Why I Gave Up Paper Towels (And What I Replaced Them With)

Is There a Good Alternative to Paper Towels?

Did you know that the United States is number one country in paper towel consumption?(source). Americans invest their money into items that are convenient, which includes many disposable items such as paper towels. According to the source above, global spending on paper towels was approximately $12 Million, and the United States took credit for $5.7 Million. That is a LOT of paper towels. 

I've had a love-hate relationship with paper towels. They seem to be necessary when cleaning, but they are hard to use without wasting them. If you try and use a minimal amount, your hand ends up getting dirty when cleaning. I have questioned for years if paper towels were even necessary. Couldn't we use something else? Is there an alternative that proves to be equally as convenient that won't leave me scowling as I stare at our laundry room disappointed that we are out of paper towels, but I desperately need to clean a spill on the floor?

I knew there had to be a solution that worked for our family. I tried being creative and using items around the house; old socks with holes, shirts my toddler had outgrown, dish towels that got raggedy and stained. These proved to be okay solutions. It wasn't until I volunteered with our paintball team (Walk on Warriors) at the Daytona Speedway that I truly fell in love with using microfiber cloths. 

Microfiber Cloths

I used to cringe when I thought of microfiber. I fall victim to dry feet and dry hands (which is why I clean and do dishes with rubber gloves!), and microfiber is that material that feels like it sticks to your dry skin 😬. However, these cloths are very common in the cleaning industry. 

Car detailers use them to dry your car and to clean the windshield. They also work well for buffing other things, such as your mirrors and appliances. Restaurant workers and bartenders use them to wipe up messes and dry glasses. 

Why are Microfiber Cloths a Good Substitute for Paper Towels?

Better for the Environment

Paper towels are a contributor to deforestation.  According to this source, 17 trees and 20,000 gallons of water are needed to make one ton of paper towels. These handy little rectangles do not get recycled, and end up in the landfill with all of the other trash. As they decompose, they produce methane gas. To summarize, paper towels contribute to a TON of environmental issues, including global warming, water pollution, and deforestation. The source above also mentions that there is 3,000 pounds of paper towel WASTE every single day in the United States. Every. Single. Day. 

Using a microfiber cloth allows you to clean up your mess, toss the cloth in the washing machine and prepare to use it again. A pack of these cloths could last you a year, or longer!

Cost Effective

Let's break down the cost of paper towels. Reviewed.com states that Bounty Select 2-Ply were rated the best paper towel brand of 2020. Let's take a look at the cost and estimate usage. 

• Walmart sells this brand for $4.64 for two rolls of paper towels. Let's say your household uses 1 roll per week. Let's do the math. 
• Your monthly cost would be $9.28 (before tax!)
• Your annual cost would be $111.36 (before tax!)

Microfiber cloths are cheap.....very cheap. You can get a 2 pack at Walmart with your grocery pick-up order for $0.98. You can find them at any of the mainstream stores in your community. They are everywhere, and they are CHEAP. If you buy them in bult, they are even cheaper. I tend to snag a few at Walmart in our orders as mentioned above. I also have gotten the at Dollar General. I find the most cost effective approach is to get them in bulk on Amazon or at Sam's Club. You can get 30-50 cloths for less than $20. This can last you a long time, and you won't need to stress about a last-minute Target run for a roll of paper towels. 

**I will list a few places you can get microfiber cloths for a great price below**

Performance

In my experience, microfiber cloths are far more absorbent than paper towels. I am THAT person that despises getting my hands dirty when I have to wipe up a spill or mess, but also get instant guilt when I use too many paper towels. It was always a lose-lose situation for me. Switching to microfiber cloths eliminated this problem for me. I can clean virtually anything without a hassle. I can wash the mess off the cloth in the sink, and allow it to dry for further use. If it were too dirty to reuse, I add it immediately to the laundry and grab another from my stash. 

Availability

Paper towels were one of many items that became sparse during the lockdowns. I saw two people fighting in Target over who got to have the last pack. When they became available in other places, people were stooping low and opening the package and stealing a roll out of the bag in order to get one for themselves. 

I had started my microfiber stash before the lockdowns began in March and April of 2020, thankfully. I continued ordering more as needed, but had enough for us to get by with what cleaning needs we had. We never had to worry that we didn't have paper towels to clean anything during the lockdown, and haven't had a worry since!

Where Can You Find Microfiber Cloths?

Disclaimer: None of the links below are affiliate links. I am simply providing you with places you can get the cloths for a great deal!

Walmart

• Great Value Microfiber Cloth 2 Pack for $0.98

Amazon

• 50 Pack Simple Houseware Microfiber for $14.97

Sam's Club

• Hometex Microfiber Towels (48 pack) for $19.48

Dollar General

• Mr. Clean Microfiber Cloths (3 pack) for $3.00

How to Store Microfiber Cloths

I keep my cloths in two places; under the kitchen sink, and in a basket in our linen closet. After multiple attempts at finding the best place to store them, I found this method works best for us. I always keep a clean cloth (or two) under the sink with my cleaning products. When a cloth is used, but gets rinsed and can be reused, I allow it to dry draped over the sink, and store it back under the counter. If I use a cloth just for spray, I store the cloth with my spray. The rest of the cloths get folded or rolled and placed in a basket, ready to go for the next cleaning adventure. 

