What To Use Instead Of Paper Towels: Greener Alternatives
Used paper towels encompass a massive part of our garbage pile. Plus, we spend a lot of bucks on buying rolls only to throw them away. We need to stop using paper towels and utilize better cleaning alternatives to save our Mother Nature. Do you know what to use instead of paper towels that are better for cleaning and economical? The answer to this can be found in our homes. Read on to learn more about better paper towel substitutes.
Best Paper Towel Alternatives
There are a lot of paper towel substitutes that are already available in our homes. We have to recycle those old unused clothes that file up in our stock rooms. Also, if you want to buy cloth cleaning towels that are crafted and designed for the purpose, businesses offer such products in the market. They created it that suits perfectly for cleaning. Here are some of it:
Microfiber
Microfiber fabric is composed of 80% polyester and 20% polyamide. Polyester is a human-made fiber derived from acid and alcohol reaction known to be wear-resistant. It lasts for more extended use, dries for a few hours, lightweight material, and wrinkle-proof. Polyamide is known for being durable, firm, and flexible. The combined materials made a high-performance cleaning towel that you can use for years. It cleans and shines glass windows, glass tables, counters, and others. It also dries up fast. You have to hang it up to dry, and you can use it again in a few hours.
Bar Mop
This kind of fabric is made up of 100% cotton. Cotton, as the oldest known fabric, best absorbs water and moisture without spreading it to other surfaces. This kind of cloth has that scrub-like feature that cleanses stains on different surfaces. You can have it as your cooking buddy as it can serve as a hand cover that protects your hand from heat and spills. Besides, this kind of fabric is lightweight and soft and dries up quickly.
Terry Towels
This kind of cloth is soft and smooth and best used to dry your hands. You can also use it as hand protection in cooking. It is the kind of fabric that is very common as our bath towel absorbs a large amount of water in the body. The old bath towels can be converted into cleaning towels because it absorbs much water, except that it dries not as quickly as other types of cleaning towels.
Flour Sack Towel
This flour sack towel is best for drying your kitchen wares. It is best for absorbing moisture and water in the dishes. You can also have it to clean your glassware, tables, counters, door, and others. It dries faster and cleans without any lint in it.
Old Used Clothes
They are the most available kind of cloth best on what to use instead of paper towels. We don’t need to look for towels in the market and maximize our used clothes. It just needs to be cut and use in the kitchen or the bathroom. It is the most practical and most economical substitute for paper towels.
Rags are what to use instead of paper towels for years. It’s long-lasting, performs better cleaning, and economical. Another good thing you did if you use a cloth towel is to help minimize household waste. By that, you are supporting our nature, our community, and ourselves.
How to Wash Cleaning Towels
In laundering cloth cleaning towels, microfibers should be separated from other fabrics. You can use bleach to sanitize the material, but never put a fabric conditioner on it as it blocks the fibers from performing their cleaning ability. Moreover, in washing the towels, you can use vinegar instead of bleach after the detergent suds are washed away. Vinegar is an acidic substance that gets rid of bacteria. It is one of the best cleaning agents for your cleaning towels and a cheap alternative for bleach. For best cleaning with this solution, soak the washed cloth towel for a minimum of 20 minutes, rinse, and hang to dry.
How to Store Cleaning Towels
Cleaning cloth towels as the best alternative to use instead of paper towels, can be stored in a drawer of your cabinet, a designated jar, a box, or anything you want. Also, it should be that the used towels have another container or a bin, so as not to contaminate other unused towels. You can file it up or roll it and put it in a jar. Learn more about paper towels here!
Conclusion
The use of paper towels is not a practical idea. The first reason is that it comprises a large percentage of the home’s garbage. Second, the environmental problem gets worse because of too much trash. It is impractical in the sense that you spend lots of money (when accumulated), use it one time, and throw it away.
For these reasons, what to use instead of paper towels is already available in our homes. We have to think about recycling our used clothes. Unknowingly by many homeowners, cloth towels best perform than paper towels. If you are afraid that using a cloth towel can cause germs or bacteria to spread, no, it doesn’t. You can use your sanitizer spray with the cloth towel for more efficient cleaning.
