I replace them when they're beyond redemption, using them for dog towels after. But, my towels do last much longer since I started drying them on medium temp instead of hot, and use dryer balls instead of fabric softeners.

When my towels become unsuitable for me, they become dog towels here too. They make great additions to crates and to cover up their bedding for easy washing.

If you don't have pets, I agree with Sushi that pet shelters around me are always looking for towels.

" Is it time to replace them "

Isn't this a question for you to answer yourself? Would you rather have new towels or do you find the old ones acceptable to use?

Old towels go to the local animal shelter.

Old towels become Dog Towels or shelter donations here, too too!

Ours end up in the boat or the husband takes then for garage use.

I cut mine up and they become cleaning rags. I use un-cut up old towels for extra places for snow encrusted boots to melt off since we don't have a mud room or garage. I hang up those snow-mat towels to dry and re-use in the winter until I wash a load of dirty rags, then those go in with the rags, which used to be bath towels. The animal shelter, as mentioned is always accepting towels. I keep several intact old towels in a coat closet for unexpected emergencies that need cleaning up or attention. I've had to reach for those more times than I'd like, but I was glad to have them on hand for situations such as that. I keep one in the back of each car too, since messy stuff can happen when you least expect it.

Edit to add, if budget allows, get new soft towels that please you. Life is kind of short...

My towels seem to get better with age. They are softer. I prefer a somewhat thinner towel because they dry faster. Odd but old towels are better than towels that are thin when you purchase them.

However once they are truly a stringy mess I rip them up for rags. Right now i have So Many Towels from my mother’s house that i will donate them to an animal shelter. Our fire company also adked for towels to dry the trucks.

When in doubt, it's out. Mine go to my former vet's office since I am sadly sans a dog at the moment.

I need lots of towels when the whole clan visits for the holidays. So old ones are saved for them if they are still in good enough condition. if the towels are torn, they go into the rag bag.

I haven't experienced what the OP describes, despite keeping and using a few towels for decades. I wonder what the difference is - I only buy 100% cotton, but that is standard, isn't it? I do use dryer sheets, but only 1/2 of one per load (just enough to stop static).

When the old towels get a little too worn, I make sure to keep 2-4 on a rack in my laundry - it is very useful to have a couple of bath sized towels for various needs (mopping up spills, cushioning an item, as a dust cover, as a temporary mat on a wet day, and so on).

Any extras, if they are still decent enough, go to the homeless teen shelter. If not there then to the Wildlife Rehab center or the animal shelter.

they go into the rag pile or i fold them and place them under plant containers. handy to use in the yard and if they get too dirty, bye bye charlie

I don't throw them out, even if I buy myself new ones - they become spares for emergencies, workshop rags, or (eventually) go in my textile recycling pile.

I give them to the vet or repurpose them for dirty jobs.

Same as the others, I save the old worn towels for cleaning and other dirty jobs.

I've never had them get scratchy, tho - just stained &/or threadbare.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't people usually post such questions as conversation starters, and interest in the various answers? This is a discussion forum, after all.

We have old towels that we give to our local veterinarian, and if the towels are simply a bit worn, to the local help center.

Old towels that are scratchy or stiff feeling might have a build-up of detergent that didn't rinse out. Try running the towels through a rinse cycle without washing, and see if that helps.

Far longer than I should.

Once they're past shower use, they're used for other things around the house, until they deteriorate. They're in such bad shape at the end, I would never donate them, if that tells you how long I keep them.

There are so many uses for old towels!

We give our old bath and beach towels to a local animal shelter and a wildlife rehabilitation center.

I just replaced our old towels with all new ones. First time in at least fifteen years. Took a whole large Hefty bag full of old ones to the animal shelter.

DH gets a some for garage use. We keep a few in the utility room to use for emergency spills or messy cleanup. The really old ones go in a big bag for the animal shelter.

I give to animal shelters. But am I the only person who hates soft towels? I hang my clothes on the line and I love that the towels are NOT soft but abrasive and rough. I hate when it rains and I have to put them in the dryer. I find them way less absorbent when soft.

A good rinse in vingar, getting out all the soap usually softens things up for me. I replace mine because they are getting faded or shoddy looking or just a change in color schemes. Mine have been kept for uses other than in the bathroom. It's an interesting dive into family history my rag bag.

