Roughly two weeks ago I took $14 of our grocery budget and invested into washcloths.
A strange investment, I know. You don’t want me in control of your 401k!
I kid.
Not really.
Seriously, these washcloths are amazing. They are not your typical run of the mill washcloths.
- First, they’re white.
- And, they’re square.
- They’re made of cotton.
- They were cheap.
- They’re brand-name (the store’s).
- They’re from Target (pronounced Tar-zsay).
See, totally high-end and very extraordinary washcloths.
🙂
These washcloths are so magnificent that they are now our official “napkins.” We used to use paper towels, or on an extra special occasion, a real paper napkin. But now we use washcloths.
When company comes over for dinner or if we’re hosting a special occasion, no longer do we feel inferior because our company has to wipe crumbs and sauce off their face with paper. No sir-ree! Our company can feel ultimate pleasure and comfort while wiping their face AND be reminded of a bathroom at the same time!
How’s that for hospitality?!
Did you hear that washcloth napkins are all the rage? Yep, they sure are.
(Don’t bother Googling to verify this – they’ve been slow to update their search results.)
Don’t you want to do what’s popular too? Why should you invest in super-cool, ultra high-end exceptionally remarkable white cotton washcloths?
Cloth napkins cost less.
For the average family of four using one paper towel each for three meals a day, one roll would last 13 days. At 52 sheets in each $1 roll, the cost of cloth napkins becomes significantly less expensive (free) after 182 days (or just over six months).
Cloth napkins look better.
Company isn’t impressed when we rip off a paper towel, tear it in half and tuck the ripped piece of paper gently under their forks and knives. Now everyone gets their own full-size napkin. We could get extra fancy and fold it into a fan and stick it in their water glass!
Cloth napkins last longer.
Cloth napkins are not a one-time-use and toss item. They cover way beyond one spill and can even last beyond one meal (if it’s not spaghetti). Even used to the maximum capacity, cloth napkins end up in the hamper, not trash, which means…
Cloth napkins produce less trash.
Cloth napkins can be used and washed and reused until they shrivel apart, and even then they can become “heavy duty” rags. Less trash = better for the environment.
Kids can’t rip apart cloth napkins under the table.
There’s something soothing about ripping pieces of paper apart into tiny little pieces. That soothing factor diminishes when you’re the one cleaning them up.
How does the “average” family integrate this posh commodity into their ordinary lives?
1. Search for a good deal at low-end joints. Think Walmart, Target, Goodwill, garage sales, etc. Expect that these will get very dirty and come up with a fair price. The high-end washcloths mentioned above were on sale at Target, $3.23 for an 8-pack. I thought 40 cents each was fair.
2. Aim for plain. Flowers and patterns are cute today, but won’t always be in season. Solid colors will stand the test of time and increase your odds of not having to replace them later. Why white? It matches everything, always.
3. Buy several. 32 seemed like a good number. Enough to last us through a few days without having to wash, but not enough to make laundry more of the chore it already is.
3. Wash before use. This should go without saying, but since someone in my family is guilty of wearing new clothes without washing them first (ahem), it’s worth mentioning. Wash the washcloths in cold water and dry.
4. Fold and put not too far away. Keeping the washcloths in a closet upstairs is a great way to not use them. Re-purpose a basket or tupperware container or toy box or something to hold the napkins. Fold them neatly and place them inside the container. Keep the container in a central location to the dining table and/or kitchen and make sure everyone in the house knows where this location is. Don’t keep it a secret.
5. Wash regularly. Keeping them clean will make them look newer longer. Wash dirty washcloths at least once a week. Save money and time by washing with other dirty towels and rags too. Another reason to go white? If they become so stained that they’re no longer worthy for company, let them soak in bleach in the kitchen sink. Two outcomes: white washcloths and a clean sink.
6. Put paper towels out of sight. Because out of sight is out of mind.
I use waffle-weave cotton for napkins. It’s really absorbent and still looks “elegant”. It comes in colours, but I go for white so it can be bleached, and I’ve been using them for about 5 yrs now. I don’t have paper napkins or paper towels in my house.
I get old towels (from a thrift store if I don’t have one when I need one) and cut them into 6ths or 8ths and run a quick stitch around all the edges. These are my rags, so no need for paper towels at all.
