Where to Hang Wet Towels After Shower

Towel placement is often the last thing on our minds on a busy work day. 

Most of us are in a tearing hurry in the morning and may toss the towel on the bathroom floor, or leave it haphazardly in the laundry hamper, only to return to a mildewy bathroom and damp towels later.

But have you ever considered how the proper placement of a towel in your bathroom can leave it feeling clean and fresh? Not only that, but it can also ensure that your bathroom space is being used to its full potential while remaining neat and tidy. 

Let’s explore some ways to see how this can be achieved.

Wall-mounted Towel Rack or Bar

A towel rack or bar mounted on the wall is a popular and practical option for towel storage. You might have seen this in hotel bathrooms. A towel bar mounted on the wall can serve a dual purpose.

A towel rack/bar usually has several rungs, which are ideal for storing and stacking folded dry towels. The same bars can be used to spread out the wet towel after use, ensuring a quick dry time. Because it can be used to hang more than one towel, this is an especially good option for families who share a bathroom.

If you live alone or share the bathroom with just one more person, a single wall-mounted towel bar will suffice as well. 

Although wall mounting a towel bar may necessitate drilling screws into the bathroom wall, it is a worthwhile investment due to its functional value.

On the Shower Door

Despite its simplicity, this is a convenient and low-effort option that works well. The shower glass door provides an ideal surface for spreading out your wet towel after use. This also ensures that the towel is easily accessible the next time you bathe. 

Alternatively, you can drape your towel over the curtain rod in the shower area.

Back of the Bathroom Door

The back of the bathroom is commonly used to hang clothes or bathrobes, so why not make the most of it by including space for drying towels as well? This is another no-fuss option that, when used properly, saves space.

Instead of drilling a hole in the door, consider installing an over-the-door towel rack. An over-the-door rack eliminates the need for additional installation and provides multiple rungs for spreading out more than one towel. Moreover, if your shower area is right next to the door, this is an added convenience.

Standalone Towel Racks or Stands

These stands are usually freestanding towel racks with a robust base. They resemble a clothes rack and can be placed anywhere in your bathroom. Of course, this may seem like a viable option for larger bathrooms with more floor space, but it is excellent for storing wet towels in shared bathrooms.

Another advantage of these racks is that they can be carried outside the bathroom to other rooms—possibly near a light source—for effective and faster drying.

Ladder Rack 

A ladder rack has been considered a pretty cool trend for bathroom storage for quite some time now, and for good reason. A ladder rack not only improves the aesthetics of your bathroom but also serves a functional purpose. It has multiple rungs for neatly draping wet towels, and like racks, it can be placed anywhere against a wall without the hassle of installation.

A Tight Wall Hook

If your bathroom is small and you don’t have enough wall space for a full-fledged towel bar, a tightly placed wall hook might do the trick. The great thing about a wall hook is that it can be placed almost anywhere, even in the smallest of wall nooks. 

If you share a bathroom with someone else, you might want to consider a rod with multiple wall hooks. This is critical because piling a wet towel on top of an already wet towel is an open invitation for germs to fester. There is also the risk of cross-contamination.

The disadvantage of using a hook for towel storage is that the towel may easily slip off and land on the floor, which you wanted to avoid in the first place. Another consideration is that towels hung on a hook take longer to dry, thus defeating the purpose.

So, unless you are in a pinch for space or live alone, a towel hook is better used as a last resort. 

Wall Space Above the Toilet

The wall above the toilet is usually empty and makes for optimal use of available space. Placing your towel bar or rack fixture here not only saves space but also gives your bathroom an organized and tidy appearance.

However, recent research has called the placement of any important objects above or near the toilet into question. This is because, with each subsequent flushing, a plume of bacteria-laden aerosols is released up to six feet into the air, contaminating everything in its path.

This is not to say that this idea should be completely dismissed. This may still be a good option if your bathroom has an exhaust fan or if you make sure the lid is closed before flushing.

Placing a Wet Towel the Correct Way

Now that we’ve identified the options for towel storage, let’s look at why and how to properly place a wet towel.

The bathroom is a moist environment where bacteria thrive. A damp towel clumped on the floor or towel stand invites bacteria and mold, which will most likely cause your towel to smell when you use it again. 

This musty odor may also permeate your bathroom, causing discomfort. It may also significantly reduce the shelf life of your towel. To avoid these problems, it’s best to straighten out a towel and let it air dry. 

Spreading it out on a towel bar means that the towel covers a larger surface area which increases airflow, removing any residual moisture and keeping mildew at bay.

Final Thoughts

While drying a wet towel, there are many factors to consider, but convenience and hygiene should be at the top of your list. You also need to consider the amount of space available in your bathroom and then select the most feasible option that makes the best use of that space. Remember that good towel hygiene and proper wet towel storage go a long way toward ensuring that you return to delightfully dry, fluffy towels, and a tidy bathroom!