One of the luxuries of staying in a hotel used to be getting fresh linen and towels every day – and on call. But as we’ve become increasingly aware about our impact on the environment and our carbon footprint, this is no longer the case.
These days, you get a little sign that quietly encourages you to think of the future, and your grandchildren’s children’s future, and consider conserving water and energy by using your towel more than once.
Look, it’s not very luxurious, but it is just as most people would do at home – except for one mother.
Posting on the parenting forum Mumsnet, in a thread called “To wash bath towels after every use“, the woman asked the group if her habit of washing the entire family’s towels every day was “normal”.
“Is this normal?” she asked, adding, “I’m constantly washing towels.”
As it turns out, very few people found the mum’s habit “normal”.
“You are being very, very unreasonable,” one person wrote, suggesting the mother find a way to separate and identify her family’s towels so they can be dried and reused.
“Towel rail, banister on the landing, radiator,” he added.
Another person observed, “If you use them after washing they shouldn’t be dirty as such, so definitely no need to wash daily.”
Many people in the group noted that the mother was washing towels that have only been used to dry clean bodies.
“I’m clean when I use my towel, fresh out the shower,” said one. “Once a week is enough. Hand/tea towels are a different matter though!”