About

The Towel Challenge refers to two internet challenges on TikTok involving towels, including the Kitchen Sink Towel Challenge and the Duos Towel Challenge. The most prominent challenge, popularized in mid-2021, consists of two people holding towels and interlocking them, then trying to maneuver themselves free from the position without releasing their grip on the towels. The second challenge, popularized in September 2022 and originally posted in 2020, consists of one person holding a towel with both hands around a running tap and trying to free the towel from behind the water without touching the water itself.

Origin

Kitchen Sink Towel Challenge / Solo Towel Challenge

On September 8th, 2020, TikToker^[1] @aleczeegreat posted a video where she encircles a running tap with a towel and tries to maneuver the towel to the other side of the water without letting go or getting it wet, garnering over 90,000 views in two years (shown below). The challenge grew in popularity over the following years, not peaking in interest until 2022.

Duos Towel Challenge / Two Towel Challenge

On June 21st, 2021, TikToker^[2] @gabriellea_86 posted a video where she and a friend hold both sides of individual towels, interlock them, then maneuver their bodies to try and free themselves from the position without letting go of the towels (shown below). The video gained over 3 million views in a year and is the earliest known viral video showing the two towel challenge (shown below).

Spread

The two challenges spread over the following months, inspiring numerous viral videos attempting it. On July 7th, 2021, the Voros Twins attempted the challenge on YouTube and TikTok,^[3] garnering over 10 million views on the former and 15 million on the latter in a year (shown below, left). On July 11th, YouTubers Sam & Jess also posted a video attempting the challenge, garnering over 89 million views in a year (shown below, right). On July 12th, In The Know^[4] then reported on the trend.

Late 2021-2022 Kitchen Sink Towel Challenge

The solo towel challenge became increasingly popularized following the virality of the duos towel challenge, reaching a peak in popularity around September 2022. On November 22nd, 2021, TikToker^[5] @j_lehane posted a video attempting it, garnering over 16 million views in 10 months (shown below, left). On September 21st, 2022, TikToker^[6] @thiquechurchgirl then posted a video doing the challenge, garnering over 35 million views in a week (shown below, right).

On September 25th, 2022, TikToker^[7] @sb.umatiya posted a video where he does the challenge by spinning the towel around the tap, although some commenters question if he really passed the challenge as he technically let go of the towel, garnering over 2 million views in two days (shown below).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References