The Ultimate Guide to Eliminating Paper Towels (+Best All-Surface Cleaner Recipe)

Want to cut down on paper towel use and embrace eco-friendly habits at home? Discover the staggering waste statistics and explore our six amazing alternatives that make cleaning easy and effective while minimizing waste. Plus, get our top recipe for a toxic-free and skin-friendly DIY all-purpose cleaner.

How much waste can ditching disposable towels save?

It's staggering, really. Every day in the U.S., over 3,000 tons of paper towels are thrown away. On a global scale, this results in about 254 million tons of waste annually. To visualize this amount, imagine a mountain of 1,000 Empire State Buildings each year with nothing but discarded paper towels.

Think about the significant reductions in emissions, greenhouse gases, and water usage we could achieve if more people opted for sustainable alternatives to paper towels!

Why Are Paper Towels So Bad for the Environment?

Paper towels pose a significant environmental threat due to their single-use nature and the resources required for their production. Did you know it takes 12 trees and 20,000 gallons of water to make one ton of paper towels? Manufacturing process consumes vast amounts of water and energy, contributing to environmental degradation.

Moreover, paper towels often end up in landfills, where they decompose slowly, releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Their disposal also adds to the burden on waste management systems.

By choosing paper towels, consumers perpetuate this cycle of resource depletion and pollution. Transitioning to reusable alternatives like cloth towels can significantly reduce this environmental impact, promoting sustainability and conservation efforts.

Can I recycle or compost paper towels?

Despite being made of paper, paper towels are not recyclable due to contamination from use. While you can compost them if they're only soiled with organic materials like water or food, a more economical approach would be to switch to reusable alternatives. Remember, upcycling and reusing should always be prioritized over recycling or composting.

When choosing products, be mindful that some are crafted from compostable materials yet stitched with polyester thread, which can hinder their compostability. You might have to remove these threads before composting the towels. To simplify the composting process at the end of a product’s life, seek out brands that use cotton thread.

How to Stop Using Paper Towels

There are several simple steps that you can take to create a more sustainable kitchen environment and eliminate paper towels altogether:

• First, you’ll have to stop purchasing paper towels to prepare for your new eco-friendly journey!
• Next, utilize fabrics you already own. For example, repurpose old t-shirts for cleaning the dust. 
• Opt for one of the eco-friendly alternatives we’ll share below.
• Establish a washing routine. Use a dedicated laundry hamper for reusable towels to keep them separate from clothes. Embrace a larger quantity of towels to benefit from larger loads and reduced washing cycles.
• Use or make natural cleaning sprays for a toxin-free clean.
• Designate special dish towels for drying hands and display purposes. Hang them near the sink for an easy and quick access.
• Organize your towels into categories like hands, floor, countertop, dust, and bathroom.
• Install a towel drying rack in your kitchen pantry to hang towels after use.
• Educate household members about the benefits and proper usage of reusable towels.

Are paper towel alternatives expensive?

While initially, it might seem pricey to switch to paperless alternatives, consider the current high cost of paper products. This makes reusable options quite competitive with leading disposable brands like Viva and Bounty. Plus, these alternatives tend to pay for themselves over time, ultimately saving you money in the long run!

Which Fabrics Are Best for Cleaning and the Environment

The ideal material for reusable paper towels is one that is biodegradable and compostable, capable of decomposing in a compost heap once it has served its purpose. Consider these sustainable fabrics for making reusable paper towels:

• Organic cotton
• Hemp
• Linen
• Cellulose blend from wood pulp (common in Swedish dish towels)
• Responsibly sourced bamboo fabric

While there are various materials to choose from, I usually avoid microfiber cloths because they can shed microplastics into aquatic ecosystems during laundering.

When you need a microfiber towel, say for cleaning digital screens, consider reusable options made from recycled or upcycled microfiber instead of those made from new materials. Another eco-friendly approach is to look for such towels at thrift stores. The extraction and processing of virgin materials, like turning crude oil into microfiber, are highly energy-intensive and environmentally damaging.

What to Use Instead of Paper Towels: 6 Alternatives

Here are several eco-friendly reusable paper towels crafted from sustainable materials, whether it’s upcycled content or compostable fabrics.

Many of these brands also embrace eco-friendly practices, including plastic-free packaging and involvement in various sustainability initiatives, such as being a B corporation or a member of 1% For the Planet.

Full Circle Renew Essential Cloths

• Purpose: Cleaning Glass and Screens
• Features: Made from recycled plastic, these microfiber cloths are perfect for streak-free cleaning. They are durable and machine washable, reducing waste and saving money in the long run. We recommend using
• Sustainability: Full Circle Renew Essential Cloth is known for its commitment to sustainability, using GRS Certified recycled plastic diverts (6 plastic bottles from a landfill) and designing long-lasting products.

