Paper towels are expensive, not to mention environmentally unfriendly.
My love affair with paper towels began to turn sour many years ago when the cost of rekindling the romance would make me feel physically ill each time I was in the store. My eye began to wander away from the big, dependable and attractive Brawny brand. Eventually, the weak and scrawny store brand began to find its way into my shopping cart, but never into my heart. They just could never measure up to the strength, confidence and power that I had known before. I bought them, but I wasn't happy about it. It was only my desire to keep my shopping bill low that made me do it. Slowly, over time, I found that this lack of affection caused me to find other resources in my home to get the paper towel's job done. Then, one day, I realized that the affair was over. I no longer needed or wanted paper towels of any kind in my home at all, and I haven't regretted it since.
I have found cheap, environmentally friendly alternatives for each duty previously assigned to the paper towel.
-For wiping counters, I use dish rags. I wipe the counter, rinse them and hang them over the faucet. The rag is changed out each day so bacteria never gets a chance to take up residence.
-For draining the fat from bacon, recycled brown grocery bags do a great job.
-For wiping kids faces and hands, I keep a small stack of baby washrags in the kitchen drawer. They are more durable and softer on their skin.
-Covering food in the microwave? I have transitioned over to microwave-safe plastic containers with the lid loosely on top.
-For cleaning up spills on the floor, I use old, yucky, cleaning rags or a mop.
-Finally, last time I was preparing to take old clothes to be donated, I rescued a few t-shirts out of the bag. I cut these t-shirts into paper towel size squares. I now use these for cleaning windows and other miscellaneous jobs. They are great, one rag will clean all of the mirrors in my house. They don't shed lint and when I'm done they can be thrown in with my next load of laundry.
My new relationship with these eco-friendly and thrifty options all make me feel so much better about myself.