You know that pile of frayed, faded bath towels shoved in the back of your linen closet? The ones that are too scratchy for guests and too worn for the gym bag?
Before you toss them, hold on — those old towels are genuinely useful. Bath towels are made of thick, absorbent cotton terry that holds up to serious abuse, which makes them one of the best textiles to repurpose around your home.
Here are nine ways I’ve personally put old bath towels to work, and most of them require nothing more than a pair of scissors.
1. Cut Them Into Cleaning Rags
This is the easiest, most obvious reuse, and honestly the one I rely on the most. Grab a sharp pair of fabric scissors — I like my Fiskars 8-inch shears for this — and cut your old towels into roughly 10×10-inch squares.
You don’t need to hem them; terry cloth barely frays, and for cleaning rags, who cares? These outperform any store-bought rag I’ve tried.
They’re thick enough to scrub a stovetop, absorbent enough for spills, and you can toss them in the wash on hot with bleach without worrying about ruining something nice.
I keep a small bin of them under my kitchen sink and another in the laundry room. When they get truly disgusting — grease-stained, mildew-smelling, falling apart — I toss them guilt-free, because there are always more old towels where those came from.
2. Make a Braided Bath Mat
This one takes a little more effort, but the result is a squishy, absorbent bath mat that feels amazing underfoot — and it costs you nothing. Cut three old towels into strips about 2–3 inches wide.
You’ll want to cut across the short width of the towel so you get long, continuous strips. Braid three strips together, then coil the braid into a flat oval or rectangle shape, hand-stitching the coils together with a heavy needle and upholstery thread as you go.
How big should the finished mat be?
A standard bath mat is about 20×34 inches, but yours can be whatever size works for your space. Just keep adding strips by tucking the end of one strip inside the next and securing with a few stitches.
Two or three old bath towels will give you a generously sized mat. The finished product is machine-washable — use a gentle cycle and tumble dry low.
3. Fold Into Pet Bedding
If you’ve got a dog or cat, old towels make surprisingly good bedding — especially for crates, kennels, or that spot your pet insists on claiming next to the couch. Fold a large bath towel in half, then in half again, and you’ve got a padded cushion that’s machine-washable and easy to swap out. For a more structured bed, layer two or three folded towels inside an old pillowcase and stitch the opening shut.
The nice thing about towel bedding over fancy pet beds is that when your dog inevitably chews on it or has an accident, you just wash it or replace it with zero stress. I rotate through three or four old towels for my dog’s crate and wash them weekly on hot with a splash of white vinegar to cut any lingering odor.
4. Stash in Your Car for Emergencies
I keep two old bath towels rolled up in a canvas tote in my trunk at all times, and they’ve saved me more times than I can count. Spilled iced coffee on the passenger seat?
Towel. Need to sit on something after a muddy hike?
Towel. Caught in the rain and need to protect your car seats from wet jackets?
You get the idea.
They’re also useful in winter emergencies — if you’re stuck on ice, a folded towel placed under your tire can give you the traction to get moving. Throw a couple in a gallon Ziploc bag so they stay dry until you need them.
5. Pad Your Knees in the Garden
I used to buy those foam kneeling pads from the hardware store every spring, and they’d fall apart by August. Then I started folding an old bath towel in thirds and kneeling on that instead, and honestly, it works just as well. The terry cloth is thick enough to cushion your knees on gravel, mulch, or wet grass, and you can throw it in the washing machine when you’re done pulling weeds.
For a slightly more structured pad, fold a towel and slide it into a pillowcase, then tie or sew the open end shut. This keeps the folds from shifting around while you work, and the pillowcase gives you a clean surface to grab with dirty gloves.
6. Use as a Reusable Mop Pad Cover
If you use a flat mop like a Swiffer, you already know how fast those disposable pads add up — both in cost and waste. An old bath towel cut to size makes a washable, reusable replacement that actually absorbs more liquid than the store-bought pads. Lay the mop head on the towel, trace around it with a marker, and cut slightly larger to allow for the pocket that slides over the mop head.
