How do hand towels get so dirty if the only time you use them is when your hands are freshly cleaned?

[FunkyMonkee]

[rigmarole]

Tap water generally has minerals in it. While the concentrations are low on delivery, you often find some level of calcium, magnesium, and/or iron in tap water. If you're in a city they also introduce fluoride and chlorine into the water system. When water evaporates, these minerals become more concentrated. As iron and magnesium for example oxidize they turn rusty brown to black in color. In addition, loose skin cells, soap residues, salts, dead bacteria, etc. that were on your skin get rubbed onto the towel when you dry them. Soap has it's own chemical composition and as a detergent is often high in phosphates which is an import ingredient for cellular life. So you are depositing all sort of chemical ingredients that bacteria are seeking out into one place with water on a regular basis which creates an opportunity for bacteria to attempt to grow as they consume the ingredients and digest your dead skin cells in order to carry out metabolic reactions in their attempt to survive.

[FunkyMonkee]

That could be it, too.

[HawkPerception]

People don't seem to understand how much bacteria is on their hands. You could wash for days and still not get it all off. Hands have pores and over time those pores become more and more full with bacteria. It's also difficult to get into each crevice of your hand. They're a complicated shape. It's not like washing a smooth metal surfaces with no pores like stainless steel spoons, forks or knives.

[MrOracle]

John Travolta and Sam Jackson had this same conversation in Pulp Fiction...

[FunkyMonkee]

I only saw it once at least a decade ago.

[MrOracle]

That's criminal! Time to schedule a re-watch!

[NathanDavis]

do repeat a few times...

[Jennz6]

Wash your hands better

[FunkyMonkee]

Soap & water isn't good enough?

[Jennz6]

Get all of the dirt off, don’t just rinse off

[FunkyMonkee]

What dirt? About the only thing I ever need to wash off with soap is grease from something I was cooking or eating. I rarely ever have a reason to get my hands dirty. That's part of what's so puzzling about it! If I was out working in the dirt and what have you, I could see why SOME of it MIGHT get on the towels! The dirtiest my hands ever get is from handling a few stacks of old records once or twice a year. And most of those are pretty clean.

[Jennz6]

@FunkyMonkee Men!

[FunkyMonkee]

Women!

[Phoenix98]

We have a lot of bacteria on our hands.

[Sparkie460]

Must be from all the minerals in your water.

[FunkyMonkee]

That could be it.

[Anonymous]

People must have really dirty hands, lol.

[FunkyMonkee]

I'm the only one using them and I always wash my hands before drying them.

[Opinion Owner]

Same for me.