A creative crafter posted photos of pretty, homemade "sponge alternative cleaning cloths" made from fabric scraps on the subreddit "r/upcycling."

"An upholsterer friend gave me a bit of burlap, and I got an old towel for free, so I sewed up these cloths. They're great for light cleaning and dishes as a replacement for sponges."

The cleaning cloths feature a dainty floral design on burlap with terry cloth towel material sewn onto the other side. 

The OP explained they made the charming pieces using this method: "One layer of burlap, one layer of towel. Stitch right sides together all the way around leaving a 3" gap. Flip right [sides] out, press and top stitch. Done! Super easy except it was bulky squeezing under the needle of my machine."

Upcycling fabrics can be a fun way to create entirely unique, useful items. It just takes a little bit of vision to see the possibilities from a few odds and ends. 

This kind of reimagining of items can be more than cute; it can save money on goods that would otherwise need to be purchased. And, as the website Pangea Money Transfer says, "If you can find an audience for your upcycled goods on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Etsy or other online outlets, you could even make some money in the process."  

By taking extra scraps or old parts and transforming them, it helps declutter the home, too. And those new inventions give them a second life and keep them out of the landfill.

People praised the OP's creation and ingenuity.

"This looks easy and useful," wrote one commenter.

Another loved the floral design, writing, "They have a vintage vibe that makes them great."

A third commenter was compelled to say, "I've been looking for some inspiration to replace my existing crochet kitchen cloths."

What of these benefits would most effectively motivate you to use fewer plastic-packaged cleaning products? Freeing up shelf space ✨ Avoiding toxins and microplastics ☠️ Saving money 💰 Not interested 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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