You can attach it a few different ways:
- ✦Cut a pocket shape with a fold-over flap, like a pillowcase for the mop head
- ✦Sew or iron on a couple of strips of hook-and-loop tape (Velcro) to match the existing pad attachment
- ✦Simply wrap the towel around the mop head and secure with rubber bands — the quick-and-dirty method I actually use most often
Wash on hot after each use. A single old towel can give you two or three mop pad covers depending on your mop size.
7. Donate to a Local Animal Shelter
Animal shelters go through towels at an astonishing rate. They use them for bedding, drying animals after baths, lining crates during transport, and cleaning kennels — and they’re almost always desperate for more.
Call your local shelter or rescue organization and ask if they accept towel donations. Most do, and some will even arrange a pickup.
One note: shelters generally prefer towels that are clean and free of mold or mildew, even if they’re stained or frayed beyond recognition. Give them a wash on hot before dropping them off. While you’re cleaning out the linen closet, grab old blankets, sheets, and comforters too — most shelters accept those as well.
8. Stuff Throw Pillows or Dog Toys
Old towels make excellent stuffing for throw pillows, floor cushions, or DIY dog toys. Cut the towels into rough strips or chunks and pack them tightly into a pillow cover or a sewn-shut fabric pouch. The result is a firm, cushiony fill that doesn’t clump or flatten the way cheap polyester fiberfill does.
For dog toys: cut an old towel into strips, braid them tightly into a rope, and knot both ends. It’s a tug toy that costs nothing and handles serious chewing — and when it’s destroyed, you make another one in five minutes. My pit mix goes through store-bought tug toys in days, but a braided towel rope lasts her a solid couple of weeks.
9. Make Reusable “Unpaper” Towels
This one’s popular in the zero-waste community, and it’s dead simple. Cut an old bath towel into squares roughly the size of a paper towel sheet — about 11×11 inches works well.
If you own a serger, serge the edges to prevent any fraying. If not, fold the edges over and sew a quick hem, or honestly, just leave the raw edges.
Terry cloth barely frays.
To store them like a paper towel roll, you have a couple of options:
- ✦Stack them in a basket next to your kitchen sink for grab-and-go use
- ✦Add KAM snaps along the edges so they connect end-to-end and roll up on a paper towel holder
These are perfect for wiping counters, cleaning up kid messes, and all the quick jobs where you’d normally reach for a disposable paper towel. Toss them in a wet bag under the sink until laundry day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use old towels as cleaning rags without sewing?
Absolutely. Terry cloth barely frays when cut, so you can simply cut old towels into squares or rectangles and start using them immediately — no hemming or serging needed. If the edges do start to look rough after several washes, it won’t affect their cleaning ability at all.
Where can I donate old towels near me?
Most local animal shelters, humane societies, and rescue organizations accept towel donations. You can also check with veterinary clinics, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and homeless shelters. Call ahead to confirm they’re accepting donations and ask about drop-off hours or pickup options.
Are old towels better than new ones for cleaning?
They actually are. Old towels are pre-softened from years of washing, which makes them more absorbent and less linty than brand-new terry cloth.
Plus, you won’t feel guilty about using them on grease, grime, or harsh cleaners. Just wash them on hot between uses.
How do you make a dog toy from an old towel?
Cut an old towel lengthwise into three long strips, braid them together tightly, and knot both ends. For a tougher toy, use six strips braided in pairs, then braid the pairs together. The braided texture is great for tug-of-war and holds up surprisingly well — just supervise heavy chewers and swap it out once it starts to unravel.
Your linen closet probably has at least a couple of towels that have seen better days. Try one of these ideas before you toss them — you might be surprised how useful old towels become once you start keeping them around on purpose. And once you’ve cut up your first batch of cleaning rags, you’ll never go back to buying them.
Leave a Reply