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Jenny
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| Posted: April 02 2008 at 3:58pm | IP Logged
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My bath towels are starting to wear thin. What's the bath towel situation at your home? How do you manage them? Different color per person? How many per person? Do you use them once and then wash or use them a couple of times?
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Jenny
Chris' wife and momma of 7. My blog: The Littlest Way--Bible Journaling, Inspiring Bible Quotes, Daily Affirmations, Prayer Journaling & photography
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Tina P.
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We have a different color for each of the kids (we're running out of colors  ). We started this routine when I couldn't make anyone responsible for leaving his or her towel on the bathroom floor. Believe me, it helps to know whose towel is a certain color.
Each of the kids has a few towels in the same color. We usually buy cheaper style for the kids, since they tend to get discolored or misused more. If they don't last long, that's OK, we just replace them. I made the mistake of buying SETS of towels for my kids when I got the color-coded idea. Now we have oodles of hand towels that are like brand new. I guess it's live and learn. 
And I've learned that, at least where we live, to use a towel more than once without washing it is not a good idea. They smell rotten and if you use a rotten towel on your skin, your skin takes on the smell. I stood in awe of my grandmother who washed towels immediately after the first use. I don't remember my mom ever doing that for us. But she must have, because nor do i remember the rotten smells coming off of towels. Now I understand why. We do much teh same with dish cloths and towels.
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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Donna Marie
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I just made a bulk purchase at Marshalls (same as Home Goods or TJ Max) I got thick and thirsty towels (one per person). They are all the same color and we wash them every day too. (with a 3yo in the house it is safer that way...LOL) We stagger the baths so that they bathe every other day (some have sensitive skin and more often is too drying) unless they are very dirty. Mom and Dad shower every day.
I have assigned my 12yo ds to be "Master of the Laundry" for the month of April. His job is to do the towels either first thing or last thing in each day (whatever is needed) and the perk for doing this is that someone ELSE is keeping an eye on Mt Washmore and keeping us in good supply! The other great thing is that it prevents wet towel dumping and the general ick that can ensue when mommy gets too overloaded!
God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 7dc + one bellybean due 10/08!
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Finding Elegant Simplicity
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Erin
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| Posted: April 03 2008 at 3:02am | IP Logged
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We have different colours for each person, two towels each and I wash once per week (we are on tank water).
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PDyer
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Two towels for each person, kids' towels washed once a week (many times they shower at the pool, and I"m not counting those towels), adult towels washed once or twice a week.
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Patty
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marihalojen
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We bought dark blue towels (Navy! ) for Christmas, but I chose the darker shade as it should dry faster in the sun down here. It has been so humid lately the towels aren't drying if they are left hanging from a single hook, they have to be stretched along the life lines in the sun or they do smell rank, Tina.
We wash once a week and our laundry area only has cold water hooked up since Hurricane Wilma (Hello! How long can we continue to use that '05 storm as an excuse??? Just fix things already.  ) so I've been spending the extra $$ for Cold Water Tide, don't know if it makes any difference really though...
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Tina P.
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| Posted: April 03 2008 at 10:58am | IP Logged
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I've started trying to put baking soda in with our detergent (having heard about it on another thread as opposed to using bleach). I don't know whether that's a good thing for a front-loader.  I'll update when I find either that I've broken our washer  or that it works or doesn't work.
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Lauri B
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I buy only white towels (and sheets) so they can be bleached or borax or whatever bleach alternative you prefer. White bath towels, hand towels, wash cloths as well as white tea towels and white kitchen cloths. It makes things much easier for me and the towels always "match" any bathroom! :)
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melanie
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We do the color coded thing...it's been a great thing! And I wash towels once a week, I've never noticed a smell at all! I think maybe such things depend on what kind of water you have, how much chlorine and such is in it...I've heard people with well water say that their laundry tends to smell "off" when it is wet at all pretty quickly, I guess because there's not all that chlorine and such in the water?
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Tina P.
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| Posted: April 17 2008 at 7:01pm | IP Logged
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Tina P. wrote:
| I've started trying to put baking soda in with our detergent (having heard about it on another thread as opposed to using bleach). I don't know whether that's a good thing for a front-loader. I'll update when I find either that I've broken our washer or that it works or doesn't work. |
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Well, the washer didn't break, though I have to be careful not to use too much baking soda. It collects in the dispenser thingie if I put too much in. A teaspoon or two does the trick. Our towels seem fresher, longer. I've used mine for two or even three days before I wash them.
