Don't know why, but I processed this title as having to do with toilet paper and not paper towels. Reading the first few responses, I was thinking - EWWW, who are these people?!? Lol.

we use a pile of cute dishtowels (love the ones at Hill's Kitchen) and wash them every single day. A fresh one every day. They are for drying hands only. Then, microwave the sponge (wet) for one minute at least every two days if not every day. We do use paper towels, but not that many.

OP, Brazil called and would like it's rain forest back.


You could use a new hand towel every day and still use less resources.

Just microwave the sponge for 2 minute s

Keep a pile of rags (we use old t-shirts) for cleaning up spills and such.
I hang them up to dry (outside in good weather) and on a drying rack so that they dry out before I get a chance to do the laundry (I only do it once a week) and they don't get moldy or smelly.

Burp cloths also!

Get a pile of hand towels and wash em we cut way back. I bought some cheap cleaning towels we cycle through and was on the weekend.

Just stop. For 6 months, use towels, sponges, etc. See if there is any difference in the frequency/duration/severity of illnesses in your family. I would bet you'll see no difference.

OP, Brazil called and would like it's rain forest back.


You could use a new hand towel every day and still use less resources.

OP here. Before we had a dishwasher, I would wipe down our cutting board after chopping raw meat and poultry with a sponge before hand washing it. Then someone told me that rinsing that sponge under soap and water and re-using it was spreading germs around the kitchen. Now I am paranoid about my sponge use and switched to paper towels even though we got a dishwasher three years ago. That same weird paranoia was behind paper towels in the bathroom and spreading germs around from hand to hand.

Help me lol

I actually use all my burp cloths in the kitchen-- my 2 y o is a messy eater, so I keep one on hand for wiping up, then use it to clean off the floor/counters etc. Then, it goes in the wash. I had so many from when he was an infant, I figure I could repurpose them here. It keeps us from using so many paper towels!

Do you mean you dry your hands with paper towels? That's crazy! Just use a hand towel and wash them regularly (once or twice/week).

That seems ridiculous about sponges. I can see maybe having one for dishes and one for cleaning up spills, but if you use soap and occasionally run it through the dishwasher I don't see why you would be worried about germs.

I use the paper towel rolls where you can tear of a smaller sheet. But I also use sponges - just run them through the dishwasher pretty regularly. I don't think we have any more illnesses in our family than average.

One key to not spreading germs between kids is for them to each have their own toothpaste, as well as their own toothbrush.

I always heard sponges spread germs around after one use, is it the same for cloth hand towels?