The men who only wash their towels once a YEAR – As experts warn, millions of people are at risk of skin infections and other health problems due to poor towel hygiene

You might imagine that most of us wash our bathroom towels about once a week. After all, the bathroom should be an oasis of cleanliness.

However, it turns out that almost one in ten Brits only wash their towels twice a year.

The surprising figure is even worse when only men are taken into account. A study shows that they are five times more likely than women to wash their towels once a year or less.

The findings come from a study for bathroom supplier Showers to You. It found that millions of households across the country could be at risk of skin infections and other health problems due to poor towel hygiene.

The survey of 2,200 UK residents found that almost one in ten wash their towels just twice a year. Five percent of men admit to washing them only once a year, compared to 1 percent of women.

The data showed that 67 percent of people wash their towels for their visual cleanliness, followed by scent at 61 percent and the 'number of uses' at 58 percent.

The survey found that 11 percent of respondents were not at all concerned about bacteria or hygiene issues, despite NHS advice that towels can spread germs if not washed often.

Showers to You founder Martin Smith said: 'The bathroom should in theory be one of the cleanest rooms in the home, but our research shows that many people could be neglecting an important step in ensuring good bathroom hygiene. '

He said the data showed most respondents washed their towels regularly, but added: 'Everyone should ensure they maintain a regular routine, in line with guidance from health professionals.'

Dermatologist Dr Hamdan Hamed added: 'Towels accumulate moisture, creating an environment conducive to the growth of bacteria and fungi. Bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus can lead to skin infections, while fungi such as Candida yeast can cause problems such as athlete's foot or fungal infections.

'It is recommended to wash towels after every three to four washes to remove bacteria, dirt, dead skin cells and allergens.'