Wild & Stone Swedish Dish Cloth Set

• Purpose: Cleaning All Surfaces - Countertops, Floor and Bathroom.
• Features: The pack contains 4 different colors, which are handy to identify which cloth you use for where in the home. No more mixing up the dishcloth with the bathroom cloth. These dishcloths are made 100% compostable. They are highly absorbent and can be washed and reused many times.
• Sustainability: Wild & Stone's Swedish Dish Cloth is crafted from FSC® certified cellulose and recycled cotton, emphasizing their commitment to responsible material sourcing. All their products are packaged in recycled or recyclable materials, enhancing their sustainability efforts. Additionally, they achieve CO2 neutrality, further reducing their environmental footprint.

Juniperseed Mercantile Organic Cotton Unpaper Towels

• Purpose: Kitchen, All-Surface Drying Towels
• Features: Made from 100% unbleached organic cotton, these unpaper towels are soft, absorbent, and reusable. They are ideal for everyday kitchen tasks and can be easily washed.
• Sustainability: Juniperseed Mercantile is designed to be composted at the end of life, focuses on organic and zero-waste products and ships in recycled and compostable content packaging. Also, they’re made in the USA.

Georg Jensen Damask Towels

• Purpose: Luxury Towel for Display and Hands
• Features: These towels are made from high-quality materials, offering exceptional durability and absorbency. They are perfect for adding a touch of luxury to your home.
• Sustainability: Georg Jensen Damask has a long history of craftsmanship and sustainability, ensuring their products are made to last and produced responsibly. They also align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and run programs like "Plant for the Planet" in Thailand, where they have planted 79,000 trees since 2009.

Wild & Stone ORGANIC COTTON TEA Towels

• Purpose: Drying dishes, and all surfaces.
• Features: Their Herringbone Tea Towels made from 100% OEKO-TEX® certified organic cotton. These towels are dyed with environmentally friendly dyes and come in recyclable kraft sleeve packaging, adhering to eco-friendly and zero waste principles.
• Sustainability: Wild & Stone's towels are crafted from OEKO-TEX® certified organic cotton, emphasizing their commitment to responsible material sourcing. All their products are packaged in recycled or recyclable materials, enhancing their sustainability efforts. Additionally, they achieve CO2 neutrality, further reducing their environmental footprint.

Shades of Green x MEEMA Napkins

• Purpose: Ideal for gently wiping your baby's face after meals and adult use as well. Follow our guide for natural laundry care to support and enhance your health-conscious lifestyle.
• Features: These napkins are made from organic heirloom cotton (80% upcycled), ensuring a soft and luxurious feel. They are dyed with plant-based dyes, enhancing their eco-friendly appeal and safety for sensitive skin.
• Sustainability: MEEMA Napkins are made from recycled textile materials and the company is revitalizing community-based manufacturing in Guatemala, promoting both environmental conservation and local employment. They design products that have second and third lives, as well as maintain sustainable practices when it comes to manufacturing.

DIY All surface & marble-safe cleaner

Many commercial cleaning agents have harmful chemicals that pose risks to our health and also add to greater pollution and plastic waste. So, are you ready to take your eco-friendly cleaning efforts to the next level?

With Minutia’s DIY zero-waste, all-surface cleaner recipe, you can create a powerful cleaning solution using simple, natural ingredients found in your pantry. This eco-friendly cleaner is not only easy to make but also great at cleaning glass and mirrors. Here’s what you need to get started.

• 1 3/4 cups of boiled or filtered water
• 1 tsp dish soap (3/4 drops) or Castile soap
• 1/4 cup Isopropanol (rubbing) alcohol or vodka
• 8-10 drops essential oil (I like lavender)

Shake well to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Use for cleaning tasks such as wiping countertops, dusty surfaces, mirrors and glass.

Usage Tips and Safety Precautions

Always test the cleaner on a small, inconspicuous area before using it on larger surfaces. Wear gloves and ensure proper ventilation when using cleaning solutions to avoid skin irritation and inhalation of fumes. If the grime or stains are quite tough, leave the cleaner solution to sit for a couple of minutes before you wipe it away.

Remember to shake the bottle before each use to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Additionally, be sure to store the cleaner away from the sun to prolong its shelf life.

With this homemade cleaner recipe and paper towel substitutes, you can tackle dirt and grime throughout your home without relying on harsh chemicals or disposable paper towels. Not only is it better for the environment, but it's also safer for you and your family. Why not give it a try today for a more sustainable lifestyle?