Pass on Paper Towels & Save $70/yr

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Pass on Paper Towels & Save $70/yr

Submitted by: Becky 08/19/2009 12:42 AM

Recently I went to Costco for my monthly trip and I had paper towels on my list as buying in bulk is usually the cheaper route. When I saw that the price had once again increased I put the package of towels back and headed for the linen aisle. There I found a package of 24 thick white washcloths for 9.99. I purchased those and now only occasionally will I have to buy a roll of paper towels.

I rinse out the washcloths after each use. We can use them more than once. Then after they are sufficiently dirty I just throw them into the washer with a load of my whites. I figure we will save about $70.00 this year alone from this purchase.

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Comments:

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I started doing this as well a couple of months ago. The little things really add up.

Posted by anonymous on August 19, 2009 11:05 AM

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Great tip Becky, the little things definitely add up. We also use linen towels and wash them once they get dirty. We also dry them in the sun to save a little more.

We still do buy paper towels from time to time. I've noticed that I often don't need a full sheet so I rip the paper towel in half and this cuts down on how fast I go through a roll. I figure the paper towel companies have a vested interest in making the sheets larger than you need so you will go through them faster and have to buy more rolls.

Posted by Ray @ Tip Hero on August 19, 2009 4:11 PM

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This is somethng I have done for years, when the "rags" start looking really bad, even after bleaching them they go to the garage where my husband uses them and then they get tossed. This not only saves money it saves trees.

Posted by ava on August 20, 2009 4:20 PM

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Thanks for the tip. No Cloth goes in the trash at my home till its used in my shop or yard. Jim

Posted by Jim on August 21, 2009 5:49 AM

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I recycle my bath towels as kitchen towels and cleaning cloths. When a bath towel gets too ragged, I use a piece of desktop calendar cardboard cut to the size I want the towels, and use it as a pattern to cut up the bath towels. Then I use a surge stitch on my sewing machine to "seal" the edges.

These have worked well for me, and saved $$ on purchasing kitchen towels. The smaller pieces left over become scrub cloths.
I hope this helps!

Posted by Naturegirl on August 27, 2009 9:12 PM

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All these tips about using cloth are excellent. I make one roll of paper towels last a year (a pad of newspapers, with only one towel on top, does very well for draining bacon). To wipe up the floor, I use paper towels I have saved from washing my hands in public rest rooms. They have had only a few drops of water on them and are good enough to clean the windshield and the kitchen floor with.

Posted by Jane......... on September 03, 2009 1:58 PM

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