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Paper towels are just another form of non-recyclable paper wasteand you probably use them a lot more often than necessary. On average, according to the US Census and the Simmons National Consumer Survey (NHCS), there are quite a few 45.3 million Americans Use eight or more rolls of paper towels per month. As a single-use product, paper towels are inherently wasteful (especially the more absorbent, multi-layer brands) and can contribute to deforestation. They’re expensive too – with the U.S. making up almost half of the consumer market, shared according to data from The Atlantic– and if you don’t compost it, use it if you don’t just need to add one more piece of junk to ours massive landfills.
Using a napkin or paper towel to clean up a spilled or wiped sink can be a habit to resort to when you could use a sponge. Personally, I was forced to reassess my paper towel addiction after surviving Thanksgiving in my sister’s paperless home. As I cleaned up one spill or mess after another with a sponge or tea towel instead of a paper towel, I began to wonder why I even use paper towels. Then as the ham started leaking all over the counter and floor, I remembered that sometimes you want to be able to clean up the mess and toss it in the trash.
I’m not suggesting that we get rid of paper towels, but we could probably all bear using them less often. Here are some examples of when paper towels are worthwhile, and others when you’re probably better off snapping up something reusable instead.
Towels or sponges are more efficient on rough surfaces
With paper towels on rough or textured surfaces such as grout is a waste of time. The paper towels will tear or leave particles, adding to the mess you want to clear up. Use a sponge or brush for these tasks. It will withstand the pressure required to clean that rough surface and you can use it over and over again.
Soak up spills on carpets with a towel
The same applies to wiping carpets. If the carpet spills, a towel or washcloth is better than a paper towel. Paper towels don’t have the absorbency of a towel, and if you press them into the carpet (or, heaven forbids, try to scrub the spot), you only will Add shredded tissue fibers into the mix. Instead, invest in more absorbent cleaning wipes that will soak up the spill better and leave no marks.
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Use microfiber for glass, mirrors, and electronics
Your electronics generally require a softer touch than rough paper – and so do glass and mirrors. The tiny fibers in paper towels can scratch things like touchscreens and glasses. Instead of reaching for a paper towel to wipe your paper Gaming controller, Tablets, cell phones and other surfaces with microfiber cloths instead.
Use a cloth for small dirt and grime
It can be difficult thoughtlessly rid of a paper towel to clean up minor spills and spills, but these are just the times when you would do the best to use a reusable towel instead. Paper towel Commercials remind us all the time how absorbent they are when it comes to spilled juice and milk, but you can just as easily and probably more efficiently clean the orange juice with a washcloth or sponge –Swedish tea towels are a nice alternative; They are reusable and take up many times their weight.
Wipe your hands
You most likely don’t use paper towels in your home bathroom to dry your hands (that would be a huge waste of paper!), So there is no reason to use them in the toilet this way Kitchen while you cook. The sink is right there; Lift all of the food off your hands, then dry them on a tea towel. Speaking of which: never use paper towels to dry dishes.
Use paper towels as fat
A grease clean, on the other hand, might be worth a paper towel or two. Fat and oils Like olive oil, butter can stain cloths and make them difficult to reuse. Use a paper towel to remove excess grease or other substances that can make a cleaning cloth unusable. And you can still vary your habits to use them less often (e.g. by placing fatty bacon on a metal rack instead of a paper towel).
Clean up pet clutter with paper towels
If your puppy has an accident or the cat coughs a hairball, it can be difficult to grab the washcloth and use it again later to clean your countertops. Just use a paper towel and throw it all away. We want to reduce here. You can work as hard as you want – just remember that while you can wash and sanitize washcloths frequently, you can Amount of water used This can negate some of the environmental benefits of avoiding paper towels.