Make sure to read to the bottom of the post for tips on how to break your paper towel habit, plus a breakdown of the cost of conventional paper towels vs. zero waste paper towel alternatives. Nicely detailed post. I'm trying to slowly shift over to using fewer and fewer paper towels. There is just me here, but I keep tp for the company I have that might object to no tp. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for stopping by! In college I felt my life was busy and out of control. My MIL, who uses a roll of paper towels a day, finds it very odd and always brings a roll or two when she comes to visit (overnight)! For other dusting jobs, they are perfect. I love them because they are so durable. You can also choose from a great selection of drying mats, which you can use to dry lettuce and ditch the paper towel for good! These are frugal living, paper towel alternatives. I had never thought about the fact that we do this but apart from napkins we do use cloth for everything else. Developed & Maintained by Ideal for drying hands, glasses, dishes, and cutlery. Have at least 8.Rags. I think it does bring the grocery bill way down. Buy them in bulk and save some cash. The point is to get it out of arms' reach. The sun does destroy germs. We recently started using bar mop towels instead of paper towels, and I love it! I use a piece of paper bag for draining bacon. This is something I've been wanting to do forever but have been too lazy to do. You can make them using old fabric you have laying around the house. All the colors and patterns are just so cute. I don't take napkins we didn't use, that's robbery and costly to other customers. I have baskets in key areas of the home, one labeled clean and one labeled dirty, this way your family knows exactly what to do with the dirty ones. Do a paper towel audit, take a moment to think about how you are currently using paper towels in your home. He sticks with cotton hankies and I like that they're way more environmentally friendly (and that I can make them out of old pillow cases that have thinned in patches but still have some use in them!) It's the quick-dry aspect that is a real game-changer for me and it will be for you, too. Think about how much paper towel you would use to clean up a spilled glass of juice. The brand's parent company, Canada Sponge & Chamois Ltd., does produce some synthetic products, but we've included this product because it's available at many large retailers at a more accessible price point (a package of 10 towels retails for between $9.99 to $13.49 depending on the retailer). The towels are SO useful and durable! When I came to the U.S. 7 years ago from Australia I was shocked at how much Americans rely on paper towels for everything. My only issue is making sure that we have an abundance of them washed at all times. Make sure you check with your local municipality. thank you for posting though. I think it was like 8 rolls or something. It became "on purpose" late last summer when we started doing recycling projects with my son. I think my next step is just keeping rags easily accessible so I won't be tempted to go the "easy" route when I have a big spill. We switched from paper tissues to hankies last year and it has been great! So, a combination works best for us. We decided to give up the paper towels, and it hasn't been that big of a deal since. I use these in my home for dusting and on glass and mirrors. Once used rinse with super hot water and toss in the wash. You can basically use these for most cleaning jobs in the house. These from Your Green Kitchen are so cute! I have kitchen cloths, kitchen towels, bathroom cloths, bathroom towels, and then miscellaneous towels for other spills and such. One sponge will cost you $6. I keep at least 12 of them on hand all the time. I love that they are color-coded: blue for all-purpose, yellow for a zero waste kitchen, and green for tub 'n tile. I keep old rags and cloths under the sink specifically for these kinds of messes. (We also cloth diaper and use washable cloths instead of wipes!). What do you do with soaking up grease (from bacon or sausage)? You can use these to dry off raw meat and clean up after using meat in the kitchen. Honestly, I enjoy folding towels/rags as it takes about 2 minutes and I feel like I've accomplished something! If these are all you have, then go ahead and use them. Just out of curiosity: here in Brazil, almost everyone uses rags for cleaning activities. My first solo space, a new job, a new cityeverything. Thank you for this post. Each roll comes with 5x 9.5'' x 10'' sheets that are thinner than the regular KLIINs, making them a very close replica of the conventional paper towel. Lets get a close-up on the savings to your wallet AND the