Question

I can't believe it took me this long to figure out I can save on paper towels. We were paying about $30/month on Bounty paper towels. I just got reusable bamboo towels off Amazon. 60 sheets for $15 and apparently can be washed 120 times. Has anyone else switched to these to save money? We are a family of 7 so we go through A LOT.  

Answer 1

We just cut up flour sack towels and use those as we would paper towels. They can be used forever.  

Answer 2

I wish but my husband is like "if I want something reusable, I'll use a rag we already have. The point of using paper towels is on things you want in the trash, never to return. "

Answer 3

And I agree. Having an old sick dog and two little kids we need the disposable towels.  But I still try to cut back. I use a bunch of regular towels if we have a big spill, rather than a whole roll of paper towels, for example.  

Comments

@helterskelter ohmygosh we just got a puppy and my paper towel usage has shot through the roof!  

Answer 4

A big pack of paper towels from Costco lasts us about a year. We’ve always used towels to clean things up. I never knew people exclusively used paper towels.  

Answer 5

I only use paper towels for animal messes, and for those I want to throw them away. The reusable ones shrink in the wash but do last, they’re just not really practical for animal messes.  

Comments

@glans same for me!  

Answer 6

After watching Miko’s video on YouTube, I use a rag and spray bottle. I rarely buy paper towels and they last long because I resort to the rag

Answer 7

We use cloth napkins and have saved a ton. We went through a roll of paper towels every few days and I decided that was ridiculous!  

Comments

Same! My husband said “are we poor or something? We can’t even get paper towels?! ”  they were using paper towels to dry their hands so we were going through a roll a day! I stopped buying them years ago.  

Answer 8

I would love to do this, but my husband is a mechanic (literally cannot have anything white in the house) and I foster dogs, currently having 9 puppies. That’s a whole lot of  so I go through about a roll every 2 days

Comments

@leis8070 are you not able to wash shop towels? It was just a few decades ago when mechanics regularly used rags to clean their hands.  

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@swipple1 yes and no. You absolutely can, however they are very hard to get clean and leave a film of funk on your washer

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@leis8070 , thanks for fostering.  

Answer 9

We don't use paper towels at all. We use rags around the house, cloth napkins, and microfiber for glass cleaning.  

Answer 10

Honestly, with items of convenience, I like to consider what people did before those items were invented and see if it's cost effective and environmentally friendly to do it.  

Answer 11

Can you post the link to these bamboo towels please? Ive never seen them before but they sound like a good alternative to my excessive paper towel use

Answer 12

I buy packs of white towels that are sold at like Harbor Freight stores. usually a dozen and about 50 cents each. Use all over for whatever paper towel replacement needs, toss in wash and use until they fall apart. Saves TONS of  

Comments

You can also buy inexpensive bulk packs of washcloths as well (8 to 10 for $5/$6) and do the same.  

Answer 13

I heard about the bamboo paper towels and have been waiting patiently for a spot in my budget i could work them in. Maybe next month. I literally use 10+ a day and the idea of washable is genius- but no cloth, the convenience of a roll is better for our usage! Lemme know how they are! I know it will save us a ton too

Answer 14

What about cooking with oil? We usually have the paper towels for taking excess oil off but have y’all tried it with cloth towels ? Does the fabric stick to the food?  

Comments

@leis8070 Parker I almost took a picture of my meal Tonight for my private Instagram! I fried up some potatoe tacos tonight. I have two dish towels that I have used for my grease towels for years. They get used and tossed in the washing machine. I put them with my dish towels and only use them for greasy food/frying towels. So easy and work so much better! Counter is always clean after (because they are thicker than paper towels) and no waste

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@boylan but what about your plumbing? Doesnt it build up?  

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@giddy that’s a good question. I haven’t ever thought of that and I’ve never had an issue in years

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@boylan my city has a large campaign about what doesnt go down the drain because of build up.  

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@leis8070 Parker I do that too. There’s not a lot of grease on the towel after. I let the food drip in the basket and then put it on the towel. The towels are never wet with grease.  

