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A towel dries you and can be reused several times between washes. A washcloth cleans you, is used wet with soap on skin, and should be used once and washed. They are not interchangeable and they do not have the same hygiene rules.
Towel vs washcloth at a glance
| Bath towel | Washcloth | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Remove water from clean skin | Remove dirt and oil from skin |
| Used with soap | No | Yes |
| Reuse | Several times, if it dries fully | Once, then wash |
| Size | 27 x 54 in and up | 12-13 in square |
| Lifespan | 5-10 years | About a year |
| How many you need | 3-4 per person | Two dozen per household |
| Wash temperature | Warm to hot | Hot |
Why a towel can be reused and a washcloth cannot
A bath towel touches skin that has just been washed. It picks up water, a little skin oil, and very little else. If it dries fully between uses, the bacterial load stays low and reusing it for a few days is entirely reasonable.
A washcloth does the opposite job. It is used wet, with soap, to lift dirt, sebum and dead skin off the body -- and then it sits damp with all of that in it. That is a very different object by the next morning, and it is why reusing washcloths is associated with breakouts and irritation in a way reusing towels is not.
The practical consequence
You need far more washcloths than seems reasonable and slightly fewer bath towels than people buy. Two dozen washcloths and three or four bath towels per person is a sensible household, and it is not how most linen cupboards are stocked.
The full quantity arithmetic is here, including hand towels, which follow the washcloth logic more than the towel logic.
What about hand towels?
Hand towels sit between the two and are usually treated as towels when they behave more like washcloths -- used constantly, by everybody, never given time to dry. Change them daily rather than weekly. We separate hand towels from face towels here.
Buying for each job
For a bath towel, buy on fiber and construction, because you will own it for years. Long-staple cotton, 500-700 GSM, double-stitched edges. Our picks.
For washcloths, buy on quantity and color, because you will replace them annually regardless. Two dozen ring-spun cotton cloths, dark if you use skincare actives. Our picks.
That is genuinely the entire difference in shopping strategy, and it follows directly from the difference in job.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use a washcloth as a towel?
Not usefully -- a 12 in square holds very little water. The reverse is worse: using a bath towel to wash with means the soiled cloth then sits damp for days.
How often should you wash a washcloth?
After every single use. It is used wet with soap to lift dirt and oil off skin, and it sits damp with all of that in it afterwards.
How often should you wash a bath towel?
Every three or four uses, provided it dries fully between them. A towel touches skin that has just been washed, which is a much lighter bacterial load.
Do you need washcloths at all?
Not necessarily -- plenty of people wash with their hands. If you use one, use it once and wash it, rather than leaving it in the shower.