If you a Martha Stewart in the making, or simply serious about homemaking here are 10 essential types of towels every home needs. Whatever your reason for learning, knowing how to properly stock your home with the right types of towels is essential to running a spick and span household. You may think “a towel is a towel,” but true masters of home care know there are a variety of towel types and uses for each type. If you're ready to up your home-management skills, learn the uses of these 10 essential towel types every home needs.
1. Hair Towel
Hair towels are great for drying hair quickly without having to drape a giant bath towel over your head. They come in multiple sizes to suit different hair lengths.
Hair towels also dry faster themselves so they stay fresh longer and need fewer washes in between uses. This cotton hair towel and others like it exemplify the ideal hair towel.
2. Finger Towel
You may have seen finger towels in a high-end hotel or restaurant. Only the truly classy home-owners understand the value of a nice set of finger towels. Finger towels are among the smallest towels you can own next to wash cloths. They usually come in sizes somewhere between 11” and 18”. Finger towels are used for delicate drying.
For example, say you had to wet your fingertips to tame a piece of wild hair, a finger towel is the perfect amenity for ultra-quick drying. You may also see certain kinds of finger towels draped over a washing dish. They are hung on top of a hand towel and often used for decoration. Many finger towels come with embroidery or initials to add personalization to your decor.
3. Face Towel
Face towels are meant for drying your face after washing. Having designated face towels can help protect sensitive skin from exposure to particles that could clog pores or irritate it.
Think about it, when you use the same towel to dry your recently washed hair and then wipe your face, you could be rubbing residue from hair products, soaps, and more onto your face.
4. Bath Towel
Bath towels are large enough to wrap around your entire body, drying you off and wrapping you in warmth after a shower or bath.
Bath towels are the largest type of towel, next to beach towels. Usually made of cotton, they tend to be thicker and softer than a beach towel.
They are intended for drying and warming bodies and because of the water content they can absorb, may take longer to dry than smaller towels.
5. Wash Cloth
Wash cloths are often used for scrubbing and cleaning. They are sometimes interchangeable with household rags. Next to finger towels, wash cloths are the smallest towels.
Wash cloths are usually used for wiping counters, cleaning spills, and drying your car among other tasks. Depending on the quality of your wash cloth or how new it is, you can use it for jobs like dusting and window cleaning.
6. Hand Towel
Hand towels are essential for bathrooms and guest bathrooms. These are the smaller towels that hang from the rack above sinks and next to mirrors. They are used for cleaning and drying hands.
Hand towels are of a nicer, thicker material than a kitchen towel as they are meant less for utility and more for luxurious drying.
7. Kitchen Towel
Kitchen towels are those handy little towels you see hanging from oven doors and stove tops. They are helpful for pulling things from the oven, resting pots upon, and wiping counters.
Kitchen towels are sometimes decorative. They can often be purchased with embroidered designs to suit the holiday or kitchen theme of your choice.
You may need to replace kitchen towels more often than other types of towels as they are used for a variety of purposes on a daily basis.
8. Beach Towel
Beach towels or “swim” towels are typically longer and more tightly woven than the average bath towel. This is because they are used as seats for sandy beaches as well as a means of drying off swimmers.
Beach towels come in a variety of materials, colors and patterns. Typically, beach towels won't fit as well in the standard bath towel rack so trying to smash them into one will look sloppy.
9. Gym Towel
If only because you don't want to get weird stares in the gym for bringing a fluffy pink finger towel to work out, you need a gym towel.
Gym towels can either be long bath towels that you've purchased to use in the gym shower, or smaller, longer, hand towels used to wipe sweat.
Indoor cyclists and aerobics fanatics find gym towels especially useful for wicking away sweat during the middle of a heavy workout.
10. Pet Towel
This is a towel you don't want to mistake for a bath towel. Especially when stocking your guest room.
If you have dogs, cats, or any kind of pet at home, you need to have a specific set of pet towels. No matter how many wash cycles a towel has been through, no one wants to discover they've just dried their hair or face with the same towel old Bruno was washed in last week…
Not only that, but pet towels work well for cleaning pet accidents that may occur around the house. When pet accidents catch you off guard, you'll be happy you've already designated a towel for the pets so you don't ruin a more costly bath or hand towel.
Various Types of Towels: Choosing Right For You
With all the different types of towels there are, it can seem overwhelming to know how many you really need to purchase. At the end of the day, if your household budget allows for it, each type of towel serves a useful purpose in effective house-keeping.
One rule of thumb is to own at least two full sets of towels for each individual living in a home. This way, even on laundry day, there's always a complete set available for use.