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Adeing vinegar to the wash and some baking soda will help build up in your pipes.  

Answer 15

I switched to Norwex, they disinfect also. Now i rarely use paper towels

Comments

Same! Love the EnviroCloth!  

Answer 16

We switched a long time ago! Never looked back. So much better than paper towels. Environment wins - budget wins - cute house decor wins

Answer 17

I buy bar mop rags. They last me years. I have a big tub of them under my sink. Never want to use paper towels again!  

Answer 18

Just a question how often do you wash them and how much is it costing in electricity etc every wash or dryer use? Does it match the 30. 00 a month or exceed.?  

Comments

@diella awesome!  

Answer 19

I use microfiber rags. Bought a box of 40 at home depot 2 plus years ago. Not had to replace any yet. I also have tea towels and wash cloths from the dollar tree for clean up. I do a load once a week.  

Answer 20

We use plain white wash cloths and flour sack towels they are easy to wash and easy to bleach

Answer 21

While better for environment I don’t think I would save on money wise. I would be washing after I use them one stinking time because it grosses me out to reuse it on several different times. same as reusable TP! I can not do it. some things just need to be disposable

Answer 22

I use norwex kitchen clothes 2 year guarantee on them

Answer 23

I’ve never had paper towels in my home. I had a mechanic husband, puppies, kids, and an elderly dog. I never grew up using paper towels either.  

Comments

@airsick I just don’t see a need for paper towels. And sometimes we have Kleenex but I hate having boxes everywhere so it’s rare.  

Answer 24

I admire you so much for doing this! That's awesome to make the switch. I always freak if I am running low on paper towels, but it's definitely worth trying even if I just try to make the switch for things I use them for the most like counters and dust!  

Answer 25

We use huck towels! They’re commercial, lint free rags and they’re great for pretty much anything. I do a laundry load of them about 2-3x/month and it hasn’t increased our bill.  

Answer 26

I live in a part of Florida where I see the logging trucks taking the pine trees to Georgia Pacific on a daily basis. We don’t use a lot of paper towels and haven’t for years. We use washcloths and worn clothing as rags. Since moving here and learning about micro plastics I’m also not replacing any of my microfiber cloths as they wear out. They are made with micro plastics and when you wash them they go into your waste water. We are trying to be more conscious of what we buy going forward. I also try and think of how they used things years ago before we had all the single use items.  

Answer 27

We use cloth napkins. I bought a 9pk last April and still have 6 rolls.  

Answer 28

I have never used paper towels  I just use cloths. I rinse and soak them after most uses so they stay fresh

Answer 29

You should check out norwex! Now I use like 1 roll a month (mostly for dog accidents or throw up)

Answer 30

We no longer use paper towels either and haven’t been for 2 years. Instead we use a set of 3 Norwex Counter Cloths (each towel is like the size of 1/3 of a full size paper towel). That’s all we use to clean up messes, dry our hands, etc. Saved us tons of money and we use these cloth every single day. So glad because I had a hard time trying to store those Costco size bulk packs of paper towels!  

Answer 31

We use Norwex. It’s amazing how much liquid they can hold.  

Answer 32

I use kitchen towels and dont buy paper towels. If there is something really gross I sometimes have to throw the whole towel away with it. Otherwise I sometimes use baby wipes if there is an emergency and I dont want to throw a towel away. If I buy paper towels I tend to use the whole roll in one day so it's best that I dont.  

Answer 33

I use the cloth wipes at the dollar store (cleaning section) I forget the brand name but they are reusable and come 8 in a pack

Answer 34

Oh wow, that's a lot of paper towels! We have 3 dogs and 2 kids (who are here halftime) and go through a roll or two of generic a month. But I did end up buying two packs of bar towels from Walmart and use them for most things now (just not vomit . )

Answer 35

Yep we have been using reusable paper towels for a few years now. We still keep a roll on hand for cat barf and bacon. But a roll lasts us a few months :)

Answer 36

I have a drawer full of wash cloths and hand towels. I never buy paper towels! I just have always used washable towels lol makes more sense to me