Would you share a towel with your partner? Couple sparks debate over bathroom habit they thought was 'normal'

An Australian influencer has divided couples after revealing the intimate bathroom items she shares with her husband, leaving many questioning where to draw the line between comfortable and unhygienic.

From sharing towels and toothbrushes to wearing each other's clothes, every couple has their own habits that might seem perfectly normal at home but bizarre to someone else.

A recent conversation between Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith has exposed just how differently people approach personal hygiene in relationships.

Speaking on their Steph and Laura podcast, the two friends discovered they had very different ideas about what was acceptable to share with a partner.

While Steph was firmly against sharing bath towels with her husband, Josh Miller, Laura admitted she happily used the same towel as her husband - and even shared his toothbrush.

The confession left Steph disgusted and prompted a lively discussion among listeners, many of whom admitted they couldn't imagine doing the same thing.

It also raised a familiar relationship dilemma: after sharing so much, does having separate towels truly matter?

The conversation began when Laura asked Steph whether she shared a bath towel with Josh.

A recent conversation between Laura Henshaw [right] and Steph Claire Smith [left] has exposed just how differently people approach personal hygiene in relationships

Steph said the couple had their own towels, although her husband frequently ignored the arrangement.

'This is so stupid. We do [have dedicated towels], and I know of them, but we've never really spoken of if he's on the left and I'm on the right,' she explained.

'He just uses whatever's there, which annoys me.'

Laura admitted she wasn't particularly bothered by the same behaviour.

But Steph pointed out one obvious problem: reaching for a towel after a shower only to discover someone else had already used it.

'That's so annoying. Because it's wet. You want to go have your shower and use your towel and it's damp,' she said.

Laura had a simple solution.

'I just check which one is the least damp,' she replied.

While Steph was firmly against sharing bath towels with her husband, Laura [pictured] admitted she happily used the same towel as her husband - and even shared his toothbrush

Steph, however, had another reason for keeping her towel to herself.

'I also don't trust that he's washing himself as thoroughly as I am,' she admitted.

'It's another body, it's a man's body, I don't want to put his butt crack on my face.'

She clarified that Josh did wash himself, but said the thought of using a towel that had been rubbed over someone else's body still made her uncomfortable.

Laura then revealed a second habit that Steph found even harder to understand.

'I share a towel and I also share a toothbrush,' she said.

'That's disgusting,' Steph replied.

Laura attempted to justify the arrangement by explaining that the toothbrush was electric, although she didn't elaborate on whether they shared the same brush head.

Steph refused to accept the explanation.

'No! We've done that when we don't have a choice, but that's not a daily thing,' she said.

Steph said the couple had their own towels, although her husband frequently ignored the arrangement

While sharing a towel can come down to personal preference, dentists generally recommend keeping toothbrushes separate because sharing brush heads can transfer bacteria and other microorganisms between people.

The exchange highlighted how easily couples can develop habits without ever discussing them. One partner might consider a towel a personal item, while the other sees it as something clean and available to anyone in the bathroom.

While some are happy to share almost everything, others believe a little separation is perfectly healthy, even after decades together.

Listeners were quick to share their own household rules, with several admitting they were firmly on Steph's side.

'Steph is correct here! Absolutely no way is my husband allowed to touch my towel,' one woman wrote.

Another was surprised that sharing towels was even a point of contention.

'This is bizarre. We have always had our own towel rack each and use our own towel,' she said.

One listener revealed her husband's family used to share towels until an unfortunate incident changed their minds.

'My hubby's family used to share towels until someone had a fungal infection on their toes and spread it to someone else (somewhere else),' she explained.

'From then on my hubby never shared towels with them (or anyone) again! I could never.'

Another woman said marriage hadn't changed her personal boundaries.

'Oh, no way! My husband and I have been together 26 years and we have never shared a towel or a toothbrush,' she said.

The debate is likely to resonate with anyone who has moved in with a partner and discovered their definition of normal isn't necessarily universal.