How Many Towels Do You Really Need in an RV? (Here’s What We Use and How We Keep Them Fresh)

This post is inspired by my mom, who just sold her house and is about to start full-timing. She asked me how many towels we actually use in our RV—and as I started to answer, I realized it might be worth writing down. Because RV life brings its own set of towel challenges: limited space, weird humidity, and campgrounds that don’t always let you hang things outside.

We’ve been full-timing off and on for years now, and after plenty of trial and error (and a few stinky towel moments), this is the towel setup we’ve landed on—and stuck with.

How Many Towels Do You Really Need in an RV?

We try to do laundry bi-weekly or more often, depending on travel days and weather. We keep just enough towels in rotation to make it manageable without needing constant access to a washer and dryer.

We use different towels for different things, and we don’t cross streams:

• 8 Turkish towels total (4 for showering, 4 for lake/beach use)
• 2 Traditional “fluffy” beach towels (mostly for beach, but sometimes my husband uses for showers)
• 2 hair towels
• 1 hooded baby towel
• 1 dog towel
• 2 linen bath towels for my husband
• 12 basic microfiber towels (dog paws, messes, etc.)
• 4 kitchen hand towels
• 4 bathroom hand towels
• 3 washcloths (for the baby – we use loofahs)
• 2 “Magic Mitts” (for washing/cleansing face)

That’s what we’ve found works without overflowing the bins or constantly needing to do laundry. We roll our towels and keep them in a bin in the bathroom above the closet. Easy to access and keeps things tidy.

What Towels We Use (And Why)

For Me

• Aquis Hair Wrap: Quick-drying, gentle on hair, takes up almost no space.
• Large Turkish Towels (40×72): Lightweight, dry fast, fold flat. I use two for showering and two as multipurpose lake towels. We also use a beach mat at the lake or beach, so the towels are just for drying off. The Turkish ones don’t trap sand, which is a major win. They also work as blankets, sarongs, stroller shades—you name it.
• Magic Mitts: which is gentle, reusable, and perfect for quick rinses without needing cleanser.

For My Husband

• Lane Linen 100% Cotton Terry Towels: He hates microfiber and quick-dry anything. These are soft, oversized, and feel like a real towel. They take longer to dry, but he’s happy.

For Our Baby

• Hooded Quick-Dry Baby Towel: We also use Turkish towels sometimes, but this one is easy and soft for post-bath.
• Organic washcloths: Super absorbent and easy to wash in the sink between laundry if needed.

For Frankie (our dog)

• Super Absorbent Paw Towel: Cheap, cute, and it works.
• Basic Microfiber Towels: We keep a full 12-pack of these on hand for muddy paws, spills, and general messes.

We also are a firm believer in the Scott’s Shop Towels (the blue towels). They are thicker, can be used a few times, and are great for cleaning up spills, baby/doggy messes, and for use when you need a towel but don’t want to make your towels messy.

Where We Hang and Dry Towels

Most of the time, we dry towels inside the RV. Some parks don’t allow you to hang laundry outside, and even when they do, it’s not always worth the hassle.

Here’s how we make it work:

• Command hooks in the shower
• Over-the-cupboard hooks for extra hang space
• A line outside if we’re off-grid or boondocking (we like this one because it includes clothespins)
• RV Clothes Drying Rack that attaches to your ladder for extra drying space

We also have a bathroom exhaust fan and a second fan inside the RV that we aim into the bathroom to keep air circulating and help things dry faster.

Drying inside is slower, especially in humid places. That’s why we stick to quick-dry fabrics where we can.

RV Towels You’ll Actually Like (and Smell Good, Too)

A nice towel after a hot shower is one of those small luxuries that make a big difference. The right towel setup saves space, dries fast, and doesn’t leave your rig smelling like a gym bag. After years of tweaking, this one checks all the boxes for us.

Let me know what’s worked for you—or what towel tricks you’ve figured out along the way. We’re always open to better ways to keep things clean, dry, and actually manageable on the road.

Heads up: This post contains a few affiliate links. If you click and buy, I may earn a small commission (like, towel-money small). It doesn’t cost you anything extra—and I only recommend stuff we actually use in our RV.

New to RV life and not sure where to start?
Check out my RV shopping lists for the essentials, little upgrades that actually help, and gear that’s earned its space in our bins.