If you buy something from the links on this page, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?
The Best Reusable Paper Towels to Clean While Curbing the Waste
They have the texture of paper, but the absorbency of a sponge.
When you need to clean up a spill or wipe down the kitchen table after dinner, what do you reach for first? Paper towels are an obvious choice, but there's actually a more affordable, eco-friendlier alternative than your go-to bulk pack: Swedish dishcloths, also known as reusable paper towels.
The Best Reusable Paper Towels
What to Consider
Material
Patented in 1949 by Swedish civil engineer Curt Lindquist under the brand name Wettex, reusable paper towels are typically made of a cellulose-and-cotton blend. They’re meant to be dampened, squeezed out, and used to sop up spills or clean up crumbs, just like a regular paper towel. They’re slightly spongy when wet, but they feel just like paper when dry.
Where to Use
You can use reusable paper towels with an all-purpose cleaner nearly anywhere that a regular paper towel can be used: on glass, tabletops, countertop surfaces, and floors. Buying multiple patterned designs can help you designate them for cleaning separate areas. However, we wouldn't recommend cleaning soiled areas or your toilets with reusable paper towels, unless you plan to throw them out immediately afterward.
Reusability
Washing a reusable paper towel is simple. You can give it a quick rinse and wring out, just as you would with a sponge. For a more substantial clean, they can also go in a washing machine or on the top rack of a dishwasher and hung out to dry in both cases.
When the reusable paper towel is starting to look dingy, even after washing and drying, or its edges are starting to curl or fray, it's time to dispose of it and move on to the next one in the pack. Many reusable paper towel brands claim that they can be used for a few months before throwing away or adding to your compost bin — but as a general rule of thumb, you shouldn't compost anything that's been used with a chemical cleaning spray.
How We Chose
For this guide, we focused on reusable paper towels that are available in multi-packs for the user's convenience. We also calculated the price per towel in each pack (based on the original price) to determine which of these sets are the best value.
We selected reusable paper towels that are made from compostable cotton and cellulose — the one exception being the SKOY Scrubbing & Scouring Pads, which are made from cotton towel scraps with a resin coating for a more abrasive texture. We opted not to include towel packs made from 100% cotton or microfiber, as these function more as dish towels than paper towels. Unlike true reusable paper towels that just need a quick rinse, dish towels should be laundered after use.
And while we wouldn't say that fun colors or cute patterns are requirements for your reusable dish towels, many of our picks have them! Towel packs that comprise a variety of designs can also be useful to designate for certain cleaning tasks or areas of the home.
The best reusable paper towels are absorbent, quick-drying, and cost-efficient. They're a waste-free alternative to using paper towels to wipe up dust, crumbs, and small messes around the home. Read on to check out the best reusable paper towels for spiffing up any household.
Grove Co. European Dish Cloths
Grove Co. European Dish Cloths
Pros
- Absorbent, resilient, and long-lasting design
- Don’t pick up smells or stains easily
Cons
- Pricey
The European Dish Cloths from Grove Co. come in a pair of complementary designs, so you can designate one for surfaces and the other for floors to keep things sanitary. The brand even says that these can be microwaved or hung on the top shelf of a dishwasher to thoroughly clean.
These dishcloths were my introduction to reusable paper towels. I used them with just plain water or a natural cleaning spray to give my kitchen surfaces a good wipe-down after dinner.
Once moistened, these dishcloths become thick and spongey, and their wavy, textured surface is adept at picking up crumbs in just one pass. I was impressed with this pair’s resiliency over a combined 3 months of use — they never ripped or picked up kitchen smells while I used them. They also don’t stain as much as you’d think. A thorough rinsing after each use is the key to these looking and smelling fresh.
If you plan to make your reusable paper towel commitment a long-term thing, you can get them delivered monthly from Grove Co. for a 36% discount.
More: The Best Air Fresheners That'll Make Your Home Always Smell Clean
Key Specs
| Material | Cellulose and cotton |
|---|---|
| Amount per pack | 2 |
| Estimated price per towel | $4 |
Swedish Wholesale Swedish Dishcloth Cellulose Sponge Cloths
Swedish Wholesale Swedish Dishcloth Cellulose Sponge Cloths
Pros
- Highly rated reviewer favorite
- Bright colors are easy to designate for separate tasks
Cons
- Slightly cheap feeling
With a 76% five-star rating from over 48K Amazon reviewers, it's safe to say that these reusable paper towels from Swedish Wholesale are a fan favorite. Users love that this super absorbent 10-pack of cloths doesn’t smell when dry (even after sopping up spilled milk!) and that they can be used with virtually any cleaning agent, including bleach.
To clean the cloths themselves, many have said that they throw them in the washing machine or the dishwasher, or they boil them in hot water. The cloths' 2-month-plus life span and compostable material are also touted as major pluses.
Key Specs
| Material | Cellulose and cotton |
|---|---|
| Amount per pack | 10 |
| Estimated price per towel | $2.50 |
Five Two Compostable Sponge Cleaning Cloths
Pros
- Gray color effectively hides stains
- Feel thick and high quality
Cons
- Pricey
The Five Two Compostable Sponge Cleaning Cloths come in a pack of 10, and they’re perfectly sized to fold or ball up for quick surface wipe-downs. While we like their playful grid patterns, the towels’ light gray backdrop is a particularly smart design choice, and many reviewers love this set specifically because of it. As one person sums up, “The gray hides the small stains that might cause you to dispose of them before their usefulness is done!”
