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A standard hand towel is 16 x 28 in (41 x 71 cm). Hotels use 16 x 30 in because it folds better over a rail. A washcloth is 12-13 in square, and a fingertip towel is around 11 x 18 in.
The full size table
| Type | Inches | Centimeters | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washcloth / face towel | 12 x 12 to 13 x 13 | 30 x 30 to 33 x 33 | A hand, folded into quarters |
| Fingertip towel | 11 x 18 | 28 x 46 | A small ring, guest bathroom |
| Narrow hand towel | 13 x 28 | 33 x 71 | A ring, or a narrow rail |
| Standard hand towel | 16 x 28 | 41 x 71 | A standard rail or ring |
| Hotel hand towel | 16 x 30 | 41 x 76 | A rail, folded in thirds |
| Large hand towel | 18 x 30 to 20 x 30 | 46 x 76 to 51 x 76 | A wide rail; bunches on a ring |
| Tea / kitchen towel | 16 x 28 to 20 x 30 | 41 x 71 to 51 x 76 | Not a bathroom towel, despite the size overlap |
Why hotels use 16 x 30 in
Two extra inches sounds trivial and is not. At 30 in a hand towel folds cleanly into thirds over a rail, which gives you two dry faces and a presentable front. At 28 in the same fold leaves the towel short and it hangs awkwardly.
That is the whole reason a hotel bathroom's hand towel looks neater than yours, and it costs nothing. If you are buying new, look for the 30 in length.
Rails versus rings
A ring wants a narrow towel: 13 x 28 in, or a fingertip towel. A 20 in wide towel through a ring bunches into a wad that never dries, which is a real hygiene problem rather than an aesthetic one.
A rail can take anything up to about 20 in wide, and benefits from the extra length. Measure the rail: a towel wider than the rail hangs over the ends and the overhanging fabric stays damp.
Which size to buy
- Standard rail, working bathroom: 16 x 28 in or 16 x 30 in. Six of them. Our picks.
- Ring: 13 x 28 in. Narrow enough to hang flat and dry.
- Guest bathroom, decorative: fingertip towel at 11 x 18 in, and put a real hand towel there too if guests will actually wash their hands.
- Washing your face: 12-13 in square, by the two dozen. Why.
The kitchen towel overlap
Kitchen and tea towels are often the same dimensions as bathroom hand towels, which means they get mixed up in the linen cupboard. They should not be used interchangeably -- a kitchen towel picks up food residue and a bathroom towel picks up skin oil, and neither belongs in the other room.
Buy them in visibly different colors. It is the simplest fix and it works.
Shrinkage
Cotton loses 3-5% in the first few hot washes, so a 16 x 28 in towel settles around 15.5 x 27 in. On a small towel that is barely noticeable, but if you are choosing between 28 and 30 in for a rail fold, buy the 30. More on sizing across the whole linen cupboard.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard hand towel size?
16 x 28 inches (41 x 71 cm). Hotels favor 16 x 30 in because it folds into thirds cleanly on a rail.
What size hand towel fits a towel ring?
A narrow one -- around 13 x 28 in, or a fingertip towel. A wide towel through a ring bunches and never dries properly.
What is the difference between a hand towel and a tea towel?
Often nothing in dimensions -- they overlap. The difference is where they are used. Buy them in different colors so they do not get mixed up.
Do hand towels shrink?
Cotton loses 3-5% in the first few hot washes. On a small towel it is barely noticeable, but choose 30 in over 28 in if you want a clean rail fold afterwards.