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New towels......

(38 Posts)
Katek Sun 01-Feb-15 09:55:22

I was in Debenhams yesterday spending my Xmas gift vouchers and noticed that there were some good discounts on towels. I didn't buy any as my inner voice said I didn't need any, but it got me thinking. How often do you replace towels? They don't tend to wear out and unless they fade you use them for years. It seems wasteful to chuck them out just because I fancy a new bath sheet!!

rosequartz Sun 01-Feb-15 10:12:30

There is nothing wrong with most of the towels I have, they are still nice and thick and not thin or worn after about 3 years; however I hanker after some new ones in a different colour.
I did buy some from Debenhams sale a couple of years ago, they had been expensive but were half price. However they have worn quite thin.
They were not the Egyptian cotton ones though.

rosequartz Sun 01-Feb-15 10:15:04

I see they have Christy towels, which I have and they have stayed nice and thick.

janeainsworth Sun 01-Feb-15 10:15:53

They do lose their fluffiness, especially if you have only white ones and wash them a lot.
You can salve your conscience by cutting the old ones up, sticking them in a bag in a cupboard somewhere, and then when your OH asks that tiresome question 'Got any old rag anywhere?' you can furnish one with a smile, like a properly organised 1950's housewife ;)

ninathenana Sun 01-Feb-15 10:16:00

I tend to change mine when I'm fed up with the bathroom colour scheme!

I'm not so anal that my bath sheets match. They get changed when they look tatty. I confess to having one that's at least 6 yrs old.

janeainsworth Sun 01-Feb-15 10:18:56

Yes I have some Christy ones, also White Company ones which are still nice and I've had them a lot longer than 3 years.

Mishap Sun 01-Feb-15 10:24:45

We get all white so the colour scheme issue does not arise. We use them till they die and then they become condensation sopping up towels.

I get very irritated by the dressing that is put in new towels so that you have to wash them first for them to be of any use - seems a bit pointless really.

rosequartz Sun 01-Feb-15 10:28:20

I wish you had all said that you changed them every year then I would have a justification for buying new ones! grin

I have some in the airing cupboard that come out when we have visitors that must be at least 10 years old (or more).

The local dogs' homes are always glad of old towels.

merlotgran Sun 01-Feb-15 10:29:58

Our towels have a life cycle. Once they become so worn they no longer fluff up with the help of a tumble dryer sheet, they are used for cleaning the dogs. When they are even more threadbare DH cuts them up for workshop rags or takes them fishing to wipe his yucky slimy hands on [bleugh emoticon]

I have towels that are twenty years old and still in use.

tanith Sun 01-Feb-15 11:24:59

I had all white till I saw the beautiful colours Dunelm had so I bought 3sets of them and consigned the perfectly good white ones to the back of the airing cupboard grin

ginny Sun 01-Feb-15 11:59:18

I still have towel that were wedding gifts 39 years ago. Very little wrong with them although we don't use them much now. tend to take them if we are swimming or at the beach. otherwise I would buy new if I changed the whole colour scheme or they were getting too thin. The ones we use I the bathroom at the moment are 5 years old.

loopylou Sun 01-Feb-15 12:01:12

Mine don't wear out fast enough grin, I saw some gorgeous lime green ones in Debenhams yesterday.....
Several years ago I bought black ones (never again!) and white thick bath sheets but those are so thick I fear they'll outlast me....

janerowena Sun 01-Feb-15 12:59:27

Most of mine are positively ancient. I dye them when I want a change of colour. They are all over 30 years old, and started out in cream and peach. The cream ones were dyed either light blue or denim blue or navy, the peach ones became shocking pink or red. I was given a lot of towels when I got married.

The hand towels of course become the first casualties, they are cut up into squares, have their edges bound and become flannels. My sisters laugh at me, but I still have a pile of over a dozen untouched in the airing cupboard and have never bought a flannel - and I use one every day. Once they start to wear out, they become kitchen cloths then floorcloths. The final grimy holey little rag then goes on the fire.

God but I'm tight! grin

Coolgran65 Sun 01-Feb-15 13:37:05

When thinking colour scheme for the bathroom I buy 5 matching for the towel rail and to rotate. All others that don't match are used for showers/baths and are kept in the hot press. Older ones in the hot press are for cleaning the bath etc.
Nice snowy white ones of various sizes are kept for guests and I usually set 3 towels on their bed.

Coolgran65 Sun 01-Feb-15 13:38:11

I do like a thinnish towel to dry properly around the ears. smile

rosequartz Sun 01-Feb-15 13:40:25

What is a hot press?
I don't iron my towels although I know someone who did.

I covet some lovely turquoise ones and matching bath mats.
I have so many towels though

rosequartz Sun 01-Feb-15 13:44:11

We like a bath sheet so I usually buy two bathsheets (1 each) and four hand towels so they can be changed more frequently.

Old hand towels get regulated to the utility room then out to the garage. Some of those must be 35 years old!
Large old ones go to the dogs' home.

hildajenniJ Sun 01-Feb-15 14:30:45

I only replace towels when they become threadbare and turn into cleaning cloths! We recently had some new towels from Aldi. DH bought them as they were on special offer, and I wish he hadn't. Maybe they just need more washing but they are thick and not terribly absorbent. He does all the shopping, I just wish he would consult me when buying household items.

merlotgran Sun 01-Feb-15 14:41:59

I think a hot press is another name for an airing cupboard.

Greyduster Sun 01-Feb-15 14:51:37

I think I am probably on my own in not liking thick fluffy towels. I keep the old thinning ones just for me. I like Christie towels, but when we had our en-suite redone last year I bought some new bathrobes and towels from Dunelm and very good they are too. They have a really good range of colours.

ninathenana Sun 01-Feb-15 15:07:12

loopylou I have lime green ones in the bathroom mine are good old Dunelm's though.
We have a white suite and the room is fully tiled in pale cream, I fancy bright red next time.

ninathenana Sun 01-Feb-15 15:10:30

Towels and accessories that is, not suite grin

kittylester Sun 01-Feb-15 15:16:34

DH dislikes anything but threadbare towels too - in fact his are collapsing!!

whenim64 Sun 01-Feb-15 15:36:49

I like fluffy handtowels but thin bathsheets. Got some nice ones from Ashica - they have no pile, but are made of a linen mix - very absorbent.

loopylou Sun 01-Feb-15 15:39:02

Will look at Dunelm and try to avoid 'Put in basket' button hmm.....