If I go through a drive-through (extremely rare), I’ll save the paper napkins from the bag and keep them in the kitchen in case I have a messy spill that I really don’t want to use a cloth rag for.
We purchased 3 sets of small dish towels to work as absorbant napkins. Each family member has their own cabana-stripe color: red, yellow, blue. I keep them rolled up in an old condiment tray on the kitchen table. My daughter and husband LOVE their marinara sauce, but it sure gets all over the napkins! Here’s what I do to keep them from staining: right after dinner, I do the dishes. After the dishes are done, I thoroughly rinse the napkins, put about 3″ of HOT water (as hot as it comes from my tap) in my small dishpan, rub some Dawn into the stains and put the napkins in to soak. I don’t make suds. Just Dawn right on the stains and napkins into the HOT water. When I come back later to put away dishes before bed, I rinse out the napkins, ring them as dry as I can and put them in the hamper for the next day’s laundry. (Yes, I do one load of laundry every day 🙂 ) All the tomato sauce stains are 90% gone before the napkin hits the laundry. Hope this helps!
I love this! I am so doing this! Thank you for the cleaning tip, it will save me a lot of work. 🙂
Love this post! We switched to cloth napkins, but i went with solid black — dont worry about stains and they still go with everything, lol. We also recently switched to terry cloth towels for general/household cleaning as well as i got a good deal on a big pack at a bulk store. Those i got in white so i could bleach them regularly for sanitation reasons, and i didnt care if they stained permanently. It is amazing how much money is saved by making small changes like this. 🙂
I’m right there with you Amanda! Some of our towels are starting to need to be replaced, so I might consider navy blue next time (didn’t see black). But even with a good bleach, they’re working out great!
I switched to cloth napkins this year – trying to be “green.” We love them. I also switched to cloth “paper towels” Ikea has these great, cheap, cotton dish towels. I bought a bunch and keep them on the counter in a basket. Now whenever I need to reach for a paper towel, these are right there. (I do keep a roll of paper towels under the sink – every once in a while you just need a paper towel, right?)
We’ve begun using our dish towels as cloth paper towels, but I would imagine having a set designated for that purpose would keep them looking nicer, longer, lol. Yes, we still use paper towels for things like greasy spills and bacon, but one roll lasts us a REALLY long time!
I have wanted to switch to cloth napkins but have little support from DH. We use cloth diapers and cloth wipes for our daughter, but he is not supportive of cloth napkins because of the initial investment. I figure I would buy one pack. I start using it for me and my daughter. Then he will buy in–mostly from guilt. I have looked at Target for the ones you referenced in the article but can’t find them. Can you give more information about them? You call them washcloths, but all I find is terry cloth. I look in napkins and all I see is overpriced for 4 napkins. Please help!
They’re “Room Essentials” washcloths, in the bath towel section of the store. I tend to see them on an endcap rather than in the isle itself. They’re white cotton square, definitely not terry cloth. They’re not the fancy napkins because those are WAY too expensive, but they’re perfect for everyday usage in our family. I am considering investing in a set of 8 nicer napkins though for company, but that will have to wait until a free $10 from Kohls comes in the mail, lol!
Yes, your personality plays right through stale text and I like the idea. I once had this idea but I didn’t stick with it. Long ago, when I discovered rags were better than sponges (because sponges harbor bacteria, I unashamedly bought hoards of cloths. Since my home is ALL guys without my proper training (I failed in the consistency of discipline and routine area as I was experimenting/discovering things myself)I cannot get them to use my color coded rag system–think Brooke Shields in the movie “Bob the Butler.” This wont stop me from trying again. I will go purchase some high end ones just for paper towels–only we use paper towels for cleaning and that and tomato sauce will be where the stains come in. However, that magic little duo of peroxide and Dawn (1/2 n 1/2) DID get red wine out of a fabric placement after it sat unattended for 24 hours–so maybe I could keep the white. Chlorine and my well water will turn them that funky yellow tint color. The Chlorine molecules bond to the iron so you have to buy a product called “iron out”–but I am wondering what that does after it goes down my drain and if I have to buy all that just to wash my rags then it may cost the same as cheap paper towels. I really want the wash cloths to work and to feel frugal and more self reliant;so I will try this. Confession: We have no system for dirty kitchen rags and they will get that stinky mildew smell (remember the bacteria from sponges?)What a domestic hypocrite I am! Does anyone have a system for keeping rags CLEAN at all times? I am locked into sniffing the dish rag, rinsing & wringing it out to add it to the laundry pile where the wash may or may not get it out because I rarely use bleach. School cafeterias use a bin of hot soapy water next to the sink to soak those cloth rags into (You know how the kids get the duty of washing the tables?)Maybe that’s what I’ll do–just need the discipline part to keep it working instead of giving up. Thanks for a boost of encouragement.
