As a new parent, you want to make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your baby clean, healthy, and happy. An important part of your baby’s hygiene routine is bathing and properly drying them off afterwards. This raises the question – how often should you change out your baby’s towels? Keep reading for tips on creating a bath and towel changing schedule that will suit your baby’s needs.
Why It’s Important to Change Baby Towels Frequently
There are a few key reasons why it’s recommended to change baby towels often:
- Prevent mildew and bacteria buildup – Wet towels left sitting provide an ideal environment for mildew, mold, and bacteria to grow. Using a fresh, clean towel helps stop the spread of germs.
- Absorbency – Over time, towels become less absorbent as the fibers get overloaded with soap, residue, and moisture. A fresh towel will be more effective at soaking up all the drips after bath time.
- Comfort – Stiff, scratchy towels are uncomfortable against delicate newborn skin. Rotating towels helps ensure they stay soft and gentle.
- Odor control – Wet towels left balled up get stinky quickly. Regular changing keeps your nursery from taking on a sour smell.
By swapping out towels frequently, you remove the damp environment bacteria relies on to grow. This helps maintain basic hygiene and prevent the spread of germs that could make your baby sick.
How Often Should You Change Baby Bath Towels?
There is no single rule for how often to change out baby towels. Here are some general guidelines to follow:
After Every Use
Ideally, you should use a fresh, clean towel every time you bathe your baby. However, this may not always be practical if you bathe your baby daily or multiple times a day. Having enough towels on hand for this routine can become costly and lead to a lot of laundry.
Every 2-3 Uses
A good middle ground is changing baby towels every 2-3 uses. Alternate between 2-3 towels in your baby’s regular rotation. Using each a couple of times allows them to completely dry out between uses. It also helps reduce your laundry load while still ensuring your baby has a fresh, clean towel each bath.
Daily
At a minimum, you should use a new towel for your baby every day. Having enough towels to cycle through a daily changing routine is affordable and keeps their towels sanitary. You may choose to use separate morning and evening towels if you bathe your baby twice a day.
Other Factors to Consider
While the above guidelines provide a helpful foundation, you may need to adjust your towel changing schedule based on other factors:
Your Baby’s Skin Sensitivity
Babies with eczema, dry skin, or skin sensitivities may need their towels changed more often. The residue, soap, and moisture left behind on towels from previous baths could irritate sensitive skin. Frequent changing is gentler.
How Often Your Baby Spits Up
Babies who regularly spit up after eating may need their bath towel changed every time. Towels with acidic spit up residue could lead to skin irritation when reused.
Bath Frequency
If your baby only bathes a couple times a week, you can likely reuse their bath towel once or twice between washes. More frequent bathing means you should change towels more often as well.
Using Towels for Other Purposes
If you use your baby’s towels for anything other than bathing such as drying hands and faces, cleaning up spills, or as burp cloths, you’ll need to launder them more frequently. Try to designate some towels for these other uses so you can optimize bath towel reuse.
Your Laundering Routine
If towel changing fits conveniently into your existing laundry routine, you may opt for more frequent changing. For example, changing daily if you do a load of baby laundry every day anyway. Adjust towel changing based on what works with your schedule.
Tips for Managing Multiple Baby Towels
Once you settle on a towel changing schedule, here are some tips for managing the routine:
Have Plenty of Towels
Buy multiple towels so you always have a fresh one handy. For a daily changing routine, aim for at least 5-7 bath towels so you have enough to rotate through the week between loads of laundry.
Use Different Colors or Patterns
Having towels in different colors, patterns, or with distinct labels helps differentiate which towels are clean and which are dirty. It also makes it easy to remember when a towel was last used or washed.
Designate a “Bath Towel Only” Bin
Place a bin or hamper in your bathroom labeled for used bath towels only. Toss them directly in after use so they are ready to be washed.
Dry Towels Thoroughly Between Uses
Ensure towels are able to dry out completely before using them again. Hang on a towel rack or rod. Don’t ball up wet towels in a hamper where they’ll stay damp.
Store Extra Towels Properly
Keep spare towels in an aired out closet or shelf. Storing damp towels can lead to mildew or bacteria growth even on towels not currently in use.
Laundering Baby Towels Properly
Washing and drying is just as important as changing frequency when it comes to keeping your baby’s towels sanitary. Follow these laundry tips:
- Wash towels separately from other laundry using hot water and a fragrance-free detergent. This prevents residue transfer and ensures towels get fully cleaned.
- Disinfect towels by adding bleach according to product instructions. Vinegar can also help remove soap residue and bacteria.
- Dry towels completely using the highest heat drying setting appropriate for the fabric. Don’t let damp towels sit in the machine once the cycle ends.
- Avoid using fabric softeners and dryer sheets. The chemicals can be irritating for baby’s delicate skin.
Consider Bamboo and Organic Towels
When shopping for your baby’s towels, bamboo and organic cotton options are ideal choices:
Bamboo Towels
- Naturally antibacterial and antifungal properties.
- Hypoallergenic and gentle for sensitive skin.
- Extremely soft and absorbent.
- Eco-friendly and sustainable material.
Organic Cotton Towels
- Free of harsh chemicals used in traditional cotton growing.
- Durable, soft, and absorbent.
- Ideal for babies with skin sensitivities.
- More sustainable farming methods used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you use the same baby bath towel all week?
No, it’s best to change out your baby’s bath towels more frequently – ideally every 1-3 uses. Using the same damp towel all week increases the risk of bacteria growth.
How many baby bath towels do you need?
Plan to have at least 5-7 bath towels on hand so you can rotate through them between loads of laundry. More may be needed if your baby spits up often or has sensitive skin.
Can baby use regular bath towels?
Yes, but baby towels are recommended. They are smaller for a better fit, have softer fabrics, and hoods to gently dry baby’s head.
Should you wash baby towels before first use?
Yes, wash new towels first. Towels may have manufacturing residue or chemicals that can irritate baby’s skin. Washing them first helps make them soft and removes any irritants.
Should you wash towels separately?
It’s best to wash baby’s towels separately using a gentle, fragrance-free detergent and hot water to fully remove residue and germs.
The Bottom Line
Changing your baby’s towels frequently is an important and often overlooked aspect of their hygiene routine. While guidelines vary, a good rule of thumb is changing towels every 1-3 uses or at least daily. Buy multiple towels so you always have a fresh one ready. And don’t neglect proper laundering – wash baby towels separately using hot water, fragrance-free detergent, and bleach or vinegar when possible. With the right changing and washing routine, you can keep your baby’s bath time sanitary and their skin healthy.