Reusable paper towels? Anyone tried them?

I have a few kitchen rags that I use for cleanup of things like the kitchen counter when it needs a cleaning spray and wipedown, without having stuff like spaghetti sauce on it. I keep the "current one" hanging from a clip on the fridge and toss it in a bucket on the floor (it makes sense if you see the setup, I promise!) when it's dirty. I use them for things that are a more dry cleanup than I want a washcloth for, but that don't need the disposability of a paper towel for stuff like aforementioned spaghetti sauce or cat throwup on the floor. I don't use the reusable paper towels, because I already had about 8 of these cloths that I already used when all the cute ones began being marketed, but it's the same idea.

Agree with RosieKat I use rags for things except cat puke and tomato sauce. Rags aren't as coordinated at reuseable paper towels and I'm not wrapping them onto a paper towel holder. Just folding and stacking them in a drawer.

I want to try them but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

I use old "rags"-- specifically towels that are worn out, cut smaller if it was a bath towel.
I store them in a cabinet near washer.

I like the Swedish dish cloths. I use them for my countertops only. They aren't the same, but similar.

We use Swedish dish cloths, too.  I really like them.  I think it has cut down a little on our paper towel use.  There are some things, like spills on the floor, that I still use paper towels.

Just got some last week. Haven’t opened the ones I purchased because I’m using the promo one from work.
I like it! We still use paper towels, but I like the concept and I haven’t discovered any negatives yet.

Dog messes do not launder well, that is for sure.  If any grease gets on the counter, I'll use paper towel for that too.  It seems like once you get a towel greasy, it never really gets 100% clean again.

Years ago I used birds-eye fabric (aka diaper cloth) to make hundreds of half-size “paper” towels. They are the size of Bounty’s “select-a-size” towels…about 6”x 9”. They are in a stack by my sink. I’m not into re-rolling anything. Using these has cut our paper towel use waaaay down. I use paper towels for tomato sauce (the stains just aren’t worth it!) and a few to clean up any flour residue (so I don’t have paper-mache like residue in our pipes). I also use paper towels for bacon grease.

At the beginning of COVID I also added a metal shower rack from Target to our downstairs’ bathroom. It fits three rows of folded washcloths precisely. We use these to dry our hands. Even pre-COVID I hated having a community
hand towel in the bathroom.

They’re all white so bleaching (as-needed) works well.

I have used Handi-Wipes Heavy Duty forEVER! Nothing works as good as they do. They don't stink as long as you rinse and let dry flat, not in a wet ball. I do not like the regular Handi-Wipes - they are very thin and feel weird, but the Heavy Duty ones are wonderful. Mine last a very long time. I do use Clorox Cleanup and spray it on the wipe after using it to santize.


I love the towels from Geometry House, and tried their "Not Paper Towels" and hated them. Yuck. I gave them to my daughter, who thinks they are just OK. She also loves the towels and the napkins.
Geometry Towels

I have drained bacon and fried chicken on brown paper lunch bags before.  Works pretty good.  But no more environmentally friendly than the paper towels.  I was just out at the moment and grabbed those from a pack in the cabinet in a pinch.  

You technically could use paper shopping bags, but ewwwwwwwwww.  Too many hands have touched.

that's what my kitchen towels are for. i have both lightweight and thicker ones.

I made some for our house from all cotton fabric my DIL chose, and I cut into squares and serged the edges. We’ve had them at least a year, probably closer to two, washing them is no bother, and the six year old is in charge of folding them and putting them in the basket on the dining table. 

They mostly get used as napkins at meals, but sometimes to wipe up spills or dry our hands. I bought some more fabric to make some for DD and her family. 

For anything disgusting, we still use paper towels.