June 13, 2018
Everyday Tips : Reduce Paper Towels
Sometimes a quick and simple tip that can make the mundane a little easier or make your life a little better makes a BIG difference. This is a new series here on the blog where I’ll be sharing simple tips, finds, and suggestions to make life a little easier. I’ll be sharing these tips regularly on the blog and on Instagram– make sure you’re following along! See all the Everyday Tips here.
I’ve been utilizing this tip for years, it’s probably one of the first methods I shared here on the blog way back in 2009. It all started with a slight addiction to paper towels and a need to cut the budget. I was looking for any way to reduce our grocery/supplies budget and decided to see if I could find a better method for cleaning in the kitchen. I worked at quite a few restaurants over the years and kept coming back to the white bar mop towels they used to clean tables and counters. I bought a couple packages, washed them up and put them in a drawer in the kitchen. They worked but the only problem was it was too ‘out of sight’ for me to use them to wipe down the counters. I re-purposed a covered glass jar, rolled the towels up and left the jar out in place of my paper towel holder. Surprisingly, this technique worked! Not only does it work but bar mop towels clean up counters SO much better than paper towels. I love them so much that bar mop towels were the first item I had made for my shop.
Why would you want to reduce your paper towel usage?
- Paper towels are expensive and it’s nice to not have them on a shopping list.
- If they are white, they are likely bleached and might even contain formaldehyde.
- Yes, paper towels do eventually biodegrade but there is quite a bit of waste if you use them daily.
- Conventional paper towels are made from trees, using less paper towels uses less trees making bar mop towels an eco-friendly alternative.
Do you have to use bar mop towels?
Absolutely not! Use what works for you. You could use microfiber cleaning cloths, flour sack towels (coming soon to Clean Mama Home), rags, cut up t-shirts, anything that you can wash and re-use.
How do I deal with the wet bar mop towels? (I know you’re thinking it!)
Typically, I use one bar mop towel a day. I wring it out and place it over the faucet during the day. The next morning I put that bar mop towel under the sink on a hook – it’s almost dry by now – and then I take out a fresh bar mop towel for the day. Once the towel is dry I bring it (and any others) upstairs and put it in a kitchen and bar mop laundry basket. Once that is full (it’s a small basket), I launder those towels together. I wash my microfiber cleaning cloths SEPARATE from any cotton towels to keep them from picking up the lint from the towels.
What’s my method for wiping down counters?
Spray thoroughly and wipe clean with a damp bar mop towel. If I want to deep clean the counters I’ll mix up a soapy mixture in a small bowl and wipe down the counters thoroughly, drying as I go.
Do I ever use paper towels?
I have three kids and a dog – I keep paper towels on hand for the gross stuff that I wouldn’t want to wash in the washing machine. I also use them for soaking up grease from bacon when we occasionally make it.
A COUPLE OTHER POSTS AND PRODUCTS THAT YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
- You can find the products pictured and mentioned in Clean Mama Home: glass jar for the bar mop towels, bar mop towels sink side tray, spray bottles + labels
- Looking for safe paper products? Rebel Green has great options – paper towels + toilet paper
- Here’s my favorite DIY countertop spray recipe.
Affiliate links are in this post.
Mary Says
I use regular dishcloth. I keep it on the sink and change out each week. The main reason I can think of to reduce paper towel usage is to avoid cutting down trees.
Kimberly Says
Great tips! What do you find is the best method for cleaning the doors of your kitchen cabinets? What cloth do you use?
b r Says
Post authorI use bar mop towels – here’s an old post detailing my method:
https://www.cleanmama.net/2015/03/how-to-clean-woodwork-and-cupboards.html
Katie Says
My microfiber towels have a sour milk smell that I cannot get out. Most recently I washed them in hot water with a cup of white vinegar, and then washed them in hot again with a cup of baking soda. They smelled clean when I put them in the dryer, but when I pulled them out, they had the smell again. Any ideas? Thanks!
Sheri Says
My info on microfiber towels was to let them air dry only, do not put in dryer.
Jill Says
I wash all towel/wipe type things in hot water and add 1 to 1-1/2 cups Borax to the wash. I have an HE washer and have never had a problem. It’s the only combination of water/cleaner I’ve found that eliminates the smell. If it’s all bath towels, I also add my fabric softener. I use unscented detergent and softener and my towels/wipes come out smelling like….nothing. It’s wonderful! Borax acts like a natural bleach and kills the germs without actually bleaching your fabric.
Kristin Creaney Says
Do you put the borax right into the drum with the towels? And best place to get Borax (least expensive)?
Jill Says
Yep. I sprinkle it right on the towels. I buy it at Walmart, Home Depot, and Farm & Fleet (or Fleet Farm). It’s all about the same price.
Amanda Says
I bought your mini, white bar mop towels (love them) but am hesitant to use them on things like oil splatter, red wine drips, and coffee spills. I want to keep them nice and white and am worried these substances/stains won’t fully come out in the wash. What do you do?
b r Says
Post authorThanks Amanda! I rinse them thoroughly after each use and wash on hot with oxygen whitener.
aw Says
Great idea! I have a stash of old dishcloths under the sink that I use, but it would be so much handier to have them sitting out on the counter. Then the paper towels could live under the sink instead. I’ll confess that I still use paper towels when wiping down the toilet. That’s one area where I’m a germophobe and would prefer to throw something away.
Cynthia Says
How do you wash your bar mop cloths to ensure all the hard-to-remove stains come out?
b r Says
Post authorI rinse them out as I use them and find that rinsing keeps the stains away 🙂
Laura Says
To clarify, you use a damp cloth when you use the DIY Granite Counter Spray? I have been using dry microfiber and it seems to work very well. When you referenced a damp bar towel it made me wonder if I’m supposed to be using damp to wipe away more of the spray.
b r Says
Post authorI typically start with a damp cloth and follow with a dry one if necessary but it’s totally personal preference!
Jill Says
I’ve transitioned us to cloth napkins and towels and it’s wonderful. I have two little kids so messes abound and we save SO much money not using paper napkins and paper towels. The only thing we use them for is for stuff that I don’t ever want to see again – diaper explosions, dog accidents, vomit (sorry….kids) and anything involving grease or oil that would ruin the cloth towels.
Even then, I have a “special” set of stained up towels that are at our mudroom sink for when we have very muddy, paint coated, greasey hands that need washing.
Hallie Says
We still have paper towels out, but my husband used to work in restaurants and we’ve collected a good amount of kitchen towels, those are our go to for napkins, small messes, hot pads and oven mitts lol.
Elle C Says
I haven’t bought paper towels or paper napkins in over 30 years (how did I get that old?), which has saved a lot of $$. I use rags cut from 100% cotton or linen garments that are unwearable. I toss them in the wash with the rest of my kitchen linens. I use a clean dishcloth and dish towel for every sink of dishes and a clean rag for every use, so I have a fairly full load every week. I have never had an issue with my kitchen linens smelling, but that may be because I use washing soda in my washing machine.
Melanie Says
Becky, can your Marble and Granite spray be used on quartz? Thanks for all your wonderful tips and tricks!
b r Says
Post authorAbsolutely!