Thanks Melanie 🙂 I’d go with the Dawn/peroxide mixture instead of the bleach to avoid yellow, pipes, etc. I’ll share my system for keeping rags clean, although it’s not anything grand. When dirty, toss them on the floor by the washer. When I have enough rags for a load, OR when I’m already washing towels/shoes/hiking clothes, I wash them. It’s usually within 2-4 days. If I use it for dairy though, it needs to get washed nearly ASAP otherwise the old milk smell lingers.
This is an old question but for anyone reading: I soak all kitchen cloths in a pail of the hottest water my kitchen sink will give, along with a few drops of dish detergent. Come laundry time, I dump the lot into the washing machine. I was having smell issues but this takes care of the smell.
Try soaking in hot water & white vinegar, then and some baking soda. It helps get the mildew-y smell out of towels.
I’ve been using cloth napkins for about two years now! We began using them to save money, but now I genuinely prefer the feel of cloth napkins to paper. My parents were worried about me when I served them dinner with cloth napkins for the first time and now bring a roll of paper towels over when they come to eat because they think it’s strange we use cloth.
Wow, seriously? Should our parents be the ones used to using cloth, not us? Too funny Heather – thanks for the laugh! Maybe having them over often enough will make them change their minds in time.
Love cloth, we’ve been using cloth napkins that were collecting dust and I scored a pile of durable linen napkins for cheap at an estate sale. For durability, real linen is worth every penny, they are twice as old and show half the wear of the cotton
Thanks for the tip Kimberly. Our cotton ones are getting dingy and need a good bleaching for sure. Tempting to have some for everyday use, then a nicer set for company. In either case, very glad we switched!
My family and I have been using cloth shop rags I purchased for free with a coupon for 3 years now. My husband now believes it was the best idea I ever had. We have three children and one on the way now. So paper towels would be a wasted expense. I purchased a king size flat sheet at Goodwill for $2.99 and 3 yards of a cotton fabric for $1.99 at Salvation Army. I washed the sheet and cut it along with the fabric into 72 cloth napkins. Right now they are pinned waiting to be sewn into our double-sided napkins. Tomorrow I will purchased three spools of thread for $1 at Dollar General and get to sewing. Since our family is going to be a family of six soon I plan to purchase another sheet and fabric to make even more napkins. Thanks for the awesome post. You also encouraged me to use a large sheet towel I received from Target with some extra fabric I have to make some dish towels. We also have handmade dish cloths to wash dishes and clean up spills along with handmade cleaning cloths for cleaning around the home.
I so enjoy hearing how large families take something small like cloth napkins and really applying the concept to their lifestyle. It’s encouraging for the smaller families – if a family of 6 can do it, surely a family of 2 or 3 can try!
I love cloth! We’ve been using washcloths as napkins since our daughter was born 2 years ago. They are wonderful! A great place to get uber-cheap washcloths is IKEA. (10 for $4) We just bought 20 more since some of ours are ready for the rag bin. 🙂
I grew up in a household were we dined on fine china every evening…my mom worked for a catering company so this was our life. When my children’s friend come to dinner they all have made comments about our dinner routines (family style dinning) with cloth napkins, porcelain plates…white of course, stemware because everything is better in a wine glass
This is such a fantastic post Tiffany! We currently use paper but you make some excellent points for making the switch Thank you so much for sharing at Mom on Timeout!
We have been using cloth napkins for years. You will be so happy that you have change from paper to cloth. I find an amazing selection for mere pennies at thrift stores.
