UNpaper Towels: Everything You Need to Know

If you’ve been into sustainability for a while, you probably know about Unpaper towels. These towels do what paper towels do but are reusable. Ultimately, this is what makes them more sustainable and environmentally friendly than paper towels.

And since we’re into all things sustainability, we have decided to use this post to discuss everything you need to know about UNpaper towels.

What are Unpaper towels made of?

Unpaper towels are usually made of organic cotton, flannel, micro terry cloth, or bamboo. Some are even made from a mixture of cotton and bamboo. Generally, they can be made from any type of absorbent fabric.

How do Unpaper towels work?

Unpaper towels work the same way as paper towels. Some even come with a mechanism that allows you to snap several of them together and roll them around a paper towel roll.

What fabric is best for Unpaper towels?

Cotton and bamboo are two of the best fabrics for Unpaper towels. However, the best type of fabric for you depends on what you mostly use these towels for.

What size are Unpaper towels?

They are available in a variety of sizes. Some of the most popular sizes are:

• 12” x 10”
• 14” x 12”
• 24” x 24”

How many Unpaper towels do I need?

The number of paper towels you need depends on the number of people in your household. If you have only two people in the house, 10 towels are more than enough.

However, if you have a family of five, 15 would be a better number. Keep in mind though – you should start slowly if you’ve never used these towels and are still unsure that they are suitable for you. We advise starting with a set of 6 to 10 to test the waters.

Once you’re sure about these towels you can get another set that you can use when you wash your original one.

Are Unpaper towels sanitary?

Yes, unpaper towels are sanitary. You can easily wash and disinfect them. However, paper towels are usually considered more sanitary than their reusable counterparts, even by scientists. This is because unpaper towels and other fabric kitchen towels can easily lead to cross-contamination.

If not regularly washed, they can hold bacteria and spread it from one part of your kitchen to another.

As such, it’s important not to use dirty unpaper towels. It’s also important to keep dirty and clean towels separately and store the latter in a clean place.

Where do you store dirty Unpaper towels?

You can store dirty unpaper towels in the laundry area of your home. You can even get a tiny box that you can store them in. If they are wet, you can hang them at the edge of the surfaces in the laundry room before coming back later to wash them.

Ultimately though, it’s up to you to decide which storage option works best for you.

How do I switch to Unpaper towels?

You can easily switch to Unpaper towels by buying a few at your local store or by even making a few for yourself at home. All you need to do this is some fabric and a sewing kit.

Once you have these, follow the instructions below:

1. Measure and cut two pieces of fabric for each unpaper towel that you want to create. You can use any absorbent fabric and measurements you want
2. Place the two pieces of fabric together face to face and pin them together along their edges
3. Sew the two pieces together, leaving 0.25 inches along the edge. Remember to leave a gap though – it will allow you to turn your towel inside out when you’re done
4. Cut the corners and flip the towel inside out
5. Iron along the edges and sew the hole shut. Ensure that you sew as close as possible to the edge of the fabric
6. Repeat the steps above to create as many towels as you want

How do you put Unpaper towels with snaps on a roll?

If you have unpaper towels with snaps, wrapping them on a roll is easy. All you have to do is snap a towel on the dowel and snap the other paper towels on top of it.

How do you roll Unpaper towels without snaps?

Some towels have velcro that keeps them secure as you roll them around your paper towel roll. Others are made of flannel material that clings together, making rolling easy.

If you have the ones with velcro, all you have to do is wrap one towel around an old paper towel roll and then use the velcro on its end to connect another towel that you can wrap too. Repeat this process until all your unpaper towels are wrapped around the roll.

If you’re using the clingy towels though, stack them together with their backsides facing up. Once this is done, slide a dowel to the bottom of the top towel and roll it on it. Afterward, slide the dowel to the bottom of the second towel and roll that one as well. Repeat this process until all your paper towels are firmly rolled around your dowel.

Needless to say, rolling unpaper towels are still easy even if they don’t have snaps.

Are UNpaper towels worth it?

Yes, Unpaper towels are worth it. They come with advantages like:

1. They reduce waste

The most obvious advantage is that they reduce the amount of waste you add to the environment. While paper towels usually end up accumulating in landfills, they can be reused for years.

This makes the latter better for the environment, especially since the former is usually used in large quantities.