Good luck!
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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anniemm
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After our basement flooded and we used all of our wedding registry towels to clean up the swamp...we had to buy more. Unfortunatly, we were also in a financial pinch, so we only purchased four. There are four of us, plus baby who has her own baby towels since she has sensitive skin. Add to that that my dryer broke about 3 weeks ago - and I am not washing towels all too often! I wash with Tide original and hang them to dry in this super dry Colorado weather and they smell so sweet and stay fresh.
We also only use white towels. I'm a fan of neutrals, however, I really see the wisdom in children having their own colors... Once my kids are old enough I might think about that!
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Andrea
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teachingmom
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Just an idea for personalizing your all white towels, Andrea: I took my children's towels and used my sewing machine to sort of monogram each dd's initial on her towel. That way I could stay with our two colors of towels, but label them for more than two different children.
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Erin
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| Posted: April 21 2008 at 1:17am | IP Logged
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Tina P. wrote:
Tina P. wrote:
| I've started trying to put baking soda in with our detergent (having heard about it on another thread as opposed to using bleach). I don't know whether that's a good thing for a front-loader. I'll update when I find either that I've broken our washer or that it works or doesn't work. |
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Well, the washer didn't break, though I have to be careful not to use too much baking soda. It collects in the dispenser thingie if I put too much in. A teaspoon or two does the trick. Our towels seem fresher, longer. I've used mine for two or even three days before I wash them.
Good luck! |
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I used to use bi-carb soda for washing as well as a host of many other cleaning issues. I only really stopped because I was spilling it on my hands and my hands deteriorated. Bi-carb soda is amazing!
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Erin
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Jenny
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We have been using the color coded towel system for almost 3 weeks so far...I LOVE IT!!!! My laundry has decreased, no more wet towels on their bedroom floors, and I can tell (or a brother or sister can tell ) at a glance whose towel is missing, very helpful.
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Jenny
Chris' wife and momma of 7. My blog: The Littlest Way--Bible Journaling, Inspiring Bible Quotes, Daily Affirmations, Prayer Journaling & photography
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Kimberely
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I wash towels weekly. I use Charlie's soap since we all have allergies to dyes & perfumes. Charlie's soap is great, I don't even use bleach anymore! As for stinky towels, I add white vinegar to the wash for stinky's. It's cheap & works great! By the way, Charlie's soap is all natural etc etc 8.99 for 80 loads, but I buy it on sale for 6.99 lol
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helene
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I picked up a great tip here on the boards a year ago or so. I didn't know WHERE to put all these towels!!! My bathroom and house are small. The ladies suggested a row of hooks. I told my husband and he lovingly crafted a beautiful row of hooks on a lovely piece of stained oak and presented me with it on Mothers' Day. I just love them! We put them on the wall opposite the shower so it can be easily reached from the tub. The boys have solid colors, the girls have stripes, and they get washed weekly (I think). Anyway I couldn't be happier with the system and am grateful to everyone who responded to my plea.
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teachingmom
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helene wrote:
| I picked up a great tip here on the boards a year ago or so. I didn't know WHERE to put all these towels!!! My bathroom and house are small. The ladies suggested a row of hooks. |
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I must have seen that same info, Helene, because I've had it in the back of my mind for awhile now to switch to a single row of hooks. Then just yesterday I noticed one of the circular advertisements in the newspaper had something perfect on sale for a very good price. It has 6 hooks - perfect for my gang! Now to just remember which store it was and to get there this week. 
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ALmom
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Irene:
We also have monogrammed towels. Each child has their own name on their towel and they reuse it. My husband and I also have our name on ours. My sis did this for me because she wanted to practice using her new monogramming machine! Yipee!!! Hooks or racks in the bathroom where they can hang out to dry are real timesavers.
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helene
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Irene, you will never reget it! Home Depot also had some very handsome pre-made hooks and they were not very expensive.
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Jenny
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| Posted: April 21 2008 at 7:28pm | IP Logged
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I bought my hooks at Target. It has 6, perfect for our children.
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Jenny
Chris' wife and momma of 7. My blog: The Littlest Way--Bible Journaling, Inspiring Bible Quotes, Daily Affirmations, Prayer Journaling & photography
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Topic: Bath Towel Question
