Today there is more and more concern about our environment and using products that are environmentally friendly. You’re probably doing more recycling these days and buying products that help to reduce harmful waste and require less energy to produce. When it comes to cleaning your home though, it seems difficult to find an alternative to paper towels which are handy, easy to use and disposable. There are natural cleaners, such as lemon juice and vinegar, but finding a substitute for paper towels seems more illusive.
There’s no debate when it comes to the usefulness and efficiency of paper towels. But because they are disposable we worry about how their use affects our environment when we’re looking to choose greener supplies. Because of an increased need for green cleaning there are a couple of environmentally friendly choices to consider, which are discussed below.
Microfiber Cloths
Microfiber cloths have been around for some time, but are typically overlooked by consumers due to the huge amount of advertising for paper towels. Many people don’t consider that these cloths are super absorbent and dry quickly. One advantage of microfiber cloths is the small fibers clean effectively and therefore can easily pick up dirt and dust and bacteria. And, believe it or not, some of these cloths can be washed more than 500 times, which means they could last average households for two years!
Bamboo Towels
One of the latest alternatives to paper towels now available is paper towels made of bamboo. You can purchase these online and buy them in rolls like paper towels. They actually look very similar to simple, plain paper towels. Bamboo towels have gained more fans as people are seeking green cleaning alternatives and because they are stronger than paper, which means you use less for each cleanup. Another advantage is how some bamboo brands last about 100 washes. As each bamboo towel roll contains 20 sheets, one roll may be used about 2,000 times.
Tips for Making the Most of Paper Towel Alternatives
You may be wondering how you can make the transition from using regular paper towels to one of these alternatives. There is usually a period of adjustment when you are figuring this out. Here are a few tips that will help you transition to using these green cleaning alternatives to get the most out of them.
Color Code
When you’re ready to start using microfiber cloths, plan to select specific color cloths for each type of cleaning situation. In other words, don’t use the same color cloth to clean the kitchen counters as you would use for cleaning the bathroom toilet. Despite washing the cloths, it’s not a comfortable thought to think you’re using the same cloth for two different areas. If you follow a color code where say you use green for the kitchen, blue for the bathroom and yellow for dusting, you prevent this issue. Plus, most packages of microfiber cloths are sold in multicolors.
Wash Regularly
As you will be reusing microfiber cloths and bamboo paper towels and primarily for many kitchen and bathroom cleanings, you will need to wash them regularly. When you are cleaning a cutting board or a sink, you will be picking up microorganisms on the cloths that may be unhealthy. So it’s important to wash them on a regular basis and keep them in a separate hamper.
Follow Care Instructions
These alternatives to paper towels can save you money, but you will need to care for them properly in order to realize the economic benefit. You will need to know the recommended cleaning method for a microfiber cloth and the proper care for bamboo paper towels. It will take some time and effort to get accustomed to these new procedures, but in time it will become routine and then you will be surprised that you didn’t try these alternatives sooner.
Maid Spotless Cleaning Services offers a full suite of professional house cleaning services in Albany and the Greater Capital Region.
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