2. They reduce your expenses

Since you can use a single set of unpaper towels for years, it’s cheaper to invest in them instead of buying paper towels every time you go shopping. While they are more expensive up front, they are cheaper in the long run.

3. They are easy to use and wash

One of the greatest perks of using unpaper towels is that they require no special expertise to use. You use them exactly the same way you’d use paper towels. And washing them is easy too.

4. They add some style to your kitchen

They come in a variety of colors and patterns, making them a great way to add some style and personality to your kitchen.

5. They can serve a variety of purposes

They can do more than clean spills and messes in your kitchen. You can also use them to wrap fragile dishware and even wipe your mirrors/windows.

How do you wash UNpaper towels?

You can either hand wash or machine wash unpaper towels. You can even clean them in the top rack of your dishwashing machine. Just remember to unsnap them before washing and clean similar colors together.

If you choose to hand wash them, you can use hot/warm water and dish soap to do this in a clean sink. Afterward, rinse them thoroughly and lay them on a rack to dry.

If you choose to machine wash unpaper towels though, use low or medium heat and opt for a delicate spinning cycle. Remember, the more gentle the spinning cycle is, the longer it will last.

To make them last longer, you can even choose to wash them in a mesh bag. This is particularly suitable for towels with velcro.

Whatever you do though, don’t use fabric softeners – they can affect your towels’ absorbency. Also, air drying is always a better option than machine drying. Not only is it more environmentally friendly but it also preserves your towels’ fabric better.

If you must machine dry these towels though, use the gentle setting and low heat.

Should you wash new unpaper towels?

Unless the manufacturer indicates that they have pre-washed the unpaper towels for you, you should give them a quick wash before using them for the first time.

If they are dark in color, you’ll have to wash them separately this first time, just in case they leach some of their dye.

How do you disinfect UNpaper towels?

You can disinfect your unpaper towels and other kitchen towels by boiling them in soapy water for a minute and then letting them simmer for a few minutes. Afterward, rinse them with clean water and leave them out to dry.

Alternatively, you can disinfect them by microwaving them while wet for a minute or so.

Can you bleach Unpaper towels?

Yes, you can use bleach on them – this can be an effective way to disinfect white ones particularly.

Can you use Unpaper towels in the microwave?

Yes, you can use them in the microwave. They won’t catch fire if you leave them in your microwave for a few minutes.

Do unpaper towels shrink when washed?

Unpaper towels will shrink slightly the first few times you wash them. However, you can easily resolve this issue by ironing them on medium heat after washing and drying them.

How do you store UNpaper towels?

You can store unpaper towels in a variety of ways. The most popular one is wrapping them around a paper towel roll and placing them on a paper towel holder. This makes it easy to reach out for them when a spill or messy incident suddenly occurs.

However, you can also store your towels by stacking them in a cute box in your kitchen. Alternatively, you can fold them and arrange them in a dedicated kitchen cabinet.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose a storage method that’s convenient for you and will keep your towels clean and dry.

When should you throw away your UNpaper towels?

You can use unpaper towels for at least one to two years. Some people have even used the same set of such towels for 3 years.

Ultimately, the better you take care of your towels, the longer they will last. Also, having a variety of unpaper towels helps – it keeps you from overusing them.

Can you flush UNpaper towels?

No, you can’t flush them. These towels are absorbent and don’t break down in the water, making it easy for them to block your toilet system. Interestingly, you can’t flush paper towels either – they too are absorbent and don’t break down in the water.

That’s why they usually end up in landfills or in a few cases, compost heaps.

Can you recycle unpaper towels?

No, you can’t recycle them. This is yet another similarity between unpaper and paper towels.

Can you compost unpaper towels?

Since such towels are biodegradable, they can be composted. So if you have a few you want to get rid of, cut them into small pieces, douse them in water, and add them to your heap.

To help the particles decompose faster, you can mix them into the compost instead of leaving them just sitting on the top. If you want to compost dirty towels though, make sure that they’re soiled with natural products – adding synthetic materials will negatively affect your heap.

Should you use Unpaper towels in the air fryer?

No, it isn’t advisable to use unpaper or even paper towels in the air fryer. More suitable options include parchment paper and aluminum foil.

Final thoughts

When it comes down to it, unpaper towels are a better and more sustainable option than paper towels. As long as you keep them clean and store them properly, you can use them for years to come.