Monday Q&A | Trash Bags, Paper Towels, and Reading Material
Every Monday, I answer a few of the questions that my readers send me. If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future Q&A post, just leave me a comment here or email me (thefrugalgirl [at] gmail [dot] com) and put Q&A in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you!
Do you use paper towels? If not, what do you use instead? I realize that rags work fine, but I feel like using Windex and rags to do things like clean counters would use up rags really fast. Not that you're necessarily wasting, but really, I was just curious.
-Sloan
I actually wrote a post about not using paper towels a little while back (and Apartment Therapy linked to it, which was delightful!), but you know what's embarrassing? In that post I totally forgot to mention that I use cloth towels. Duh.
In case some of you aren't feeling inclined to click on over to that post, I'll just say quickly that I use:
-cloth towels for drying purposes (for hands and dishes)
-terry washcloths for kitchen wiping purposes (tables, counters, children's faces)
-rags made from old t-shirts for household wiping (like cleaning glass)
I love my t-shirt rags with all my heart and actually feel that they are way more efficient for glass cleaning than paper towels are. I have to go through oodles of paper towels to clean a sliding glass door, but I can use a single t-shirt rag to do the same job. Plus, they're softer than most paper towels so I can use them for scratchable surfaces, like my glossy black piano.
Pretty much the only jobs I use paper towels for are draining bacon and other greasy foods and for the occasional household greasy mess (like a WD40 drip). So, a roll lasts for a really, really long time around here and that makes me happy.
I heartily encourage you to try reducing your paper towel usage. It's really not super hard, it doesn't produce a ton of extra laundry, and as long as you change out your washcloths and towels every day (make sure they hang to dry overnight), they shouldn't become gross or funky (if you do experience problems like this, an occasional bleach bath will fix you right up).
I enjoy reading your blog everyday and have almost totally converted to cloth vs. plastic. I have sewn cloth sandwich wraps instead of ziplock sandwich bags, am using mesh bags for purchasing fruit and veggies and use cloth grocery bags....also buying milk in glass returnable jugs BUT what do you use to line your trashcans? I don't know what to use instead of trashbags !
-Deb
I think that's awesome! Yay! I always love to hear how people are reducing their dependence on disposable items.
While I try to do that myself, I do still use plastic bags in my trash cans. I don't know if that's the most eco-friendly liner, but I guess I figure that a trash bag is never exactly eco-friendly, seeing as it's filled with trash! A paper bag is biodegradable, of course, but most trash bags in the landfills don't get enough light and air to decompose anyways.
So, instead of thinking too hard about what kind of liner I use, I just try really hard to not put stuff in the trash can. I recycle, I compost (this has resulted in a huge trash volume reduction), and I try not to use disposable items when possible.
I've always recycled, and I've always been fairly prone to staying away from disposable items, but the composting is relatively new to me. Before I started composting a few years back, we had to take out multiple trash bags each week and now that I compost, we usually have only one kitchen-sized trash bag to take out each week. It's quite amazing!
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think you're definitely on the right track because it sounds like you're being very intentional about putting fewer things into the trash and that's what counts more than your trash can liner.
The following question was sent in response to the 365 post that contained a picture of my then-current reading pile, containing The Happiness Project
, The Other 8 Hours
, and Debt-Proof Living.
These look like good books but what do you read for pleasure?
-Sheila
I actually do tend to read mostly non-fiction books these days. Back when I lived at home and had pretty much only myself to worry about, I was a voracious fiction reader (Jane Eyre
is my most favorite book e v e r.). My free time is a lot more limited these days so when I read, I usually feel like I want to read something that will grow me in some way. So, I read the Bible, Christian books like Acceptable Sins, