If you keep your towels in the bathroom, you’ve probably come across an unexpectedly damp towel before. Unfortunately, bathrooms usually have a warm, humid environment that doesn’t encourage quick drying and can even cause clean towels in a cabinet to smell musty.
To help manage this, here are eight ways to keep towels dry and fresh in the bathroom.
Hang Towels Properly
A damp towel should never be left in a heap on the floor, draped over the side of the tub, or neatly double-folded over a towel bar.
Before you hang your used hand or bath towel to dry, give it a good shake to separate wrinkles in the fabric for increased air flow across the surface.
If possible, hang the towel in a single layer over a towel rod, shower rod, or spread it over a couple of hooks to reduce the number of folds; this will allow the material to dry more quickly.
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Lay on a Drying Rack or Clothesline
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If you have floor space in the bathroom, an inexpensive free-standing folding clothes drying rack is a great way to hang multiple towels.
There are also over-the-door towel racks with multiple rods, and wall mounted models that fold down when in use but collapse to save room when empty. You can also add a temporary clothesline over the tub that attaches with suction cups that can be rewound or removed when not in use.
Increase Ventilation
After your shower, open the bathroom window and turn on the fan to allow moisture to escape from the room. Leaving the bathroom door open or adding a circulating fan will help towels dry more quickly.
Use the Bathroom Fan
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During or after your shower, turn on the bathroom vent fan to help remove moisture from the room. Allow it to run for at least 15 to 30 minutes while you dress.
Invest in a Towel Warming Rack
A heated towel warming rack will provide the luxury of a warm towel when you step out of your bath and help your used damp towel dry more quickly. The appliance can be wall-mounted or free-standing.
Use Microfiber Towels
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Synthetic microfiber towels are quite absorbent and dry more quickly than cotton terrycloth towels. Microfiber is lighter-weight than cotton fibers so it dries more quickly. If damp towels are a constant issue, switching to microfiber may solve the problem.
Add a Dehumidifier
If you live in an area with high humidity throughout the year and the bathroom is windowless, adding a dehumidifier will help towels dry more quickly and help prevent mold growth in the bathroom. The dehumidifier draws moisture from the air and traps it in a water reservoir. Be sure to empty the reservoir regularly to prevent the growth of mildew spores.
Ventilate Storage Cabinets
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If your linen closet is in the bathroom or you use a bathroom cabinet for towel storage, be sure there is good air circulation around freshly washed towels. Add louvered doors, small ventilation holes, or leave the cabinet door ajar so moisture is not trapped inside.
After doing laundry, be sure the clean towels are completely dry before folding and storing in the bathroom.
