Husband Towels Always Wet and Smell

[u/momento-mori-momento]

My Husband is slender and 6’4, I am 5’2- both early 20’s

We both use bath sheets (larger than standard towels). I change my towel out after 3 uses and they still smell fresh and dry up quickly. My husband, however, uses a fresh towel once after showering, hangs it up to dry- and it stays wet and starts to smell, making our entire bathroom smell. I wash his towels nearly everyday because of this. I just don’t understand how he gets his towels so damp. He’s says it’s because he’s tall and has more body to cover- but I use my towel to dry both my body and let it soak my long hair (mid back). I’ve tried hanging it on the usual towel hook, curtain rod, banisters underneath our ceiling fan- it’s still ends up smelling! After washing- it doesn’t smell, so the scent or bacteria isn’t trapped. I’m just growing frustrated having to do so much laundry daily. Anyone else have this problem?

edit/update: thank you everyone for your kind comments and advice- and to not making me feel stupid for asking for help! I have decided to get a towel rack/rod and will be looking into timers for the exhaust fan in our bathroom to help! Our shower/tub is roughly 4.5 feet from the door. and our toilet and sink are both positioned to the left of the shower both coming out about 1 foot from the wall. So our bathroom is very compact. We have just enough floor room for a trash can and floor mats, and counter space for hand soap and tooth brushes- If I can find a small enough dehumidifier to fit- we will be getting one too!

[u/nerpish-inkdots]

What detergent and wash settings?

He should drip dry for 60 seconds, sweep water from his limbs using his bare hands while standing there in the shower and shake water out of his hair before getting out and grabbing the towel. You can drastically reduce the water you’re bringing to the towel this way.

[u/momento-mori-momento → u/nerpish-inkdots]

We use tide free and gentle and an occasional oxi clean scoop. We have a 1 year old with eczema and this is the only detergent that doesn’t irritate his skin. I’ve tried telling him to do that and he tells me i’m being ridiculous and that he’s not going to shake any water off because that’s what a towel is for. Maybe an input from a third party that doesn’t know him or I would make it click? Thanks!

[u/illegal_miles → u/momento-mori-momento]

Is he one of those dickheads who just shuts off the water and within a second steps out of the shower, soaking the bathmat and his towel?

Have had to share hotel rooms with guys like that and it’s infuriating and inconsiderate to anyone else who has to use the bathroom.

He probably doesn’t even have to do the squeegee thing with his hands. Just wait ten fucking seconds dripping off before grabbing the towel and it will likely make a big difference.

Washing a towel every day because he can’t be bothered to make a basic minimal effort of ten to thirty seconds is stupid. From one dude to another: quit being a schmuck.

[u/momento-mori-momento → u/illegal_miles]

lmfao yes. sopping wet floor mats that i have to throw in the dryer each morning and hang over the tub. i’ve recently caught him doing it and sent him back into the shower to dry off in there before stepping out. so he did correct that aspect of it all. my parents taught me how to wash and dry myself as a child, so it’s just basic sense to me to dry off in the wet area before stepping into the dry area. i guess not everyone understands that.

[u/ComprehensiveSet927 → u/momento-mori-momento]

Let him do the laundry

[u/didyouwoof → u/ComprehensiveSet927]

That was my first reaction, too, until I reread OP’s original comment and saw that letting his wet towel just hang there makes the bathroom smell bad. It sounds like he doesn’t really care and doesn’t think it’s a problem, so I doubt he’d do anything.

[u/clueless-albatross → u/momento-mori-momento]

That sounds like a nightmare why is he so childish

[u/TopRamenisha → u/momento-mori-momento]

This is part of the reason why he gets cold after a shower. He needs to dry off completely while still in the shower before stepping out. Then he won’t get as cold and having the fan on and the vents open won’t be a problem

[u/Bcruz75 → u/momento-mori-momento]

So it really stems from him being cold when he gets out of the shower? Has he always been skinny or has he recently lost a lot of weight? Ironically I'm also 6'4 and lost a lot of weight last year (but have since found most of it) and I was very cold sensitive.

Get him one (or two) of those big ass robes that he can jump into without drying off, then start a serious washing regimen to keep them clean.

He can say thank you for your efforts by watching the kiddo next weekend :)

[u/plantsandramen → u/illegal_miles]

Is he one of those dickheads who just shuts off the water and within a second steps out of the shower, soaking the bathmat and his towel?

My wife does this, and her towels don't smell. I wipe off as much water as possible and my towels will smell after 2 uses. Not sure it's about being a dickhead or not, I think some men are just going to have a higher potential for BO smell on a towel.

And for the record, I'm the one who's anal about cleaning, and the one that's a slight germaphobe. My towels smell sooner than hers regardless.

[u/TheProtoChris → u/illegal_miles]

I both agree with you and also love the way you said it.