Named a special danger of washing towels once a year

Millions of people risk skin infections and other health problems

Men who wash their towels just once a year are at risk. Millions of people could be at risk of skin infections and other health problems due to poor towel hygiene, experts warn.

Most of us wash our towels about once a week, writes the British edition of the Daily Mail. After all, the bathroom should be a sanctuary of cleanliness.

However, it appears that almost one in ten Brits only wash their towels twice a year.

This astonishing figure, continues the Daily Mail, gets even worse when only men are taken into account. Surveys have shown that they are five times more likely than women to wash their towels just once a year (or even less).

The results were presented in a survey for bathroom shower suppliers. The study found that millions of households across the UK could be at risk of skin infections and other health problems due to poor towel hygiene.

A survey of 2,200 UK residents found that almost one in 10 respondents only wash their towels twice a year. Five percent of men admitted to washing them just once a year, compared to 1 percent of women.

Data showed that 67% of people wash their towels based on visual cleanliness, followed by smell (61 %) and «number of uses» (58%).

The study found that 11% of respondents were not at all concerned about bacteria or hygiene issues, despite NHS advice that towels can spread germs if not washed frequently.

Showers to You founder Martin Smith said: «In theory, the bathroom should be one of the cleanest rooms in the home, however our research shows that many people may be ignoring a key step in ensuring proper bathroom hygiene.»

Martin Smith stressed that the data revealed that the majority of respondents washed their towels regularly, but added: «Everyone should ensure they maintain a regular routine as recommended by health professionals.»

Dermatologist Dr Hamdan Hamed added: «Towels trap moisture, creating an environment conducive to the growth of bacteria and fungi.Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus can lead to skin infections, while fungi such as Candida yeast can cause problems such as athlete's foot or yeast infections. It is recommended to wash towels after every three to four uses to remove bacteria, dirt, dead skin cells and allergens.'