environment by going green: Paper towels vs. Unpaper towels! I was hooked right away. Have you ever heard of them? She was using Anchor brand of a heavy ply.As for draining paper for your frying etc., if you go to the paper craft suppliers and even packaging suppliers, you can get butcher's paper which is the best in the world and it can double as paper for the kids to create wonderful art that you can gift to granny or use as wrapping paper for gifts.Cheers. Vinegar is a disinfectant. I get it. But when you compare the carbon footprint of pricing paper towels vs. washing them at home, the latter is the better option. I'm from Brazil and always read your blog! They are beautifully made. Marley's Monsters is one of the biggest eco-friendly online zero waste shops. As many as 51,000 trees per day are required to replace the number of paper towels discarded every day. Adding too much vegetable oil to compost slows down the composting process. Keeping plenty of safe, accessible cleaning supplies on hand is part of providing a healthy cooking environment that allows you to spend less time worried about sticky surfaces and more time on experimentation with flavors and having fun! I never use paper towels anymore! Are you trying too, but have no idea where to start? They are also very versatile, so you can use them in the bathroom or for washing windows or mirrors. So you won't even notice a difference. First, there are the resources needed to produce them, which involves cutting down old-growth forests. Heres how to buy the best towels online whether for home use or for outdoor use.Best Bath Towels. The only thing I was grateful about was that I didn't buy them. My mom used to have some like that! They have so many products to choose from like reusable sponges, reuseable toilet paper (yep you read that right), and of course the best reusable paper towels! I have lots of dish towels for the kitchen. No, I have been using mine for 20 years and have never noticed a massive difference. Make a bunch of cloth towels. Another adorable Canadian Etsy Shop that sells a huge range of the most environmentally friendly paper towel alternatives. Then there's all the water and bleach it takes to actually manufacture them. You also have the option of a large sponge cloth mat, which is perfect for bigger messes and for use as a dish drying mat. I keep all cloth and reuse it in a rag bag. I'm so glad to have read that others do n't use them either because my husband thinks I'm a freak! While I hope this article inspires you to live with less waste in one more aspect of your life, I hope you are kind to yourself in the transition process. I hate using paper towels in my house. and often we use napkins that aren't really soiled. Also, if you use scrap cloth rather than buying new, youll be just making the most of something that otherwise would have been thrown away. No chemicals or cleaners needed. While I did a lot to reduce my waste there were many times when convenience took priority. I have Norwex microfiber cloths for EVERYTHING. The environmental cost of the fabric has already been spent, so by repurposing, you are diverting textiles from the landfill. I want to acknowledge that the country we call Canada is made up of the traditional lands of many Indigenous Peoples who continue to endure and thrive. :-). I was born in 1960. 3 Environmental Bonuses: 1-Fabric towels are more absorbent and resilient than paper towels. Love them!In discussing this topic with my DH though, he says he wants to go 100% paper. You need to be a real pro at composting. If you use paper towel you know you have to use more than one piece off the roll. These are easy to wash, too simply place them in the washing machine or in the top rack of the dishwasher up to 300 times. We use very little paper because we have a limited budget (one reason).I need to get some bar towels along with more Norwex clothes. My dad would repurpose every bit of fabric in the house, from retired bedsheets to old undies for cleaning cloths, and because this was pre polyester days, dead ones would be laundered and go out into his compost bin.For the super crafty out there, get some cotton of a decent weight and knit yourself cleaning cloths. Resource Guide for Anti-Racism Food Systems Work, Resource Guide for Supporting Indigenous Food Sovereignty. #gross. Huck Towels are another really good substitute for paper towels. How do you do that? The regular sponge cloth is 17 cm x 20 cm [6.75" x 8"] and is perfect for all the things I mentioned above. I keep a seperate laundry hamper in a closet right by my kitchen where I dump all my rags from both the kitchen and bathroom cleaning. You can also wash these paper towel alternatives in the dishwasher or washing machine. Think