Clinic: MRSA]. Staphylococcus bacteria, the germs that cause staph infections, result in minor irritation on the surface of the skin or serious illness if they get under the skin. People who already have a medical condition are especially vulnerable to serious staph infections [source: Mayo Clinic: Staph]. If you suspect that you've developed an infection, you should consult your physician immediately.

Similarly, all personal items, especially washcloths, can be instrumental in spreading pinkeye, a condition that's also known as conjunctivitis. This disease is easy to transmit from person to person, and anything that has contact with the eye area can easily transport bacteria from one person to another [source: WebMD]. If your family often gets towels and washcloths confused, consider using a color-coded system to distinguish which towel is whose [source: Mann].

Bacteria may not be the only thing growing on your unwashed towel; mold could be there, too. Read on to find out more about the potential effects of mold.

Along with the bacteria that can make itself at home on your washcloth, mold is a likely and problematic invader. Many people have allergies to mold, and it can be difficult to control once it gets a foothold in your home. If you live near an ocean or in a damp climate, you may be more likely to develop mold in your home than if you live in drier environments. But regardless of geography, the bathroom is always a potential hot spot for mold and mildew growth, given the regularly high moisture content of the air in that space [source: Bode].

Mold and mildew, a variety of mold, both fall into the fungus category. Fungi reproduce with the help of tiny particles called spores, which can be dangerous to humans when inhaled. Mold spores trapped in your lungs can cause serious allergic reactions, and many people may experience reactions to skin contact with the spores, such as redness and itching [source: Bode].

Switching your used towel and washcloth with a clean one every few days can help prevent transmitting mold to your skin, but you need to be careful about what you do with your used, damp towels, too. Mold can thrive in wet washcloths and other fabrics left to dry on the counter or floor, in the hamper or laundry basket and even in the washing machine. If you must leave a washcloth to dry in the bathroom, hang it over a bar so air flows around it, speeding the drying process. Otherwise, cycle it through the washing and drying process quickly, rather than letting damp items sit [sources: Bode, Cotton Incorporated, National Institutes of Health].

You should try to keep towels and bathmats as dry as possible to prevent mold from forming. To learn more about how to clean towels to prevent the growth of mold or bacteria, continue to the next page.

Washcloths used on the face are especially important to keep clean. Touching your eyes, nose or mouth with a dirty washcloth is an easy way to introduce bacteria and spread infection. To prevent the spread of bacteria, you should machine wash your washcloths every three to four days -- or more often, if you prefer. As for what cleaning agent you should use -- chlorine bleach may be most effective at killing germs, but it can also cause your towels to deteriorate. Regular detergent or non-chlorine bleach should suffice [sources: [url='http://www.marthastewart.com/269266/washing-bath-towels[/url'], National Institutes of Health].

To keep your washcloths and towels in useable condition for a longer period of time, avoid washing them in very hot water or drying them at the highest temperature, as this can cause excessive amounts of wear and shrinkage. You should remove towels from the dryer when they are nearly dry; they should not be wet to the touch, but they shouldn't be crisp, either, as this means that they've been dried for too long [source: Cotton Incorporated].

Practicing proper hygiene with your towels can be more difficult than it appears, but is essential for maintaining clean and healthy skin. For more information, follow the links on the next page.