\nMost things can be cleaned with a reusable sponge or cloth. Save paper (and cash!) with these expert tips.\n
\n
Think twice before reaching for the paper towel to remove that icky residue from your sink, shower or bathtub. According to Sara Hernandez, Crew Leader, Housekeeping Associates of Ann Arbor, Michigan, the best way to remove soap scum (residue) from your bathroom is to use a mixture of vinegar with Dawn dish soap to cut through the grime and then wipe with a clean cloth.\n
\n
It\u2019s easy to just grab a sheet off the roll to dry your greasy, sticky fingers, but try to resist. Martha Stewart recommends wearing an apron while cooking, and chances are you\u2019ve got one hanging in the kitchen you\u2019ve been neglecting. You\u2019ll not only save paper as you cook, but you\u2019ll also protect your clothing in the process. Just wipe your hands on the apron after washing them, and move on to the next step in your cooking process.\n
\n
Accidentally spill soda on the rug? Don\u2019t reach for the paper towel. \u201cWiping up spills or scrubbing stains with a paper towel will leave paper residue on carpeting, and it does not do a thorough job of wiping up,\u201d says Deretta Richards, Crew Leader, Housekeeping Associates of Ann Arbor, Michigan. \u201cInstead, use a clean dry cloth to soak up spills, let it dry, then vacuum.\u201d\n
There\u2019s another problem with using paper towels, warns professional cleaner Olivia Monash of Fantastic Services Group in Australia. \u201cScrubbing the stain will make the lint to go deep into the fibre and it will be difficult to vacuum afterward. Use a sponge instead.\u201d\n
\n
Wiping kitchen plates and cups with paper towels because they\u2019ve been sitting unused in the cupboard for a while is a bad idea, says Monash. \u201cThis would be anything but nature-friendly, not to mention that tiny particles might stick to dishes and later on end up in your digestive system.\u201d Use a rag or damp cloth instead to wipe off those plates or mugs.\n
\n
Keep paper towels far away from your TV screen, laptop, and even your cell phone. \u201cWe would never recommend using paper towels on delicate glass surfaces like LCD or plasma TV screens,\u201d says Carol Smith, owner of Toronto-based HireaMaid. \u201cThe fibres can cause permanent etching of the screen. Instead, use a product and microfibre cloth designed specifically for these surfaces.\u201d Adds Smith: \u201cIt\u2019s also important to not apply too much pressure when cleaning these screens, because it may cause damage to the crystals inside an LCD.\u201d\n
\n
When cleaning windows and mirrors, use microfibre cloths\u2014a favourite of professional cleaners\u2014instead of paper towels. \u201cI used to be a firm believer in Windex and paper towels to get my windows and mirrors sparkling, but I\u2019ve since converted,\u201d says Lifestyle expert Ayn-Monique Klahre of Apartment Therapy\u2019s The Kitchn, an online food magazine. Microfibre cloths, explains Klahre, work just as well (if not better) and they\u2019re reusable. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have cloth, newspaper or even a paper bag will also work. And the best part: None of them leave lint behind the way a paper towel can.\u201d\n
\n
\u201cPaper towels are not effective in cleaning toilets,\u201d says professional cleaner Carolyn Osborne, Crew Leader, Housekeeping Associates. \u201cInstead, use Lysol Toilet Bowl cleaner or Comet Toilet Bowl Cleaner with bleach and a toilet bowl brush to make your toilet bowl sparkle.\u201d\n
\n
\u201cWhen cleaning up stains such as meat juices on a wooden surface like a cutting board, do not use a paper towel as it will not thoroughly soak up all of the liquid. Use a clean, damp cloth with disinfectant on it to remove all residue,\u201d recommends Lisa Sorensen, Crew Leader, Housekeeping Associates.\n
\n
\u201cRaw paper can be hard enough to scratch your lenses, and it will leave lint,\u201d says Monash. \u201cInstead, always use microfibre cloths as it cuts the oils that cause smudges and wipes them away.\u201d\n
\n
Avoid using paper towels when cleaning the car, says Jennifer Gregory, Brand Manager of Molly Maid. \u201cDon\u2019t dust your dashboard with a paper towel. Again, microfibre is ideal as it removes the dust versus moving it around. A dry paper towel never seems to fully remove the dust and applying a cleaning product leaves a sticky residue that attracts more dust! The grooves in microfibre capture and remove the mess.\u201d\n
\n
Use a toothbrush instead of paper towel, writes Klahre on The Kitchn: \u201cAnything that requires to you really get in there (to clean deeply) is not gonna get clean with a paper towel. The material is too flimsy and will shred as soon as you start scrubbing! Instead, use an old toothbrush to get stains out of grout, brick, or other textured surfaces.\u201d
\nThings you shouldn’t clean with paper towel – paper towel rolls in kitchenPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK\n
\n
According to Jeri Fritz, founder and owner of Highland Park Housekeeping, her housekeepers have swapped out paper towels for microfibre cloths to clean almost everything. It\u2019s a must-have product in their cleaning arsenal of products. \u201cMicrofibre is better than paper towels, which leave streaks and create waste.\u201d\n
Gregory of Molly Maid is also a big fan of microfibre cloths. \u201cIt\u2019s ideal to use something sustainable like microfibre whenever possible! Microfibre cloths can be reused and laundered\u2014though don\u2019t use dryer sheets or fabric softener.\u201d\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Most things can be cleaned with a reusable sponge or cloth. Save paper (and cash!) with these expert tips. The tub Think twice before reaching for the paper towel to remove that icky residue from your sink, shower or bathtub. According to Sara Hernandez, Crew Leader, Housekeeping Associates of Ann Arbor, Michigan, the best way\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17312,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[54,43,61,30,46,31,32],"class_list":{"0":"post-17311","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tie-life-style","8":"tag-clean-hack","9":"tag-cleaning-house","10":"tag-cleaning-tips","11":"tag-household-hacks","12":"tag-life-hacks","13":"tag-tips","14":"tag-tricks"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/dont-clean-paper.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17311"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17311\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendstitch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}