It may be easier to reach for the paper towel rather than a cloth in the event of a sudden spill or when needing to quickly wipe down a surface.
However, this does not mean that paper towels are better when it comes to cleaning. In fact, there are many reasons why paper towels aren’t ideal for day-to-day cleaning tasks.
Which Is Most Affordable?
It is always going to cost more to buy paper towels since they aren’t reusable. This is true even when you take into account how much it costs to run your washing machine to wash them every time they get dirty.
There are different types of paper towels that may be more or less effective on different types of spills, but even the cheapest roll of paper towel is not more cost-effective than reusing your cloths a few times.
This is even more obvious when you consider how quickly the cheaper paper towels tend to disintegrate and dissolve when exposed to liquid.
The cheaper options can be useful, but they tend to disappear faster because more pieces are required per mess than would be needed when buying a more expensive brand.
Which Is Better for the Environment?
Cloths also win when it comes to environmentally friendly options. Paper towels are very convenient and easily accessible, but also wasteful because they cannot be reused. Single-use cleaning products are bad for the environment.
Paper towels are made from trees and are not recyclable. They also cannot be composted unless completely uncontaminated, which is unlikely if they are being used as cleaning tools. Cloths made of natural fabrics are both reusable and compostable, although may cost slightly more.
Using a cloth is an excellent way to lower your personal carbon footprint without having to put in too much effort. If you stop buying paper towels and invest in a few packs of reusable clothes instead, you will both save yourself money and help to save the environment.
Which Cleans More Effectively?
In most situations, cloths will clean more effectively. Cloths are much more durable and can be rinsed and wringed out multiple times.
This means that only one cloth will be needed for a spill, whereas multiple pieces of paper towel would be needed in the same situation.
Cloths can also be sprayed with cleaning products and applied directly to various surfaces without dissolving in the way that a paper towel would.
Paper towels may soak up the mess quickly and efficiently, but they will have to be immediately thrown away once fully saturated with liquid.
Conclusion
The obvious downside to using cloths instead of paper towels is that it means that you have to keep them clean and make sure that you wash them properly and regularly.
If you neglect to wash your cloths regularly, they will become full of bacteria, which will then spread across your surfaces when you clean.
However, if you maintain a good cleaning schedule for your cloths then you will be helping protect the environment while also ensuring a healthier bank account and shinier surfaces.
Cloths also take up very little space in your kitchen, unlike bulky rolls of paper towels, which is another reason to stick to cloths from now on!
An adventurous book lover with an animal obsession and a proclivity for travel and spontaneity. Used to passionately despise cleaning but has grown to enjoy it thanks to learning all the best tricks and shortcuts to guaranteeing a stress-free routine and a spotless home.
