[Part of my series on Non-Disposable Alternatives to Disposable Items]

How many paper towel rolls does your family go through a week?

Even if you buy 100% recycled paper towels and compost all of them, that’s too many!

Paper towels are convenient, but they’re expensive–for you and the environment.

Here’s the Alternative:
1. Buy painters rags–a couple bags at least. Or use shop rags or cloth diapers. Get them at hardware stores, paint stores, auto supply shops. They come in T-shirt material or terry cloth.
2. Get a tissue box cover(those decorative plastic/wood/metal ones)–search thrift stores, eBay, Craig’s List, or request one on Freecycle. Try to find one that has a bottom.
3. Get a pail that will fit under the kitchen sink–find a used one at a thrift store, garage sale, eBay, Craig’s list, Freecycle, or a garage sale.
4. Fold the rags so that they interlock. Fold one in half, then slide the next one between the fold and fold it in half. < -, <>
5. Place the stack of interlocking folded rags inside the tissue box cover.
6. When you need a paper towel, pull a rag out of the tissue box (the next one should “pop up” just like a tissue.)
7. When you are done with the rag, throw it in the pail under the sink instead of the trash.
8. Wash the rags with the laundry.

This works best if you have enough rags so you won’t run out. How many you need depends on how often you would use paper towels, and how often you do laundry. Don’t worry, this won’t actually mean extra laundry–just add the rags to the laundry load you are already running.

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