I keep a ton of stuff in that little basket under the sink. It comes in handy! I store the cloths in the front so I can easily grab one or store it away. Notice my handy-dandy rubber gloves, and of course my tub of Pink Stuff (if you haven't seen my post on this miracle product, click here!)

Real Talk About The Pink Stuff (And Why It is a Necessity in your Cleaning Arsenal)

 Real Talk About the Pink Stuff

(And why it's a necessity in your cleaning arsenal)

**DISCLAIMER: THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. For full disclosure, click here***

In our lovely home, we have 3 dogs, a toddler and two adults. Our backyard has hardly any grass, and cleaning can be overbearing when you don't stick to a cleaning schedule. I have shed many tears trying to get my house in spit-spot shape. Many days I feel like it is impossible. How do people keep toddler fingerprints off the walls? 

If you have never seen this magical pink jar, allow me to open your eyes to the world of all things clean. The Pink Stuff, made famous on Tik Tok, is a cleaning paste that originated in Britain. This paste cuts through dirt, grime, grease, fingerprints, scuff marks, cooking marks.....anything you can think of. It is designed for use on walls, floors, doors, pots/pans, sinks bathrooms, kitchens, appliances, and MORE!!! I am here to show you how to use it, and why you should make it a staple in your cleaning supplies. Once you see the results, you won't use half of the bottles stashed under your sink. 

Materials

• The Pink Stuff Miracle Cleaning Paste
• a microfiber cloth
• water
• rubber gloves* (optional)

*I LOVE cleaning with rubber gloves, especially when doing the dishes. It keeps my hands from drying out and getting rough/cracked. I highly recommend using them. They are very cheap at the Dollar General and other mainstream stores. 

How to Use This Product

First, I started by putting on my handy-dandy rubber gloves. I use them mostly for doing the dishes, but also when I am going to be using products that will more than likely get on my hands. Next, wet your microfiber cloth in the sink and wring out well. 

Use your finger or your cloth and scoop some of the product out. Rub it on the area you want to clean. (I started by using my finger, rubbing it on the area.) Using the cloth, rub the product around, then gently wipe it away. Rinse the cloth if need be to ensure all product has been removed from the area. 

Last, reflect on how truly easy that was and how amazing the results are!

Round 1: The Garage Door

Let me walk you through my journey using The Pink Stuff. I ordered it on Amazon, and received it a few days later. I started with the door that leads to the garage. This door is always disgusting; the dogs jump up on it, our toddler rubs all over it, and it is the door we use the most to get in and out of the house each day. Here is a before picture, as reluctant as I am to show you all how disgusting it is👀 .

Welp. Look at all of those disgusting dirt marks. You wouldn't believe how many Magic Erasers I have gone through trying to keep this door clean. 

Now, I begin the process by smearing some paste on the dirt marks with my hand (and trusty rubber glove). I use my glove to start rubbing away the dirt. 

                               

Look how quickly the product works! You can see that with a few swipes of my hand, the dirt is disintegrating. 

I use the microfiber cloth to remove the paste from the door and voila! A clean, bright and shiny door! No Magic Eraser on the planet has been able to make this door as clean as it is now!

Round Two: The Bathroom Sink

While I was still in shock at how clean the garage door was, I took this paste to the test....the master bathroom sink. Please try not to judge us too hard. I am a teacher, my husband works construction, and life gets crazy! You can see in our disgusting excuse for a sink, that my husband had recently shaved his beard and left hair and fuzz, there is toothpaste residue, nail polish marks.......gross🙈🙈🙈.

I was reluctant, but you saw how clean that door got! I started right in with a dollop of paste and got to work with my rubber gloves. 

Last, I used the cloth, got a nice good scrub, and rinsed the product (and all the gunk) down the drain. Look at that sparkle! (Ignore the nail polish stain that I couldn't remove!)

Ya'll, at this point in time, I had been cleaning for 5 minutes. FIVE MINUTES. 

After I did these two areas, I went around the house and touched up a few areas.....finger prints on the walls, the paw prints from the dogs messing with each other, the wall next to the sliding glass door, the floor and walls of the shower (my husband works construction.....it was wild in there!)...... you name it, I cleaned it. And I only spent 10 minutes. 

After I sat down and reflected, I could easily name 4 products in my cabinet under the sink that are going to be replaced with this little pink tub. This will be my go-to cleaner from now on!

If you click the link down below, it will take you to the Amazon listing of this product. Trust me, this is one cleaning product you need. 

The Pink Stuff Miracle Cleaning Paste