Do You Need a Towel at the Gym? A Simple Guide to Gym Hygiene
Yes, you do. A towel is basic gym etiquette and one of the simplest hygiene habits there is. Many gyms ask members to bring a towel, and the people training after you will be glad you did. New to the gym? Our checklist of what to bring to the gym the first time covers the rest of your bag.
It doesn't need to be complicated. Put something between your skin and the equipment, wipe down what you've used, and wash your towel afterwards. Below is why it matters and how to pick a towel that does the job properly.
Why a towel matters on shared equipment
A bench in a busy gym gets used by a lot of people in a day. Each person leaves a little of their sweat and skin behind, and the next person lies down on it.
Researchers who studied gym surfaces in the US found that equipment people touch with their skin, like benches and free weights, changes all day as different people use it. In their words, these surfaces "take on the fingerprint of the humans with which they come in contact" (Wood et al., Microbiome, 2015).
A 2019 US study in BMC Infectious Diseases swabbed 288 commonly touched surfaces across 16 fitness facilities in Northeast Ohio. It found Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium that many healthy people carry, on 38.2% of them (Dalman et al., BMC Infectious Diseases, 2019).
That isn't a reason to worry. It's just a reason to be sensible. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's MRSA prevention advice lists "benches, gym equipment" among the "Surfaces that contact people's bare skin" that should be cleaned. The same advice recommends a simple personal habit: "Use barriers, like a towel or clothing, between your skin and shared surfaces." (CDC, Preventing MRSA).
Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels
Gym towel etiquette: the simple rules
Cover the bench or pad before you sit or lie down
Lay your towel down first, then sit. On a bench, cover where your back, shoulders and head go. On a seated machine, cover the seat and back pad.
Wipe down equipment after use
Your towel is a barrier for you. It doesn't clean the bench for the next person. Use the spray and wipes your gym provides and wipe down what you've used, the way your gym asks.
Use your own towel and don't share it
Bring your own and keep it to yourself. The CDC's MRSA prevention advice says to "Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, washcloths and razors." (CDC, Preventing MRSA).
Keep your towel and gear off the floor
The gym floor is where everyone's shoes go. Hang your towel up between sets if you can, and keep your phone and keys off the ground too.
Why a hand towel isn't enough
Most people start with a small hand towel. It covers part of the bench, usually the middle, and it slides around as soon as you move. Mine slipped off the bench every set, which is how VIVID started. By the end of a session the towel is often on the floor and your shoulders are on the vinyl.
A full-length towel fixes the coverage problem. At 140 x 55cm, it keeps your skin off the vinyl from head to hips. If sliding is the bigger issue, we've written a guide on how to stop your gym towel sliding off the bench.
What to look for in a gym hygiene towel
Length comes first. It should cover the bench, not just the middle of it. A hood helps too, because it hooks over the bench top or headrest and holds the towel in place while you train.
Fabric matters. Our full-length hooded gym towel is 300gsm microfibre terry loops, a thick fabric that soaks up sweat rather than letting it sit on top. There's more on that in microfibre vs cotton gym towels. It also has a zip pocket, so your phone and keys stay with you instead of on the floor.
If you move between machines, there's a built-in magnet strap for $10 extra per towel. It lets you hang the towel on the frame between sets. It grips magnetic steel, which covers most racks, frames and cable stacks. It won't hold on aluminium, plastic or some stainless steel. No steel within reach? Loop the strap over a rail. We cover it in more detail in are magnetic gym towels worth it.
Washing your gym towel
Wash your towel after each session. A towel that's been under you for an hour has done its job, and it should go in the wash, not back in your bag for next time.
Machine wash it like a normal towel. If it has the magnet strap, put it in a wash bag first. It air-dries in about 2 to 3 hours.
If you train most days, take two. One in your gym bag, one in the wash, so you've always got a fresh one ready.
Photo: Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels
FAQ
Do you need a towel at the gym?
Yes. Many gyms ask members to bring a towel. The CDC's MRSA prevention advice also recommends that you "Use barriers, like a towel or clothing, between your skin and shared surfaces."
Do gyms provide towels?
Some do and some don't, and policies vary from gym to gym. If yours doesn't, or you'd rather use your own, bring a towel that's long enough to cover the bench. It's worth checking with your gym.
Is it OK to share a gym towel?
No. The CDC's MRSA prevention advice says to "Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, washcloths and razors."
Does a towel replace wiping down equipment?
No. Use a towel for yourself, and still wipe down equipment with the gym's own spray and wipes after you've used it.
How big should a gym towel be?
Long enough to cover the bench. Ours is 140 x 55cm, with a hood that holds it in place.
Make the bench yours
If you cover the bench, wipe down what you've used and wash your towel after each session, you've got the basics covered. If you'd like a towel built for it, you can browse all colours of ours.
It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, even if you've used the towel. The refund is paid once the towel is returned to us. Shipping within Australia is $9, or free over $100 or with the 3-pack, and delivery takes 5 to 13 business days.