The laundry room showdown
Do They Need Separate Loads?
Kitchen and bath towels can carry different types of dirt. Kitchen towels may have food, grease, and bacteria, while bath towels mainly collect moisture, body oils, and dead skin.
When to Separate Them
You don’t need separate loads every time. Both can usually be washed together with enough detergent, a warm or hot cycle, and thorough drying.
However, kitchen towels that touched raw poultry, pork, or beef should be washed separately to reduce the risk of spreading harmful bacteria.
Heavily greasy towels should also be separated because grease can transfer to other fabrics.
Don’t Overload
Towels need enough space for water and detergent to circulate. An overloaded machine may not clean them properly.
The Bottom Line
“No.” Kitchen and bath towels do not always need separate loads. But separating towels exposed to raw meat or heavy grease is the safer choice and can help keep your laundry cleaner.
