Moving up the scale, the next towel option is the bath towel. This is your standard size towel for drying your entire body after a shower or bath. The bath towel is the most common option for everyday use because it is easy to use without taking up a lot of space. The size typically ranges between 20 inches wide by 40 inches long to 30 inches wide by 58 inches long.
Bath towels on the smaller end of the range work well for kids or slight adults. A small towel also works well as a dedicated towel to dry your hair, especially if you have long or thick hair. Wrap the smaller bath towel around your hair, and use a larger bath towel or a bath sheet for your body.
If you prefer more coverage or have lots of surface area to dry, search for bath towels on the larger end of the spectrum. It may not seem like much, but those extra few inches on the length and width of the towel can give you the extra drying space and coverage you need.
Bath towels are easy to use and usually offer enough absorption for the average person drying off from a shower or bath. They dry relatively quickly, so they’re ready for your next shower. Because of their small size, you can fit several bath towels in your washing machine at once. Plus, they won’t take up as much space in your linen closet.
Bath towels also work well for decorative towel displays. The moderate size makes them fit easily on most towel bars without being too thick or hanging down too far. You have more options for hanging, folding or rolling the towels because they are less bulky.
The smallest item in the family of towels. You can buy them in washcloth sets, separately, or in full towel sets containing one piece of each towel family member.
Uses: Being a face towel, this small cloth finds its way in any bathroom to dry your face; you can also use it to wash your body in the shower. However, given its small size, you won’t use it to dry your body. It completes a towel set in a bathroom or hotel room and works great for kids to dry their hands or faces. Sometimes, people use them in the kitchen as well instead of kitchen towels to dry dishes or wipe their hands when cooking.
One of the most versatile towels of the family, hand towels can sport different standard sizes. We use cotton hand towels daily to dry our hands, but people usually use them to dry their faces as well. Often you will find them in the kitchen area – also for hands drying. They play a beautiful decorative role in the bathroom, coming in sets or full towel sets for hotel rooms and designer bathrooms. As we said, their size might vary a little, but it is unlikely the difference will bother you. However, if you choose the larger types, you will have more room for drying. Moreover, the larger ones offer better display options.
Uses: As the name implies, we use these towels for drying our hands. However, using them for our faces is a regular practice in our homes. These are the go-to towels in any home or hotel bathroom, and kids use them as well in their bathrooms instead of other types of towels.
Given their size, you can roll them, fold them, and display them any way you want. You can buy them alone or by the sets. However, keep in mind that they take quite a beating on an everyday basis, so make sure you buy high-quality fabrics that are resilient to wear, tear, and humidity.
Not so long ago, we offered you our ultimate guide on cleaning white towels. No matter if you use white or colored hand towels, you should know you have to employ specific maintenance strategies, as these towels are vulnerable to wear, tear, mold, and bacteria. Many people also use the hand’s towels to dry their hair.
The largest member of the towel family, the bath sheet is an oversized bath towel. You can have one or two at home, but you will find luxurious bath sheets in spas, luxury resorts, five stars hotels, pools, and so on. Since they are large, you can use them to cover your entire body, for a more luxurious post-shower or post-swim experience. They also feature some size variations, but they are not significant enough to change the way you feel.
Uses: The size offer these superb bath sheets a luxurious and self-pampering feel to them; you can use them after a bath, a swimming session, or on the beach. Some use them as travel blankets during flights. They make incredible spa towels – used to cover massage tables. You can use them at the spa as well. Some even use them instead of beach towels as well, given their high level of absorbency.
A bit larger than the washcloth, the fingertip towel is not as popular. However, you can find it in many homes – usually for guests – in hotel rooms, in kids’ bathrooms or the kitchen.
Uses: This is a very pretty little towel you can put in the bathroom for guests to dry their hands; it also works nicely to complete a full-on-display towel set in the bathroom or hotel powder room. They are easy to hang, fold or roll for display and have a significant decorative purpose. Small kids will use fingertip towels easier than standard hand towels, so they make a nice addition to the kids’ bathrooms as well. Sometimes, you will find them in kitchens instead of kitchen towels to dry dishes or your hands.