One way we save money is by NOT buying paper towels or napkins. We use paper towel alternatives instead. I shared this tip over on the Latina Money Moms Instagram page and I received so many messages asking how to stop buying napkins and paper towels.
The main question: What can I use instead of paper towels?
Today I am sharing the exact paper towel alternatives I’ve used to replace paper towels and napkins. We really do save money by not buying these items and I think you can save too!
So – in the past (before switching) I would use use paper towels for EVERYTHING!
I’d use paper towels to dry my hands.
To clean with.
As makeshift plates.
As napkins at the dinner table.
I’m sure a lot of you can relate to using paper towels for these reason too. And the good news is – you can both save money and be environmentally conscious by making the switch to cloth napkins and cloth towels for cleaning.
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Paper Towel Alternatives: How we made the switch
Stop using paper towels for cleaning. Instead switch to microfiber towels.
I bought the microfiber cloths above because they have great reviews, they work and they are durable. I use the microfiber cloths for every day cleaning and I only use the yellow cloths for bathroom cleaning. Those yellow cloths get put into a special basket and are washed separately from the other cloths.
It’s easy to designate 1 color for bathrooms because I usually only deep clean the bathrooms once per week. So once a week, I grab the yellow towels, deep clean the bathrooms and then wash all of those in super hot water.
I use the blue and white microfiber towels from this set to wipe down other surfaces in the house: counters, walls, doors, etc.
You can find the exact ones I bought by clicking here.
Reviewers are saying:
“These are amazing for cleaning and a great price! I’m mad at myself for not purchasing sooner. In an effort to reduce the crazy amount of paper towels we go through, I decided to purchase these. I use 1-2 a day for kitchen cleanup and put them in the laundry. They pick up little crumbs easily and don’t leave my quartz “streaky.” I have a super messy 10 month old and I clean his highchair with these and they work wonderfully. I also use these for dusting, they pick up everything. The only thing that was a negative was that the first time I washed them in warm water (per instructions), the yellow color bled onto the white and turned them an off white color. Not a big deal to me because I use these only for cleaning and wash them with only other cleaning rags but be careful not to wash the yellow rags with anything you care about! Even though instructions say to hang dry, I dry them on low with no issues. Last thing, most people know this but don’t ever use fabric softener with these, they won’t be as absorbent!”
Stop using paper towels to dry your hands
Use bar mop towels instead!
I use these for hand drying by the kitchen sink and another one for drying dishes. Sometimes if I’m out of microfiber towels, I’ll use the bar mop towels to wipe down the counters and table at the end of the night. Efficient and cheaper than buying paper towels for everything!
I bought these exact bar mop towels.
Reviewers are saying:
“Bought these towels to use instead of paper towels. We had previously been using regular flour sack towels instead of paper towels and they held up well. But they were rather large and quite thin. I’ve had these for about two weeks and they have held up very well. They have been through the washer at least twice a week going through the sanitize cycle and using bleach each time. I feel their cleaning and absorbency are much superior to the flour sack towels we were using.”
Stop buying paper napkins
Buy and use cloth napkins instead.
I have to admit – every time we use our cloth napkins I feel so FANCY!! I love going to restaurants that use cloth napkins and it’s a no brainer to use these at home too. I bought these over a year ago and will be adding another set since we use these so much!
These are my favorite cloth napkins. I recommend buying two sets – yes it’s pricey BUT you’ll end your dependence on paper napkins and paper towels a lot sooner!
By the way, since these are cloth they will get wrinkled. I HAVE ZERO CARES ABOUT WRINKLES IN MY NAPKINS. But, if you care about stuff like that – these might not be for you. Just saying.
Reviewers are saying:
“We’ve been using these napkins for about a month now. They’re great. I make a point of shaking them out after washing them, before I put them in the dryer. I take them out of the dryer right away and smooth them out with my hands, then fold them. They don’t end up wrinkled this way. They don’t look ironed but still are very nice for daily use. Were very happy with them, they absorb well.”
All right, so those are the products that helped me STOP buying paper towels and paper napkins. If you ever come over and happen to see paper napkins at my house it’s because my mom brought them over. (She also brings paper plates and her own sodas every time she comes over too, she knows I won’t have any of that!) LOL!
TO RECAP FOR YOU SKIMMERS OUT THERE
HERE ARE THE LINKS FOR THE PAPER TOWEL ALTERNATIVES:
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Wow, this was a really good blog post on switching from napkins. I really like how you added in reviews and shared the exact ones that you use and how you use them. I think I’ll be making the switch now, thank you!