I Stopped Buying Paper Towel—This Sustainable Swap Is So Much Better

Is it boring to call cleaning my favorite hobby? It seems like the closer I get to 30, the more I turn into a clean freak, and I’m not even sorry about it. Between tidying the kitchen after meal prep, cleaning up spills, drying off bathroom counters, and drying my hands, I used to fly through a roll of paper towels. I’d have to buy them in bulk every few weeks—now a pack of 6 rolls lasts me months.

My goal for this year was to invest in reusable items and waste less, but I wasn’t expecting this sustainable swap to simultaneously save me money. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say Swedish dishcloths have changed my life. I use them for literally everything: cleaning floors, dusting surfaces and moldings, wiping surfaces, soaking up spills, cleaning the stove, washing dishes, cleaning appliances—I could go on, but you get the point. They’re super absorbent, dry quickly, and one cloth lasts for months and months. You can toss them in the washing machine or dishwasher (my go-to method for a refresh them between cleans).

My favorite thing about these reusable cloths? They’re sold in so many fun patterns and prints, from plaids and stripes to florals. I love that they double as decor, so I can leave them hanging in the kitchen and bathroom for easy access. If I’ve convinced you to give them a try, it’s perfect timing, because Amazon Prime Day is happening right now (it runs until Friday, June 26) and tons of my favorite designs are on sale.

My hack? I have a few different cloths in active rotation: One for “cleaner” messes, like counters and the kitchen table, one that I use on the stovetop, inside cabinets and the fridge, and door handles, another for the “dirtiest” messes, like dusting and spills on the floor. The cloths work through a lifecycle, where they all eventually end up for the super dirty tasks until I toss them. I’ve been using some cloths for longer than six months and they still work well, they just start to lose absorbency and scrub power with use.

While every brand makes a slightly different claim, they tend to say that one Swedish cloth can replace 15 to 17 rolls of paper towels. Don’t get me wrong: It would find it challenging to completely stop buying paper towels. I still use them occasionally, especially when I’m sanitizing after dealing with raw meat or deep cleaning the toilet—pretty much anything really gross. But now, I use them so infrequently, a large roll will last weeks.