Bath sheets vs bath towels: What’s the difference?

Get dry, bestie

A white and a blue bath towel on a blue watercolor background
(Image credit: Future)

When getting out of the shower, it feels so good to get snuggled up. Whether you’re drying your hair or your body, it’s def a bathroom necessity both for practicality and for decor to have bath towels or sheets lining your rack.

You’ll have heard of a bath towel (if not, I’ve got questions TBH), but you may have seen bath sheets around too and wondered what they're about. Are they like bed sheets but for the bath? Who knows!

Actually, I do, and you’re about to too. I’ve spoken to experts to explain the differences between bath sheets and towels, plus the pros and cons of both. This way, you can make the choice that’s best for your bathroom and your drying needs.

Ready to go on a li’l learning adventure? Let’s go.

What's the difference between bath sheets and bath towels?

Okay, so bath towels and bath sheets are both great at drying you off. But what actually sets them apart? “The only difference between a standard bath towel and a bath sheet is that a bath sheet is bigger and has more surface area to dry with,” explains Laura Price, owner of professional decluttering service The Home Organisation. She explains that while a standard bath towel tends to be 27” x 52”, a bath sheet is 35” x 60". “Other than this they’re practically identical, and are both readily available online and in most homeware stores.” So basically, compared to a bath towel, you get more material to cozy up in with a bath sheet.

What are the pros and cons of bath sheets?

Pros of bath sheets

Thinking about giving bath sheets a go? Experts say they're much better at drying than bath towels. “In my opinion, bath sheets are far superior to bath towels,” says Delah Gomasi, CEO of cleaning service, MaidForYou. “They have a larger surface area for drying off, and if you live in a colder climate. they make you warm much quicker than an ordinary bath towel would.” He recommends Utopia Towels' jumbo bath sheets, which have over 26,000 five-star reviews on Amazon.

Price agrees, also saying that the size is a big benefit. “If you like a bigger surface area to dry off with, invest in a few high-quality bath sheets.” Although they are more expensive, by only having a few you rotate regularly, you can ensure bath time happiness without a major bill.

Cons of bath sheets

While the size of a bath sheet is its selling point, it can also be a problem for those living in small spaces, as that’s a lot of material to store. “Also, due to their weight, they can fall off hooks much easier than towels can,” Price says. If you don’t have a towel rack or other towel storage solution, she suggests opting for sheets with material tags that can be hooked easily.

What are the pros and cons of bath towels?

Pros of bath towels

Looking to keep it classic? Bath towels are a fab, compact option — especially if you live in an apartment or dorm. “From an organizer’s perspective, this is great because bathrooms can be small spaces with little storage, so having smaller-sized towels means you create more space to store toiletries or toilet rolls,” explains Price. “They’re also cheaper, which is perfect if you’re needing your towels to be more budget-friendly.”

Not only this, but they’re easier to get clean. “They’re a breeze to wash in bulk, whereas bath sheets can be so large that washing more than one at a time can be a complicated task,” adds Gomasi. BTW, if you’re looking to stock up on bath towels, Cardinal Home’s charisma plus six-piece set on Amazon is Gomasi’s go-to, thanks to its plush feel and quick absorbency.

Cons of bath towels

That being said, the handy size can make getting dry not as effective and efficient. “Whilst a smaller towel may be more appropriate for a bathroom with less storage space if you aren’t happy with how they dry, there is no point using them!” Price tells me. “If bath towels aren’t for you, go for bath sheets and try to be creative with storing them.” For example, you could hang a heated towel rack on a spare wall so they don’t take up cupboard space. If you are renting and want to do this, check with your landlord first.

Whether you're team bath towel or team bath sheet comes down a range of different factors. These include personal preferences, such as whether you like to be wrapped up post-shower or not, as well as your living sitch, such as what storage space you have. Either way, both will get you dry AF after you’re done soaking up suds. And that’s the most important thing, right?


Up next: How to fold towels like you live in a fancy hotel

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Eve Smallman
Content Editor

Hi there! I’m the former content editor at Real Homes and I'm now a freelance journalist.. I've been a lifestyle journalist for over five years, previously working as an editor across regional magazines. Before this, I graduated from Nottingham Trent University a degree in journalism, along with an NCTJ gold diploma. For Real Homes, I specialized in interior design, trends and finding the best viral buys.