Homeowner sparks debate with question about common kitchen item: 'I swear by them'

A healthy amount of skepticism is a good thing — especially when it comes to purchasing new household products. One Redditor wasn't so sure about the idea of reusable paper towels, so they inquired with the r/ZeroWaste subreddit to find out the truth.

It's easy to forget the first part of the reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy. In fact, we are often marketed products that sound good for the environment, but they are actually wasteful. This is called greenwashing and is prevalent in our society of consumerism.

This Redditor posed the question to a group about cotton and bamboo towels, wanting to know, "Are they worth it?"

The Reddit community had a variety of responses. Some think that the idea of a "reusable paper towel" is, in fact, a type of greenwashing, but others swear by them. 

"Reusable paper towels = cloths. Use whatever old cloths or rags you have," one Redditor commented. "You mean...towels?" another added.

To clarify, the OP is likely referencing the kinds of paper towels that are made of bamboo, cotton, microfiber, and cellulose. This kind of environmental cleaning supply has grown in popularity over the last several years as consumers continue to make a conscious effort to reduce waste. They are sometimes called "unpaper" or "paperless" towels.

These products can look like squares of thick cotton, sometimes called a Swedish dishcloth, or they will come in a roll that looks like a normal paper towel roll. These products look the same as a dishcloth, though they are supposed to be specifically designed to absorb liquid.

Many in the r/ZeroWaste subreddit use these kinds of products, and explained the many ways that they reduce waste, one comment noted, "Swedish dish cloth or paper based sponges are really much of the 'paper towel' I need in a day … They can go in a dishwasher as well as laundry."

However, others in the subreddit thought that, overall, it was better to "[use] something that gets recycled and/or thrown away instead of buying [something new]," as one comment said.

"No … 'Unpaper towels,' or whatever feel like they are, are made for people who just can't fathom that the world functioned for millennia without paper towels. They are a recent invention. Use rags/kitchen towels," one commenter added.

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to buy a refillable product? Saving money 💰 Reducing plastic waste 🗑️ Using less shelf space at home 💁‍♀️ Getting easy refill deliveries 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

And others admitted to using both but noted that introducing cloths helped reduce their traditional paper towel waste significantly. "I do not blot off meat with a cloth towel, I use a paper towel for that … I use a roll of paper towels every other month or so. Less is still better," said one comment.

"I really like my reusable paper towels, they have been the easiest 'ecofriendly' swap I've ever done. I do however keep some regular paper towels around for the grosser messes," said one post. 

"I've been using reusable paper towels for about 8 years now and I swear by them! I use them for everything," one commenter said. "In my opinion, it's totally worth it!" 

Whether you choose to use a "paperless towel" or an old t-shirt cut into rags, reducing your paper towel usage makes a big impact.

Used paper towels are not recyclable, and putting them in the recycling can contaminate other recyclable items with food waste. It's important to prevent this item from ending up in landfills by choosing whichever product is best for your personal cleaning needs.

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