Personal Hand Towels: Reduce and Reuse, Mom Edition

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Any mother of young children can empathize in public restrooms when it comes to hand washing. Between lifting tiny humans to reach the faucet, growing an extra arm to also assist, and then conquering the dreaded drying step. We are offered two drying choices (if we’re lucky): a loud, sensory triggering twister of air stream, or an unforetold amount of paper towels while still somehow emerging with wet hands.

I propose an alternative solution: personal hand towels.


In Japan, personal hand towels are a way of life. There are no provided paper towels in public restrooms and only air blow dryers in some major city locations. BYOTowel or bust.

Mothers are prime candidates to carry personal hand towels. Who else schleps around so much already? Our diaper bags are prime for tucking a personal hand towel inside (pro tip: insulated pockets offer some moisture barrier). Or even a mom-purse, a bottomless bag of holding for the lives of all we live with, can handle one more small thing.

Don’t want to tuck a damp towel back into your bag or purse? I’ve got two great solutions:

GOLF TOWEL – These come with a grommeted hole and often some mechanism ready to attach wherever. Switch out golf bag for mom bag and voila; personal hand towel available to use at all times and air dry.
WET BAG – A moisture resistant reusable bag able to keep your personal hand towel away from other contents. These come in a variety of sizes, colors, and prints, and can be used for many others things as well (changes of clothes, first aid/pharmaceutical products, or even snacks).

For the past month, I’ve utilized an Applecheeks mini mini in an outside pocket of my diaper bag. I keep the mini mini unzipped for when I have wet hands and forget to grab my personal hand towel first (almost every time so far – new habits take time).

Really it’s been easy to grab, even with wet hands, and the experience has been superior. Using a cloth towel is absorbent, soft, and environmentally responsible is just icing.

Making the switch to a personal hand towel has been seamless and pleasant. And I’m not at the mercy of just whatever bathroom situation. I endorse personal hand towels as an eco-conscious and enjoyable way to dry any hands you are in charge of.