about that damp, stinky yellow sponge you've used over and over! I use very few paper towels anymore. In fact, I think they smell cleaner than they did when I used to try to just use some bleach in the laundry. I put them in the car pockets where they are handy and quickly reached. They also make beeswax wraps with 100% organic cotton and ethically sourced beeswax. If you found this post helpful, please help someone by sharing this article sharing is caring ! I have applied this same principle to my dirty clothes. Now I've become used to using them too unfortunately. I work hard to create this blog. I didn't think I'd need one until I used it. I don't think I will buy them anymore. Your email address will not be published. So affordable. When KLIIN ships your goodies, they will arrive in a compostable mailer from noissue. Ten & Co. was founded by Christen, who takes sustainability into account in every aspect of her business. Acnam Infotech. I want you to move your roll away from where it's easily accessible. Thats something very useful to practice every day. These are not the only options. Reuse. I had the chance to meet the owner, Marie-Pierre, a few years back at the Green Living Show, and she was kind enough to gift me some of her amazing cloths. !The best part of Norwex microfiber? I love that you can find these at places like HomeSense, Well.ca, and Whole Foods. We use paper towels too, but just for a few things. They're super easy to wring out completely (and I mean completely!) Required fields are marked *. Going green doesnt have to be expensive. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, your love for the Lord, and your wit and humor through life! So Swedish Cloths are amazing for cleaning up and they are just one option you can choose. These Etsy reusable paper towels have soft cotton on one side and super absorbent terry cloth on the other. Are you using it to wipe up gross messes from kids and pets (hello fur ball)? Over time, its product line has expanded, keeping with its mission to offer efficient, quality, eco-friendly products. I had bought 30 towels on clearance, so you wouldn't think that it would be hard to keep a steady supply. :). My guests don't mind at all -- usually they comment on how civilized we are with our dinner linens! By having a scent youre excited about, you can focus on how clean the kitchen is getting, rather than the fact that you arent using a perfectly bleached piece of paper to clean your space. Many stores market new rags as sustainable, but they still used a lot of water, chemicals and energy to produce. I haven't bought paper towels since before my daughter was born! Love your ideas! Anyway, we do use a lot of paper napkins. I hope this post has given you enough information on how to ditch paper towels once and for all. All for an item destined for a landfill after a single use, generating methane as it decomposes. Have at least 24 of them. Tissue napkins are considered fancy! I tried giving up paper towels, but get stuck on what to do here. Unpaper Towels are either smooth on both sides or smooth on one side and lightly textured on the other; making them a great dual-purpose clean-up cloth for your home. Then they need to be shipped all over the country (or the globe). Im talking about 30-50 scraps of cloth here folks. This is a great way to pick your favorite scents and keep your plastic waste to a minimum. I am giving this as an option because I know how hard it is to make the switch. Wed love to hear from you. It is so encouraging and addicting to read through all your different articles and actually know someone understands what you are going through! The best beach towels are different from the best bath towels and the fabric material used alone should tell the difference. In Toronto, where I live you can put cooking oil in the green bin. From veggie puns to holiday patterns, dish towels are a go-to gift from my family and friends and a favorite purchase at farmers markets and Goodwill. They even have a reusable garbage liner. Then when we are done, we rush out to buy more, and the cycle just goes on and on. Great post :)I'd happily not have kitchen roll but mum brings one every time she visits! This fall I was getting ready to move to a new apartment. I just think they are a waste of money.. lol. I made cloth napkins about 12 years ago when I made my napkins. Okay yeah, you might do 2 more loads a month (if youre super clean) but paper towels require an extraordinary amount of water to produce, so by reusing cloth youre actually reducing your net water use. Thanks for the tips!xo kerri at HollyMuffin. Hubby does like it too, but mostly we use cloths. I'm pretty sure they get by just fine in Africa without paper towels, why