You’re right – now that we’ve been using them for a few weeks, I’m so glad we switched. I check thrift stores if it’s convenient and plan to pick up some solids.
Partying from Create, Craft, Love. This is a good idea. I like cloth napkins. The other idea is the buy tea towels and cut them and make 2 out of one. I don’t know which is cheaper. Enjoyed your post and humor.
We may have met by chance…but we become friends by choice.
Thanks Sue!
I love cloth napkins if they are the right kind. Some just smear everything around. Most of the time we use paper.
We switched to cloth napkins about a year ago. Ours are thrifted. I like to have a variety so each person can have a different color or pattern. Church sales are a great place to find them cheaply, especially if the congregation is older. I’ve learned that we only like 100% cotton, for feel and absorbency. Our paper towel alternatives are made from flour-sack towels; they work great and dry so fast that they don’t develop a sour smell like thick towels sometimes do.
Ah, church sales! Our area has a large elderly population too. Great idea!
I agree with you. I’ve use cloth napkins every day for many years, only using paper cocktail napkins for a party. I even use cloth napkins for our Christmas buffet. I have had a friend or two who thought using cloth napkins was “putting on airs”, but I assured them I wasn’t. LOL It’s just that I like cloth, and as you said, they’re less expensive and “greener”.
Visiting from No Minimalist Here,
Babs
I love this idea. Since my dog seems to shred every paper product in the house – it’s like he’s telling me to switch. Right?!?!
How long do you think you can get out of a cloth napkin before it frays away to nothing?
Has anyone made the switch back to hankies too?
Found you at the linky party – A Glimpse Inside.
Yep, I think your dog is sending you signals. 😉 I think the longevity of a napkin will depend on its quality. I try to put newly washed ones at the bottom of the basket to help even the wear. It would be interesting to compare up front and replacement prices. My first inkling is to go cheap up front, since all napkins will get dirty and stained, regardless of their quality, and you’ll want to replace them eventually because of the ick factor.
Haven’t tried hankies yet – I use toilet paper, lol.
I bought cloth napkins, 100% cotton, about as heavy as two thicknesses of quilting cotton. They are stained but still in very good condition over 10 years later. I bought 8 and we are a family of 6 so they have been used a lot. About 5 years ago I added 8 new ones in a different color but I don’t care for them as much because they come out of the dryer with the hemmed edges super wrinkled, the old ones don’t wrinkle. I do not know why, they are both 100% cotton, both have a deep mitered hem.
Hey,
Here in India we use paper napkins only on occasions because they are expensive comparatively and have been introduced recently
My mom , grand mom and me all have been using cloth napkins mainly cut from old cotton bed sheets (you can get a huge pile just with one old sheet)..old towels are cut for wiping kitchen counters and home dusting .
Indian
Indian food has lots of colours like of turmeric , chili and so staining is always there and hence it’s better to use recycled napkins than new ones for me . Economical and durable .. I just have to give a straight stitch to the edges (I don’t sew too….)
Using an old (or even thrifted) bed sheet is a fantastic idea. Given the colors in Indian cuisine, having some solid colors would be nearly a necessity. Non-sewers unite!
Sauce stains (I make a lot of Indian inspired food, so yellow is a common stain) led me to dark colored napkins. After, oh, 15 years with ragged face cloths as napkins, and making a tie dye of the freaky bad kind, I first picked up a handful of navy blue and forest green washcloths.
A few years later, kiddo moved out and I upgraded to actual napkins.before, I merely had four for company.
Because my hierarchy was cloth flat weave napkin- terry cloth- stained of either- paper.
White may bleach, but navy, forest, black and dark purple hide those stains!
And they wash beautifully in a sink of slightly sudsy water.
Do dishes, drop cloths into rinse water, add a touch more soap, agitate a few minutes, soak overnight, agitate again in the morning, rinse, wring, hang on drying rack.
Unless you had a big party.
Then use a washer for your sanity.
But less than eight? Hand wash!
Excellent idea. I found you on The DIY Dreamer. I will definitely be back, and hope I can persuade you to share this post and link up to my Blog Fest: http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/2012/10/farm-girl-blog-fest-3.html I would love for you to join the party!
Thanks for the invite Lisa!