It's really not as hard as you might imagine. And just think: You don't have to find somewhere to install a paper towel holder. We've got some tips, plus a few questions for you, below...
Why Not? How To Go Paper Towel-Less in the Kitchen
Apartment Therapy has touched on this before, writing about a paper towel-less life and giving ten alternatives for paper towels.
We eliminated them from our kitchen gradually, almost without noticing. It was like we had a roll that just stuck around and stuck around... until we realized we'd had it for several months and still hadn't used it up. And we weren't buying recycled paper towels, either (ew, too flimsy). We were buying thick, plush Viva towels. So cutting them out felt like a small victory in greening our home.
Here are some top uses for paper towels and some alternative ideas:
• Napkins. We can't tell you how many people we know still fold up a paper towel as a napkin. Buy some cloth napkins! Hey, buy some cheap hand towels from IKEA and use them as napkins! You don't have to wash them every time you use them, in case you fear laundry. And they are so much more pleasant to use.
• Wiping down the counters. Sometimes paper towels just seemed more sanitary than a sponge for cleaning counters or a glass surface. But you know what? We got over it. We use these long-lasting sponges for everything- the counters, the fridge, the stove top... everything. A washable microfiber cloth is also a great thing to have on hand for wiping down surfaces or cleaning up spills.
• Wrapping herbs. We frequently wrapped our herbs in a damp paper towel and put them in a plastic bag to keep them fresh. But a cloth towel works just as well. Or, store them in a glass of water with a plastic bag over the top.
• Patting dry raw chicken or other meat. This is a tough one. If you need to pat down a chicken, you probably want to toss that towel. We're torn. We have used a dish cloth and then immediately thrown it in the washing machine, but that's not always feasible. You may not have a washing machine in your apartment, in which case you've got a chicken-juiced towel in your laundry hamper. There's always the option of blow-drying your chicken. Or simply allowing it to dry out, uncovered, in the fridge for a while. Anyone else have some tips?
• Draining bacon. Here's another without a clear solution. It's nice to have a soft bed of paper towels for absorbing grease when you fry something, whether it's bacon, sausage, or potatoes. Depending on how often you fry, you could keep some paper towels on hand for just this purpose. Another option would be to place the bacon on a cookie/baking rack over a sheet pan. Most of the grease will drip down.
Those are a few of the major kitchen uses we thought of. What others do you have? How are you using fewer paper towels in your kitchen?
Related: Gallery: 9 Cool Lunch Boxes and Bags
(Image: Flickr member Seth Tisue, licensed for use under Creative Commons)
posted originally from: TheKitchn
Comments (10)
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oh, also those williams-sonoma bar mops! i really get the heebie-jeebies from sponges, and i am lucky enough to have a washing machine, so that's what i use to wipe counters, etc. and, not to be a snotty vegetarian, but, uh...if you don't eat chicken or meat, you don't have to worry about those nasty raw meat germs. i'm just saying!
view lizzielou's profile
About six months ago I went on an estate sale spree and bought several dozen vintage dishtowels, usually for around 10 cents each. I put them in a cute bag hanging from a hook next to my aprons in the kitchen and use them instead of paper towels. I'm still not sure what's worse - using water and energy to wash cotton towels repeatedly, or killing trees for paper towels - but the vintage towels in the cheerful bag is definitely much cuter.
view HevUVA's profile
We've been off the papertowels for several years now, I was tired of throwing out bag after bag of paper, and frankly, too cheap to buy paper towels all the time. I use all kinds of things: cotton towels from the Target auto section, cloth diapers (that have never been used), burp cloths, and we do use cloth napkins. We do have an in-house high efficiency washer/dryer. It's suprisingly easy to get off these things when you start, we also don't dry our clothes anymore. I think the trick is to have a supply of them, so you don't have to wash them every other day.
view mizaim's profile
I used to be totally addicted to paper towels, but made a bunch of rags and now I only have a roll or 2 around at a time and very rarely use them. Do we seriously have to revisit the whole, "what's worse thing" with the washing towels vs using paper. The cloth rags go in the wash with towels and I am not doing any extra loads for them and neither is anyone else unless you have a cloth rag problem. Also, I practically never pat my chicken dry.
view labchick's profile
i never pat my chicken dry, either -- why bother? and if you must use something for bacon or other fried foods, layer newspaper from your recycling bin and place one paper towel or napkin on top to keep the ink off your food (i never buy paper napkins, but always have 5-10 in my takeout drawer from takeout).
i haven't used paper towels or napkins in 6 or 7 years.
view isfive's profile
I just STOPPED buying paper towels. My husband still gives me the gears about it but too bad. I knit my own dishcloths - use one of those.
view rinalarina's profile
Tried going off paper towels. But .... With two kids lots of spills are the norm. The washing machine was going continously.
view Khürt Williams's profile
Lizzielou, amen. Quit buying food that might kill you if its juice touches your raw food, and your problem is solved. Eating vegetarian means I don't have to have separate cutting boards or worry about my dishtowels poisoning me.
view Jezebella's profile
My roommate and I have just resolved to be a more earth-friendly household, and step one was cutting up a bunch of old tshirts into squares, and leaving them in the kitchen to use in place of paper towels. we have a designated bag hanging in a corner where we throw the dirty ones, so they don't get thrown away or contaminate our regular laundry. one month in and i don't miss the paper towels at all.
view chambrey's profile
Knit my free pattern "not the paper towel!"
Everyone who sees it wants one!! Thick and thirsty with the special yarn,it is very absorbent! Mine hangs on a wrought
iron holder in the kitchen
http://gulfcoastgal.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/my-unpattern-not-the-papertowel-haha/
on ravelry as gulfcoastgal
view gulfcoastgal's profile