can't we? it's lending thought. Something has gone terribly wrong. I love this concept. I have a friend that makes them and she just loves them. Keep sponges on hand. Ten & Co. is a Canadian brand that I love. I live in Spain, and here the cleaning clothes are the usual thing. I went on a kick called 100 days of less and day 37 was all about using rags vs. paper towels. However, I just use a dedicated sponge for cleaning the bathroom and my rags are only used for drying. AND you can use them to clean absolutely anything! Financial Cost of Purchased: Unpaper towels cost $45-$55 + the cost of laundering at home, so you would be saving $25-35 annually. They are made from cellulose fiber and are fully compostable, quick-drying, and naturally antibacterial. Find other goodies like trivets (handmade in Toronto) and tea towels. I've never gone and fully gotten rid of them though. Bar mop towels for everyday spills and messes. But, I hate wasting products. I do spend a bit more doing an extra load or two of laundry each month, but it feels better to be spending money on reusing something rather than buying more waste. They'll have a nice texture and will be great for scrubbing pots as well. I'm inspired to try again. Hey! I went to the thrift store for old towels and fabric and made them. I use a dishcloth for everything (a different one for different jobs, of course :)) and old rags for the really messy things.Your stash of towels looks so neat and inspiring!Also, the bigger font is back! Yep. I find new, neer used washcloths, dishtowels and dishcloths at yard sales and thrift stores. Some grease or red wine stains just dont come out, and ruining a veggie pun towel is not a fun day. Cloth napkins are the most obvious choice. It's not part of our culture to clean the kitchen and bathroom with paper towels (actually it's even kind of funny - the paper stuff would just melt in your hands LOL). When they dry they do harden, but you can just add some water and they will be back in action. I put them through the washer on ultra hot to get the grease and grime off, but dont worry about a spare pair of nice underwear getting caught in the mix. One of the major pros is that they can be placed on a paper towel rack and be pulled off in the same way. I am a Mom of 7 and it's been hard. These are durable and can handle the messiest of messes. A pack of three small ones will cost you $9.99. They will take about 28 days to break down, and then you've got the perfect fertilizer for your garden! COST- Paper Towels for a family of 4:Financial Cost: At $1.57 per paper towel roll and using 1 roll per week (a very conservative number), this home accessory would annually cost you $81.64. Thanks for the tips will have to put them to use! Reuse. Out of sight out of mind. Follow this link to look up your favorite products. We only share brands we truly believe in. You can even get them on a cardboard roll, just make sure to recycle it when you are done! Another really great feature of these is how absorbent they are. These do not have the terry cloth on the back, but will still do a great job at cleaning up smaller messes. These do come wrapped in plastic, which I don't love. Drop a note in the comments below. Then when I moved in we used the last of the paper napkin stash he had and haven't looked back since. The one thing I will note is they do come in reusable plastic bags and that's because the towels are packaged damp (which gives them a soft, cushion feel), whereas the others are dry. I've already stopped using paper towels for cleaning and as napkins. These frugal living paper towel alternatives are designed in Canada but manufactured in Sweden, a country known for its sustainability. So without further ado Here are some quick tips for quitting paper towels! We've cut back but I haven't managed to cut out altogether. Thanks for the tip about using paper bags. Lucky for me, my amazing mother was getting rid of a bunch of t-shirt scraps and cut them up and to make a big basket of cloth rags. Love this idea - I also found that using rags vs. paper towels was a good choice. Dont have them around. Easy, simply sprinkle some baking soda onto the spill, it will absorb the grease and then you wipe it clean it using any of the alternatives I have mentioned above. Environmental Cost: Paper towels are made from a combination of wood fibers and water combined to produce a pulp. heheCheers! But hopefully, my tips plus these 8 paper towel alternatives will set you up for success. Try to choose natural fibers if you can. Do you have another way that you are seeking to reduce waste in your kitchen? Kelly, I have a friend who had done this and I was like, girl, you're crazy, but then I saw a similar product to the "unpaper towels" and