Why Does My Gym Towel Smell?
Featured photo: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels
Photo: Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels
You washed it, you used it once, and now your gym towel smells a bit off. It's one of the most common towel questions, and the good news is it's rarely about you. The usual culprits are dampness and time.
Here's why it happens, the everyday habits that make it worse, and what to do instead.
Why gym towels start to smell
A towel that stays wet gives microbes a good place to grow. Australian health site myDr puts it simply: "Wet towels are a breeding ground for bacteria and moulds." It adds that you may not see the mould, but "this can lead to an unpleasant smell" (myDr).
Time makes it worse. As Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Dr Alok Vij explains, "The longer the towel stays damp, the longer the yeasts, bacteria, molds and viruses remain alive and stay active" (Cleveland Clinic).
A gym towel has a harder life than a bath towel. It soaks up sweat, then often goes straight into a closed bag. That's why it can turn faster.
The habits that cause it
Leaving it in your gym bag
This is the big one. A sweaty towel zipped into a bag for the drive home, or forgotten until the next day, stays damp for hours. Cleveland Clinic's advice is: "If you shower at the gym and your damp bath towel sits in your bag or locker for hours afterward, use a clean one daily."
Consumer Reports adds that "Wet, bunched-up towels sitting on the floor, in a laundry basket, or left too long in the machine after washing create the perfect warm, moist environment for mildew smells to intensify" (Consumer Reports).
Leaving it in the washing machine
It's easy to start a load and forget about it. But a clean towel sitting wet in the drum can end up smelling worse than it did going in. Consumer Reports says "Towels left in the washer can develop a musty, mildewy smell." myDr says it's important "not to leave towels in the washing machine after the cycle has finished."
Hanging it bunched on a hook
A towel folded over a hook dries slowly in the middle. Cleveland Clinic suggests you "hang your wet towel spread out on a towel bar (rather than from a hook) so it can dry thoroughly between uses."
How to keep your gym towel fresher
None of this takes much effort. It's mostly about getting the towel dry and washing it often.
Wash it after each session. Our guide on how to wash a gym towel covers how often and how.
Hang it spread out to dry. Take it out of your bag as soon as you're home and open it right out on a rail, airer or line.
Rotate two towels. With two on the go, one can dry properly and be washed while the other comes to the gym. That way you're never reaching for one that's still damp.
For anything else about washing your towel, follow the care label.
Caring for the VIVID towel
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.
The hooded gym towel is made from 300gsm microfibre terry loops. If you're comparing fabrics, see microfibre vs cotton gym towels. And if you're wondering whether you need a towel at all, read do you need a towel at the gym.
FAQ
Why does my gym towel smell even after washing?
Usually because it stayed damp somewhere along the way. Leaving it in the machine after the cycle, in your bag, or bunched up on the floor all give it time to pick up a musty smell. Get it out and hang it up promptly.
How do I stop my gym towel smelling in my bag?
Take it out as soon as you get home and hang it spread out to dry. Then wash it after each session. Cleveland Clinic suggests using a clean one daily if your damp towel sits in a bag or locker for hours.
How do I wash the VIVID towel?
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.
Two towels, one routine
Having two towels makes the habits above easy. You can pick up a 2-pack or 3-pack on the towel page. The 2-pack comes with a $5 gift card and the 3-pack with a $10 gift card (gift cards expire after 3 months). The 3-pack also ships free in Australia. Or browse all our gym towels.
Every order comes with our 30-day money-back guarantee. AU shipping is $9, or free over $100, and delivery takes 5 to 13 business days.