Tackling Towels: Are You Neat... or Not?

NORTH OLMSTED, OH--(Marketwired - Aug 26, 2014) -  Fifty percent of consumers agree that showering is as much about relaxation as it is about getting clean.* From daydreaming or singing in the shower to how you re-cap the toothpaste, do you ever wonder if your habits in the bathroom are 'normal'? We're talking beyond time spent at the commode, sink and shower. Instead, how do you treat the one common object connected with those daily activities -- a towel?

Moen Incorporated entered bathrooms across America to see how you use, store and finally throw in the towel... to the hamper, that is. From bath sheets, to washcloths, or the fancy ones that only appear when your in-laws visit, Moen watched and listened to get the scoop on how these bathroom necessities touch (literally) every part of you -- and your routine.

Believe it or not, this phenomenon of 'towel management' is fairly simple, and most homeowners fall into one of two camps. And whether you totally relate to one, or find yourself somewhere in between, how you touch, use and manage your towels says something about you.

So... which type of towel manager are you?

Neat Freaks
This group goes to great lengths to maintain order in the bathroom. You might be a neat freak if you have different towel types -- like guest, decorative, fancy, daily use, etc. But finding a spot for all of these towels isn't easy.

"The Neat Freaks are continually looking for ways to improve organization and find a space for everything -- especially towels," explains Jack Suvak, senior director of consumer and marketing insights at Moen. "They're creating order in unconventional ways, like utilizing ideas from other areas of the home: what's meant to be a wine rack in the kitchen or wet bar, is now a dedicated spot to store rolled, clean towels in the bathroom."

Lazy Bones
If you don't have (or want to find) the time to worry about storage solutions and tend to avoid towel management all together, then you're probably a Lazy Bones. You aren't afraid of a little chaos, and are able to function in your space regardless of clutter.

"Sometimes it's easier to stop caring than to find a solution," explains Suvak. "Lazy Bones just don't want to worry about improving storage in the bathroom; we found that they're content to 'figure it out' within their existing space."

Surely, there's absolutely nothing these two groups could agree on, especially when it comes to cleaning and organizational habits, right? Well, think again -- regardless of how and where towels are managed on a daily basis, one thing remains true: a wet towel never (ever!) finds its way into the hamper. Because according to you, whether it's been used once -- or even 10 -- times, that's just gross.

"When a towel reaches that 'eww' factor is different for everybody," adds Suvak. "Homeowners admitted to using the same bath towel for up to a week, even though experts recommend washing after three or four uses.** And whether it's because they're too lazy to grab a clean one from the linen closet or trying to cut down on the amount of laundry, these folks tend to not care about the freshness of their towels until they no longer smell 'fresh.'"

What could be more personal than the "eww" factor? Well, believe it or not, most of you care more about how the towels are folded than anything else. Whether its quarters, thirds, rolled in baskets, or stacked neatly like in a hotel, nearly every towel manager is unique in the way these items are stored. So much so, that if someone else does the laundry and folds towels differently, they will refold each one to their liking.

Here are a few more towel management observations:

• Types of towels. Some of you keep it simple with just bath and hand towels in your closet. However, there are some who like specialty towels for specific tasks, such as bath mats, bath sheets, hair wraps, beach towels and more.
• Hanging and drying. From towel rings and hooks to bars, there are pros and cons to each. Many towel managers are fiercely loyal to their preferred drying method, proclaiming "Rods are more efficient!" or "Rings and hooks are easier to deal with!" Some even create their own system, like installing a second shower rod to dry towels while hiding them from view. No matter what your preference, the right bath accessories are available to help you attempt to stay organized. Moen has perfectly matching accessories for more than 40 of its faucet collections, making it easy to find the right towel ring, hook or bar that's best for your bathroom.
• Hotel vs. home. If you're traveling, towel management habits tend to get thrown out the window. You might re-use your towels as part of the hotel's eco-request, but others take advantage of a fresh towel each day. You also like to get away with things you'd never do at home, like leaving a used towel on the bed or throwing wet towels on the floor.

So the next time someone tells you you're being "weird" about your towels, take comfort in knowing there are many people out there who think and act just like you. For more information about bath accessories from Moen, visit moen.com.

* Moen Research, 2013
**Good Housekeeping, Research Institute

About Moen
As the #1 faucet brand in North America, Moen offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed kitchen and bath faucets, showerheads, accessories, bath safety products and kitchen sinks for residential applications -- each delivering the best possible combination of meaningful innovation, useful features, on-trend styling and lasting value. In addition, Moen^® Commercial offers superior performing products that deliver lower lifetime costs for today's facilities.

Moen's legacy of thoughtful design stemmed from an invention by Al Moen. In 1937, after burning himself at a sink with traditional single taps for hot and cold water, a young, determined Al Moen set about inventing a single-handle faucet designed to mix hot and cold. The invention, finalized in 1939, revolutionized the plumbing industry and set the stage for 75 years of innovation.

Moen is part of Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), which creates products and services that help fulfill the dreams of homeowners and help people feel more secure. The company's trusted brands include Moen^® faucets, Master Lock^® security products, MasterBrand Cabinets^®, Therma-Tru^® entry door systems and Simonton Windows^®. FBHS holds market leadership positions in all of its segments. FBHS is part of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, please visit www.FBHS.com.