thought how cute! Please don't steal my work. I often beat myself up for not doing more to live more sustainably. Cast on 4 stitches, and in alternate rows (3,5,7 each) increase a stitch each end until there is 50 of them, and then decrease in alternate rows by two until you have 4 stitches left and cast off. The rag bag gets used if I step in dog or chicken poop and do not want to wash the rag. That is a really good idea. Hmmm, probably the grocery store? it's a virtuous goal but my germ worries and minimalism would have to take a huge backseat to color coded cleaning rags and complex laundry combinations. Here is a list of what's not compostable at home and what worms can actually eat. It's not that handy with a stack of cloths in the bag during snot-season? I picked them up here and there at thrift stores and also pulled out all the good ones we never used because I'd been saving them for special occasions. I often hang these towels on my oven handle or somewhere in my kitchen, but its essential that I keep the rags close so that I can grab them in a pinch instead of a nice dish towel that I care about. I keep my paper towel replacements color-coded: dark ones are for the kitchen and lighter ones for the bathroom. I do keep napkins on hand for parties but I can buy them on sale and don't really follow any theme. I keep the excess oil to oil my cast iron pot. Machines (powered by oil) are used to roll the pulp out, removing excess water and creating each ply of the paper towel. With that said my mother in law came into town to help my husband out with our kids and went out and bought a whole package of bounty. Waste. Copyright 2016 - 2022 The Eco Hub. Allergy season runs for about 6 weeks here and we were getting painful red noses (not to mention the trash build-up), so I cut up and old bed sheet and store the hankies folded in a left-over tissue box. Interested in learning about the safety of different products on the market? We earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Cut them up into sets of 12. We are using cloth for cleaning, and I would like to make the switch with napkins too. This post contains affiliate links. 11 Eco Friendly Refillable Cleaning Products For Your Home, 13 Zero Waste Dish Soap Brands For Greasy Dishes. For many years, managing my restaurant, Yes very efficient to used paper towels, but I do preferred used cloth towels, for many reason towels is more absorbent than paper towels that's the main one, then you can wash it then used it all over again. We haven't used paper towels/napkins in our house for years. So, during my move I simply decided to not buy paper towels. Maybe I'm gross, but I don't really worry about having separate cloths for kitchen and bathroom. Do you use it when cooking to absorb grease? I love our Norwex stuff too and am slowly building our supply. Because they are so soft and easy to use, you can actually end up replacing napkins, sponges, and even dish towels. And with stats like these, it's a no-brainer: I'd really love to hear from you. Keeping a clean kitchen is essential for food safety and feeling comfortable while cooking. SAVE- UnPaper Towels (DIY or Purchased) for a family of 4:Financial Cost of DIY: Cut up an old t-shirt or bed sheet to an 11x11 inch square. Thank you for subscribing to The Eco Hub. Dont use nice tea towels or dish towels that you care about. Sorry! Typically, they will last 2-3 months with average wear and tear, but these cloths can be used up to 6-12 months or 200 wash cycles. These are actually paper towel alternative that is thicker, which I love. They absorb 15 times their own weight in liquid, which is of a cup! But hey, every little step counts, right? I've already used them to clean up all sorts of food-related messes and they've handled every job perfectly! They can be washed over and over again and will retain their absorbency and softness. Just one Swedish dishcloth will replace 17 rolls of paper towels! 2-After the initial purchase, you never have to re-stock: just launder and put them back in the kitchen. I wash everything together with bath towels. If you have a compost bin in your backyard you can put a little bit of oil into it and it must be either corn oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, or rapeseed oil. HOW TO MAKE THE SWITCH! I had recently moved from New York back to my home state of Oregon and was eager to live in a way that reflected my values. I realized I was also spending a lot of money on water and laundry detergent (both of which are not eco-conscious) and A LOT of time folding towels. after each use. If you are using toxic chemicals to clean your house along with paper towels, I'd avoid adding tat to your compost as the chemical can harm the macro and