Making unpaper towels

esperanza · 03-08-2015, 01:27 PM

We don't use paper towels, but we need something more than what we have for spills. Ds spills things, and he wants to clean it up, which I want to encourage! Right now we just have dish towels that we use. Is there anything else that would work well? My mom has tons of fabric, so I bet I could get her to make something.

FarmMama · 03-08-2015, 03:22 PM

If you search "cloth paper towels" on pinterest a lot of cute ideas will come up. From what I see if someone makes them they are usually terry on one-side and flannel on the other. I have always wanted to make something...but just ended up cutting our old towels up to use.

Post if you make something please!

mommychem · 03-08-2015, 03:28 PM

I wanted to make unpaper towels (one side terry, the other flannel) but ended up buying a cheap set of hand towels instead.

esperanza · 03-08-2015, 04:08 PM

My mom doesn't think the flannel will be very absorbent and thinks all terry is better. I do have some cloth wipes with both so I may try them with spills. But all the online tutorials say to use flannel and terry.

Katigre · 03-08-2015, 04:15 PM

All terry is better

. Do you live near IKEA? They have ten packs of terry rags in the children's section. We use those and they have lasted 5 years!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

houseforjoy · 03-08-2015, 06:01 PM

i made some out of flannel. i made napkin size and paper towel size. i still use and like them a lot

. i also have lots of terry "rag towels" too that i don't mind for big spills that might stain

mamaKristin · 03-08-2015, 06:40 PM

I use old socks and cut up t-shirts, but they aren't that absorbent.

Mother of Sons · 03-08-2015, 06:41 PM

I use the 10 packs of baby wash clothes that latitude mentioned. They are just the right size and very absorbant. I have a stack of 40 or so that I keep in a basket in the kitchen and a bucket for tossing the used ones in. I use them for all my cleaning and it works very well.

esperanza · 03-08-2015, 07:17 PM

We dont live close to IKEA, sadly. We do have some baby washcloths that I use for baths and cleaning faces. Maybe something like that is easier.

sweetpeas · 03-09-2015, 08:44 AM

When my twins started solid food, I went to Walmart & bought their pack of 10 or 12 cheap wash cloths, to use to wipe up spills and messy kids. . . . that kind of transitioned us away from paper towels, I got at least one more pack of the washcloths . . . those lasted 8 or 9 years before they started falling apart, I was going to go buy another pack to replace the ones that were falling apart but then my grandmother moved into assisted living and my mom handed me a huge stack of old wash cloths and dish cloths from her, so now we're set again. I have a drawer in the kitchen that I keep full (and a basket in the pantry for extras that I can re-fill the drawer if we go through them faster than normal between washing day.

knitlove · 03-09-2015, 08:58 AM

I cut up dh' old undershirts. They make great wipe up spills/ child cleaning clothes.

03-08-2015, 01:27 PM	#1
esperanza Rose Garden Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 5,240	Making unpaper towels We don't use paper towels, but we need something more than what we have for spills. Ds spills things, and he wants to clean it up, which I want to encourage! Right now we just have dish towels that we use. Is there anything else that would work well? My mom has tons of fabric, so I bet I could get her to make something. __________________ Wife to mi amor Mama to my gift from the Lord (07/2013)

03-08-2015, 03:22 PM	#2
FarmMama Rose Bouquet Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 895	Re: Making unpaper towels If you search "cloth paper towels" on pinterest a lot of cute ideas will come up. From what I see if someone makes them they are usually terry on one-side and flannel on the other. I have always wanted to make something...but just ended up cutting our old towels up to use. Post if you make something please! __________________ Joli Super Awesome DH DS1 5.21.05 DD1 3.24.09 DD2 10.20.12 DS2 7.25.15

03-08-2015, 03:28 PM	#3
mommychem Rose Garden Butterfly on my face :) Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Louisiana Posts: 6,955	Re: Making unpaper towels I wanted to make unpaper towels (one side terry, the other flannel) but ended up buying a cheap set of hand towels instead. __________________ Wife with 5 DC Former Chemist

03-08-2015, 04:08 PM	#4
esperanza Rose Garden Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 5,240	Re: Making unpaper towels My mom doesn't think the flannel will be very absorbent and thinks all terry is better. I do have some cloth wipes with both so I may try them with spills. But all the online tutorials say to use flannel and terry. __________________ Wife to mi amor Mama to my gift from the Lord (07/2013)

03-08-2015, 04:15 PM	#5
Katigre Rose Garden Why thank you, it is naturally blue... Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 21,278	Re: Making unpaper towels All terry is better . Do you live near IKEA? They have ten packs of terry rags in the children's section. We use those and they have lasted 5 years! Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

03-08-2015, 06:01 PM	#6
houseforjoy Rose Garden trying to live like olaf "this is the best day of my life!... and quite possibly the last!" Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: in the sunshine with my own personal flurry Posts: 9,563	Re: Making unpaper towels i made some out of flannel. i made napkin size and paper towel size. i still use and like them a lot. i also have lots of terry "rag towels" too that i don't mind for big spills that might stain __________________ Amanda, ENFJ Mommy to my bounty: ds 13 years, dd 12 years, dd 9 years , dd 6 and ds 4 Psalm 13 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?....because I am shaken. 5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

03-08-2015, 06:40 PM	#7
mamaKristin Rose Garden parenting better than I garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: just here :) Posts: 26,586	Re: Making unpaper towels I use old socks and cut up t-shirts, but they aren't that absorbent.

03-08-2015, 06:41 PM	#8
Mother of Sons Rose Garden My kid shoots laser beams from his hands Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 21,900	Re: Making unpaper towels I use the 10 packs of baby wash clothes that latitude mentioned. They are just the right size and very absorbant. I have a stack of 40 or so that I keep in a basket in the kitchen and a bucket for tossing the used ones in. I use them for all my cleaning and it works very well.

03-08-2015, 07:17 PM	#9
esperanza Rose Garden Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 5,240	Re: Making unpaper towels We dont live close to IKEA, sadly. We do have some baby washcloths that I use for baths and cleaning faces. Maybe something like that is easier. __________________ Wife to mi amor Mama to my gift from the Lord (07/2013)

03-09-2015, 08:44 AM	#10
sweetpeas Rose Trellis Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,318	Re: Making unpaper towels When my twins started solid food, I went to Walmart & bought their pack of 10 or 12 cheap wash cloths, to use to wipe up spills and messy kids. . . . that kind of transitioned us away from paper towels, I got at least one more pack of the washcloths . . . those lasted 8 or 9 years before they started falling apart, I was going to go buy another pack to replace the ones that were falling apart but then my grandmother moved into assisted living and my mom handed me a huge stack of old wash cloths and dish cloths from her, so now we're set again. I have a drawer in the kitchen that I keep full (and a basket in the pantry for extras that I can re-fill the drawer if we go through them faster than normal between washing day. __________________ Busy Homeschooling Mom to 3 Sweetpeas: Lexie & Ashlyn 16 yr old twins and Lina, 9 Virtual Accountant and Bookkeeper in my "spare time"

03-09-2015, 08:58 AM	#11
knitlove Rose Garden Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Seattle area Posts: 21,260	Re: Making unpaper towels I cut up dh' old undershirts. They make great wipe up spills/ child cleaning clothes. __________________ Wife to a wonderful DH for 19 years. Momma to my 29 weeker Early Bird who is thirteen and my little Wiggle Worm born 33 weeks who is nine. How do I have a teenager?! I don't feel ready for this.

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