The texture of these reusable paper towels is also resilient but soft. They're spongey and can hold a lot of moisture, but they don't show signs of significant deterioration after they're wrung and dried out. While this pick isn't the cheapest, it offers a lot of cleaning potential per use.
Key Specs
| Material | Cellulose and cotton |
|---|---|
| Amount per pack | 10 |
| Estimated price per towel | $2.90 |
Pros
- Very absorbent
- Patterned in cute designs
Cons
- Design is one-sided
The Eparé Swedish Dishcloths are excellent to have on standby when cleaning up after messy kitchen tasks like baking or chopping herbs. The thick, spongey material holds a lot of water, but when wrung out, the towel dries quickly and hardens, so there’s no mildewy mess to deal with.
These multicolored reusable dishcloths are some of the most stylish that we’ve seen, and their patterns make them easy to tell apart. However, they’re printed on one side only — we think these reusable paper towels would be a little more effective at hiding stains if their designs were dual-sided.
Key Specs
| Material | Cellulose and cotton |
|---|---|
| Amount per pack | 4 |
| Estimated price per towel | $3.74 |
If You Care Reusable Paper Towel Rolls
If You Care Reusable Paper Towel Rolls
Pros
- Strong and long-lasting
- Good value
Cons
- No distinguishing designs
These cost-efficient reusable paper towel rolls from If You Care are thick and spongey and will last you for a while. Many reviewers are surprised by how strong they are and how much unnecessary paper waste they save.
There are 36 towels total with 12 on each roll. They're designed to fit right onto a regular paper towel holder, too. Stash the three rolls in different areas of the house so that you're not searching for them when something spills. We only wish they had slightly different designs on them to help avoid mixing them up.
Key Specs
| Material | Cellulose and cotton |
|---|---|
| Amount per pack | 3 rolls with 12 towels each |
| Estimated price per towel | $1.12 |
Lola Products Wowables Reusable Paper Towels
Lola Products Wowables Reusable Paper Towels
Pros
- Best value of the bunch
- Roll can be stored on a paper towel holder
Cons
- No design variation
If you're ready to go all-in with reusable paper towels, we suggest getting a roll of Wowables. This biodegradable, 30-sheet roll is the best value on our list (at $.76 per towel), combining sponge-like absorbency and strength with the surface area of a regular paper towel.
You can use these for wiping up grease stains, washing dishes, and even sanitizing with bleach. Afterward, just soak them and wring them out to reuse them over and over again for the same cleaning purpose. The brand claims that it'll take you roughly 2.5 years to get through a single roll ... just think of how many paper towels that'll save you!
Key Specs
| Material | Cellulose and cotton |
|---|---|
| Amount per pack | 1 roll of 30 towels |
| Estimated price per towel | $0.76 |
SKOY Scrubbing & Scouring Pads
SKOY Scrubbing & Scouring Pads
Pros
- More effective at scrubbing
- Designs are made from upcycled towel scraps
Cons
- Not compostable
Sometimes your messes require a bit more muscle. These reusable scouring pads from SKOY can be used at the sink to assist in your handwashing, but they can also be used in place of a reusable paper towel to help scrub off stubborn bits that the soft sponginess of a towel just can't.
These fun, colorful scrubbers are made from cotton-towel scraps and treated with food-grade resin to give them a coarse (but not scratchy) feel. They can last an estimated 3-6 months, and just like reusable paper towels, they can be washed on the top rack of your dishwasher.
Key Specs
| Material | Cotton and resin |
|---|---|
| Amount per pack | 4 |
| Estimated price per towel | $3.40 |
Papaya The Feeling is Neutral Reusable Paper Towels
Papaya The Feeling is Neutral Reusable Paper Towels
Pros
- Towel subscription is available for 13% discount
- Set comes with adhesive hooks for storage convenience
Cons
- Priciest pack
Papaya’s reusable paper towels may be the priciest in our guide, but if you’re looking for an easy entry point into green cleaning, they’re definitely it.
Available as a one-off purchase or on a subscription basis, these reusable paper towels come in a set of six and are bundled with three handy hooks to help them dry out wherever you use them the most. This helps ensure that you always have a freshly cleaned towel ready to go, even when your others are in the wash or still drying off from the last wipe-down.
Key Specs
| Material | Cellulose and cotton |
|---|---|
| Amount per pack | 6 |
| Estimated price per towel | $9 |
Melanie Yates is the senior service editor of Best Products, where she writes and reports pieces pertaining to the etiquette, dilemmas, and how-tos of gift-giving for different occasions. Previously, she was the site's senior home editor, covering all things decor- and bedding-related since 2015. Her digital byline can also be found on Bustle, House Beautiful, and Elle Decor. A longtime classical-music enthusiast, Melanie spends her off-hours enjoying performances big and small across New York City.
Watch Next
9 Most-Loved Appliance Cleaners on Amazon
How to Save at the Container Store Right Now
These 10 TikTok Cleaning Hacks Cost Less Than $25
The Blueair Air Purifier Is 50% Off On Amazon