microorganisms. Hopefully, you get the point. Wood fibers can come from trees or recycled paper. They are incredible! Oh well. You can also make your own cleaning spray using 1/2 cup white vinegar (distilled), 1/2 cup water and 12 to 24 drops of your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle. The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking. Easy, Thrifty, Pretty Rag Quilt {Tutorial}. Plus, they're manufactured right in Toronto! What I really love is the roll. Choosing eco-friendly paper towel alternatives is better for your home, your pocketbook, and the planet. A peroxide-based bleach is used to brighten and whiten, a wet strength agent that makes it more water-resistant. Please reach out and share with us on Instagram, Facebook, or shoot us an email! Keeping in mind this is for 1 roll when you multiply it by 8 rolls, it is almost $1k a year in savings. Great for travel and on-the-go. You can find some pretty cute ones at your local thrift store. Browse through all the blog posts over the years. Very functional and they stick together really well when rolled up. As I moved in, I made a few simple changes (outlined below) and found that I really never missed them. Here in England I doubt you'd find paper towels for sale - we use fabric for everything except snotty noses these days - and my husband is even an exception to that! Using a cloth, wipe up the mess, shake off the bits that get stuck on the cloth, then rinse and toss the cloth directly into the laundry. Not don't get me wrong: I know how challenging it is to make the switch. Your email address will not be published. Your cloth's lifespan is dependent on how you use your cloth and your personal preferences. Rather than being necessary for keeping a clean cooking space, paper towels and Lysol wipes are just an easy convenience that companies have convinced us we need for clean spaces. Use a baking sheet that has a rack on top of it. To make one ton of paper towels 17 trees and 20,000 gallons of water are polluted. As you can see it's pretty complicated and it's why most people just end up throwing it in the garbage! I use vinegar in the final rinse and mostly line dry everything except for when my allergies are acting up, it is freezing or raining. Many blessings to you! At those times, I hang things on hangers in doorways or use the dryer. If youre a kitchen nerd like me (which if youre on Grounded Grub you probably are) you may have an obsession with cute dish towels too. The content of this website belongs to me. These sponges have been a staple in Scandinavian homes for over 60 years. We're a fully re-usable family here - except when it comes to toilet paper because no please and thank you. I suggested it before we got married and started his home to have a paper-free kitchen months before we married. All washing is done at 30C with homemade wash powder, except nappies which get done at 40C. Rinse and then launder the cloth. I rarely use paper towels anymore but still buy them. Guests are surprised when I hand out cloth napkins at meal time but they seem to just jump right in and welcome how much better they work anyways. If you absolutely can't part with paper towels at least opt for something a little more sustainable. But it's better than buying tree paper in plastic though! About how many cloth napkins do you have? Change takes time, but I know you can do it! She just couldn't live without them. It's super convenient to have if you just need to wash one glass and dish. Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment. Paper products that we use in the kitchen (and a zero waste bathroom) like towels and napkins have a massive environmental footprint. I think the key really is to have enough towels around so no one misses the "real" paper towels. Caboo tree-free household paper products are made from renewable bamboo and sugarcane not trees! Hi KellyI can't remember when paper towels came into being. 10 Best Zero Waste Laundry Detergents You Can Buy! They are always coming up with more products, so stay tuned! Tea Towels can be used in the kitchen to clean up after cooking, I bet you have a ton of these! Now I think I have at least 10 of them! Easier on the nose and the wallet, with a minimal amount of laundry added to the week. Put it in the pantry, or under the sink. I have a mesh bag hanging on the inside of my cupboard under the sink for my dirty clothes, then I toss the bag in the washing machine. They can get a little drab, but they do the job just fine! Lots of germs and bacteria sit on those sponges. I really admire the efforts you (and your family) make to reduce the footprint you are going to leave on this Earth. If you are cleaning up plant-based messes, dirt, or water, then compost them.