Old towels that have holes or snags in them or just look way past their prime, are taken to my sewing room. Cotton Terry is great as an inner layer for a cat bed or a potholder, or a larger mat for under a hot pot sitting on a kitchen counter.

I never throw out a towel past its prime in the bath-it serves so many other purposes around the house, garage and yard for me. Like arcy_gw said upthread, seeing these towels remind me of the many places I have lived and people in my life who may have come in contact with them. That may seem overly sentimental, but it is just how I am. These things often get uses as protection for Christmas ornaments, and it makes me smile when I come across these towels each year.

I save some for drying off the dogs on rainy days. I also cut them up for rags. I have donated to our animal shelter, but after reading this thread, I will also ask our vet if any are needed there.

My old towel also become rag pile & dog towels.

Here's a recipe I use to freshen towels when they get stiff and/or an off smell.

1. Wash your towels with hot water and 1 cup of white vinegar, (don’t use any detergents or fabric softeners).

2. Run the towels through a second wash with 1/2 cup baking soda and hot water, (again, no detergent or fabric softener).

3. Dry your towels on the hottest setting until thoroughly dry. You can also hang them outside in the sun for additional freshening.

If the ‘off’ smell persists, run through this method again. This time use 2 cups of vinegar and let the towels soak in the hot water/vinegar bath for a few hours before continuing with the process.

As many above, I repurpose for household use (drying off wet paws, soaking up large spills, cleaning up messes in the basement, etc etc).

Love the animal shelter and vet suggestions! I do keep a supply of some old towels for excess water emergencies.🥴

Our window washer is always happy to take old towels.

I agree with using a vinegar rinse and not machine drying on 'Hot'. I've never used a 'softener' or one of these new 'fragrances'. I'm stingy with the (granular) detergent, too. (How is it possible that every load of wash, of any size, needs the same size 'pod'?)

Mine are still good, Not raggedy, just not soft anymore. I never throw out towels. I just wondered if you just replace them when they are not soft anymore. Most of mine are over 10 + yrs old

Many towels get hard and non-absorbent due to detergent build up. An occasional wash with half a cup of white vinegar removes this.

Not sure I understand what 'not soft' means - are they literally scratchy?

Were they the kind with a plush, cut loop finish, or regular looped terry?

Just regular towles, not expensive. Just not soft. Vinegar did not help at all.

We have a rag bin in the laundry room where we keep old/ripped towels. We use them for messy/cleaning jobs but nothing else.

" I never throw out towels. "

If you don't use them, what are you keeping them for?

You could also give them to a thrift store. Others may like them just fine.

Unusable towels go to the rag bag. I like white terry for cleaning. It's also good to have an old towel for the occasional large mess that you want to just wipe up and throw away.

They become cleaning rags at my house. :0) Or...drop cloths for painting. Or...garage/mechanic rags.

I use them until they get holes or too stringy, then they turn into rags. I have a basket in the hall closet full of them and other rags.

Absolutely! A majority will end up being used for rags.

However, some of them will be used for makeup removal, bath sheets, etc.

FWIW, I have a relative that has towels from Meijer that are 33 years old and are just now starting to breakdown. They still use them without issue.

I have towels that have been around for a very long time.

If they have a few frayed edges, I just cut off any stray threads and we just keep on using them. What does it matter? They are not for display and they work perfectly fine.

I keep a couple of newer ones aside in case I need to put out respecatable towels for company. But, why discard them when they still do what the are supposed to do?

They are still pretty substantial, too.

I always try to not have to run the dryer for towels. I hang them on an enclosed porch to get either all the way dry or mostly dry. I can run them through the dryer for a few minutes to soften them after they are almost completely dry. I dont care if they are rough from being line dried.

I dont use any fabric softener and never have.

I make an effort to curb my energy consumption and towels and heavy garments take a toll.

It is just the two of us now, but I have always tried to air dry heavy things, no matter., evern when the kids were still home.

We use the dryer sparingly .It is nice to have it when and if we really need it. But, I try to limit the use. Ours in electric, but it doesn matter what fuel it uses. It is all energy.

I really dont give a fig if my towel is not soft and fluffy. It is only these last couple of generations that came to expect towels to be soft and fluffy and to use chemicals to make them so. I really could not care any less.

I just last week went through the stack of towels and made the decision to keep or let go .A couple of them seemed to be without redemption. but the others got a fresh wash, sort and stack. I use my towel for a good while before replacing it, but I do hang it where it can get dry.