This story was written by Laurelle Stelle and originally appeared on The Cool Down.
If you’re looking for a hack to save money and save the environment while keeping your kitchen clean, TikToker simplebarenecessities is here to show you how it’s done.
Earlier this year, simplebarenecessities posted a video showcasing “paperless towels”: thin wash rags the same size as a paper towel that can be reused over and over instead of being thrown away.
The video is one of many on her channel sharing tips for creating less household waste. The hack is exciting because it pays for itself; simplebarenecessities hasn’t bought paper towels in four years.
@simplebarenecessities when sustainable swaps actually save you hundreds, yes plz
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Instead, she shows viewers how to roll paperless towels onto a paper towel tube for reuse and explains that she washes used ones with her regular laundry. Paperless towels aren’t just for wiping up spills, either.
“My favorite way is to use it as a Swiffer pad,” she says. In the video, she shows how her paperless towels can attach to a Swiffer mop and suggests either soaking the pad in cleaning solution or spraying it on the floor to get a convenient clean.
“It works just the same,” she assures — which means paperless towel users can add Swiffer pads to the list of household supplies they’ll never need to buy again.
Reusable items like paperless towels tend to cost more upfront than disposable options — but they last so long and can be reused so many times that they can save smart shoppers hundreds of dollars each year.
Simplebarenecessities estimates she’s saved over $1,000 since switching to paperless towels, and that’s just one of the lifestyle changes she’s made.
Choices like this also help reduce the amount of garbage going to landfills and the amount of material used in manufacturing, which is good for the environment.
A few Tiktokers point out that similar reusable rags can be made from old clothing or bedsheets.
“Me cutting up t-shirts instead of buying them cause it’s even more eco friendly,” says one commenter.
Even commenters who already use cloth towels found helpful ideas in the video. “This is a good money saving tip on how to use those cloths better,” comments another.
This story was written by Laurelle Stelle and originally appeared on The Cool Down.
Get your own paperless towels below!
