kirbycruiser- I have the big bottom drawer next to my sink filled with kitchen towels of varying ages. When there is no company about, use the oldest towels. I "save" a few for company visits. I run a load of towels maybe every 10 - 14 days or so. i soak them overnight in bleach + vinegar/water in the washer, run the load the next day and start all over again. I started this process years ago when I first got married by buying towels at auctions for $1 or $2 a BOX!! My ex-husband used to say, "Eyew! Dead man's towels!" I let him obscess about that because although he didn't know, it he also wore "dead man" jammies. I can't begin to guess how much money I have NOT spent on towels over the past 30 years. lynclarke