How You Can Double The Lifespan Of Your Paper Towels

Among the items deemed necessary in every kitchen are paper towels, needed for anything from wiping up spills to cleaning your microwave. That said, keeping an eye on how many you use should also take precedence. Since paper towels are disposable and inevitably wind up in landfills, you may be looking for creative ways to minimize how many you use per day. The simplest way to reduce your paper towel usage is by cutting each roll in half.

By using one half of a roll at a time, you're instantly grabbing less, which in turn reduces the amount used. Especially if you purchase high-absorbency varieties, you may not even realize how far a small square can go until you try. If you need more, you can always grab extra. However, by using a smaller sheet from the start, your needs will likely adjust, and in the end, your paper towel stores will last longer.

To try this technique for yourself, place a roll of paper towels on a cutting board. Keeping the roll steady with one hand, use a sharp knife and cut straight through the center. While you can use either a straight or serrated blade, the latter tends to work best. Using fewer paper towels from the start doesn't make the prospect of cleaning drips, spills, and countertop messes less manageable. As a matter of fact, small sheets are ideal in certain situations.

Use small paper towel sheets to manage crafts, clean tiny spills, and even wipe mouths. Sectioned paper towels serve as a sturdier alternative to your standard napkin. Besides reducing waste, you can also transform some of these smaller sheets into common household products like wet wipes or DIY dryer sheets to save even more money. Half-size paper towels are just the right dimensions for single-use cleaning products.

To make multi-purpose cleaning wipes, place a half-roll of paper towels in an empty container and saturate the roll with a solution composed of water, vinegar, and liquid dish soap. Use homemade wipes to make your rusty griddle look new again, clean your stove, and wipe down countertops. For dryer sheets, simply add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to dry paper towel squares and add them to your dryer.

Compared to their full-size counterparts, half-rolls of paper towels are also easier to store. Pack them together in small spaces like under your sink or in a small cupboard. Fortunately, you can still utilize your paper towel holder to hold two half-rolls at once. This way, once you use a full half-roll, you can move on to the next, all on the same holder. While you can still use paper towels to store spinach long-term and clean everyday messes, half-size rolls last longer and prove to be a more cost-effective option.