Can You Get an STD from Sharing Clothes or Towels?

For the vast majority of STDs, the answer is no — sharing clothes or towels does not transmit them. Most sexually transmitted infections require direct mucous membrane contact or exchange of sexual fluids and cannot survive on fabric in concentrations capable of causing infection. There are two exceptions worth knowing about: pubic lice and scabies.

• Chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, and herpes cannot be transmitted through clothing or towels

• Pubic lice (crabs) can survive on clothing and bedding for up to 24 hours and do transmit this way

• Scabies mites can survive on fabric for 24–72 hours and transmit readily through shared clothing and bedding

• HPV and molluscum contagiosum require direct skin contact — transmission via fabric is theoretically possible but very unlikely

• Good hygiene practices (not sharing towels or underwear) are sensible general habits, not specifically STD-protective

Why Most STDs Cannot Spread Via Clothing

STD pathogens have specific survival requirements that fabric does not provide. Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (the bacteria causing chlamydia and gonorrhea) survive for only minutes on dry surfaces and require direct delivery to a mucous membrane to establish infection. Treponema pallidum (syphilis) is one of the most fragile pathogens known — it dies within minutes outside the human body under normal conditions. HIV degrades rapidly once outside the body and requires a specific route of entry (mucous membrane or bloodstream) that fabric contact cannot provide. Herpes simplex virus can survive for a few hours on damp surfaces, but the concentration present on shared fabric and the absence of a direct mucosal entry route makes transmission via clothing essentially impossible in practice.

The Exceptions: Pubic Lice and Scabies

Pubic lice (Phthirus pubis)

Pubic lice are small parasites that live in coarse body hair, primarily pubic hair but also armpit hair, eyelashes, and beards. They are most commonly transmitted through close body contact (sexual or otherwise), but they can also survive on clothing, bedding, and towels for up to 24 hours. Sharing underwear, towels, or bedding with someone who has pubic lice carries a genuine, if relatively small, transmission risk. Symptoms include intense itching in the pubic area and visible lice or eggs (nits) in the hair. Treatment is with topical permethrin or malathion lotion applied to all affected areas.

Scabies (Sarcoptes scabiei)

Scabies mites burrow into the skin and cause intensely itchy rashes, particularly at night. Sexual contact is the most common route of transmission in adults, but scabies can also transmit through prolonged skin-to-skin contact and through shared clothing, bedding, or towels. Mites can survive off the body for 24–72 hours in fabric. Shared household items carry a genuine transmission risk, particularly in close-contact domestic settings. Treatment requires prescription-strength permethrin cream or oral ivermectin applied to the entire body, and all household members should be treated simultaneously to prevent re-infestation.

What About HPV and Molluscum?

HPV and molluscum contagiosum both spread through direct skin contact rather than sexual fluids, which theoretically opens the possibility of fabric-mediated transmission. In practice, both pathogens degrade relatively quickly once off the body, and the indirect route through fabric is much less efficient than direct contact. There are no well-documented outbreaks of HPV or molluscum attributable to shared towels or clothing in adult populations, though shared sports equipment and towels have been implicated in molluscum transmission in children and sports settings.

Practical Guidance

The main practical advice is simple: do not share underwear, and do not share towels with someone who has a known or suspected case of pubic lice or scabies. These are the two situations where fabric transmission is a genuine concern. For general hygiene reasons, towel-sharing is not good practice regardless of STD risk — shared towels also spread skin fungi and bacteria. But there is no need to worry about STDs from sharing a jumper, jacket, or any clothing that does not contact the genital area.

Tips

• Do not share underwear — this is the most relevant piece of practical advice for STD-related fabric hygiene, particularly relevant to pubic lice.

• Do not share towels with anyone who has pubic lice or scabies — both can survive briefly on damp fabric.

• Wash clothing and bedding at 60°C or higher if pubic lice or scabies are confirmed — this kills mites and lice on fabric.

• Items that cannot be washed at high temperature can be sealed in a plastic bag for 72 hours to kill scabies mites or 48 hours to kill lice through desiccation.

• For all other STDs, fabric-sharing carries no transmission risk and no specific action is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get herpes from a towel?

Practically no. Herpes simplex virus can survive for a few hours on damp surfaces under laboratory conditions, but real-world transmission via towels is not documented. The virus requires direct mucous membrane contact at relatively high concentrations to establish infection. A towel does not provide this pathway. You should not share towels as a general hygiene principle, but there is no documented herpes-via-towel transmission risk.

Can I get chlamydia from sharing underwear?

No. Chlamydia requires direct inoculation onto a mucous membrane by infected secretions. The bacteria cannot survive on fabric and cannot penetrate intact skin. Sharing underwear does not transmit chlamydia.

Can I get HIV from sharing clothing?

No. HIV is not transmitted through any form of casual contact, including clothing and fabric. The virus requires direct introduction into the bloodstream or mucous membranes via specific bodily fluids. Clothing cannot provide this pathway under any circumstances.

What should I do if I think I have pubic lice from shared clothing?

See a pharmacist or clinician to confirm the diagnosis and obtain treatment. Treat all household members and sexual contacts simultaneously. Wash all bedding, clothing, and towels at 60°C or above. Items that cannot be washed should be bagged for 48–72 hours. A sexual health check is also advisable as pubic lice are commonly accompanied by other STDs.

Is it safe to use hotel towels or bedding?

Yes, for STD purposes. Hotel linen is routinely laundered at temperatures that kill any pathogens. Scabies or pubic lice could theoretically survive on inadequately laundered hotel linen, but this is very uncommon in establishments with proper laundry protocols. The risk of STD transmission from hotel linens is essentially zero.

Get Tested If You Have Concerns

If you have concerns about an STD from sexual contact rather than fabric sharing, testing is the right step. Fast, confidential testing is available at sexual health clinics and online.

Related reading: Can You Get an STD from Gym Equipment? · STD Risks in Non-Sexual Settings · Can You Have an STD With No Symptoms? · What Does an STD Rash Look Like?