Instead of using paper towels for everyday spills and wipes – consider purchasing multi purpose clothes that you can keep on your counter to use instead.
A key for me was buying one type of cloth (I can’t keep whites white) so I opted for a easier color. They are kept on my counter folded in half in the lid of a rectangular basket, so they look neat and tidy.
Mine happened to come from Walmart – I paid under $3 for 12 of these moss green clothes. I use them to cover food in the microwave, clean up spills, wipe the kids, wipe the counters, basically any where I’d use a paper towel. Once they’ve been used – I have a bin under my sink they get put there while they wait a few days to be laundered.
I purchased 3 packs of the clothes and I have to wash them about once every 5 days.
Pictured is how they look in my home and where they are stored under my sink while they await laundering.
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I feel like i use SO MANY paper towels every day. How have your Walmart towels held up? And what about when they’re super wet – won’t they get moldy sitting under the sink for five days? Also – you really can’t wash them with anything else – so it’s basically a very small load you’re doing when you wash them, right?
Tell me about it! It has cut our use down incredibly – my husband is even using them now… finally.
I wring them out and if they get really wet I dry them outside before I put them under the sink. I actually wash them with my dishtowels, hand towels and cloth napkins and I have a washing machine that adjusts the water level to the load. But with all those items it’s a good sized small load.
This is a fabulous solution to paper towels. I have also been doing it for quite some time. You will soon feel that paper towels will become a foreign concept. Another suggestion is that you can go to the fabric store and purchase a fabric similiar to a microfiber texture. One made of polyester. They make great paper towel subsitutes as well as they absorb alot of water and work great for dusting and they can be cut into any size you would like.
This is a great idea! I have been attempting to do the same thing in my house but couldn’t figure out the storage solution for the dirty ones! Thanks!
Good idea. I guess it work just to use cut up old clothes too, old t-shirts, vests, etc.
That would work too!
It might not appeal to those who want a replacement that looks as good and functions well!
I used this system for years in my high school art class — the kids used to go through gobs of paper towels for the tiniest of spills!
I cut old bath towels into 8.5 X 6.5 inch rectangles & zigzagged the edges. This seemed a good size for most art room clean up.
I do this too, but the ones I bought at Costco are sooo flimsy they often fall apart after one wash (or IN the wash)… kinda defeats the purpose! Mine came in a pack of one million, but after they all get trashed from scrubbing too hard, I will have to try Walmart for an upgraded replacement!
The ones I picked up at walmart have lasted over a year. So no problems with durability. I was also at Marshall’s and found some same color bundles that were well priced and looked durable.
I got some beige ones from Walmart and I love them. My husband still occasionally complains about not having paper towels if there is something particularly gross to clean up but I remind him that that’s what the cloths are for. They are washable and I don’t care if they get stained!
Don’t get me wrong. We still have the paper – recycled – primarily for pet messes. We use about 10% of our prior consumption.
Great idea. I’ve been cutting down on paper use, and this tip will help even more. Thanks!
Glad you like it! Let me know how it turns out!
Works for me! I use old t-shirts for cleaning and replacing paper towels. The rags, along with the cloth napkins, go in the normal laundry on weekends.
I would really like to get rid of paper towels in 2011! I am worried though about completely switching over as we have a 2 year old that has not potty learned, a dog, and a cat.
That’s how things work in our household! We still use them, but so many less than before.
I use cloth diapers from Target, 12 for around 9 bucks. Mine are not stored nearly as cute though 😉
There was a sale on microfiber hand towels are Target and we loaded up, buying about 8-10 dozen. Its going on 3 years now, and these rags have held up much better than I ever expected. We’ve saved a fortune on paper towels, and of course feel good about not generating all that waste.
It’s really not that difficult right?!? Glad to hear it worked well for you guys.
Very good idea to save on paper towels but … Paper towels can be recycled, it is a paper anyway.Small flow I can see, you need to wash cloth towels so laundry is more often than, you use more water and detergent. If not, what do you do? If you have small home-based water recycling plant than your are excused :)On the other thing, I like your blog, its “Pure Natural Diva” title and colour because is green of course
however I’m a bit confused about your use of microwave?!? This device is dangerous and food heated-up in it is completely unhealthy, stripped form natural energy, radiated and have no value to us what so ever.Why do you do this to yourself? All the bestTomas
Thanks Tomas. Soiled paper towels can’t be recycled, although they can be composted… depending on what has soiled them. I’m washing our clothes with laundry that is already being done, so adding extra cloth isn’t changing things much in our laundry, but may be a factor for some. All in all… growing trees, logging trees, getting the trees to paper, bleaching, processing, warehousing, transporting and such I believe if we studied it in depth we’d find home laundering won in the long run. We also use HE low water machines in our house… every little bit helps!
I do use the microwave. Not extensively, but I haven’t read enough evidence to compel me to give it up completely. At the end of the day you have to make it work for your family. It makes me CRAZY that my mom won’t ever use the microwave.
Thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts!
Point taken. Indeed, The whole process of making paper towels is not eco friendly. Maybe if made of recycled paper or other material. Composting is a also a good idea
I personally never had a microwave and try to avoid food made with its use. Agree, it is faster but in my understanding of cooking using a gas cooker is much healthier. But hey, life is too short and if this is what helps you out … you choose the way 
All the best Tomas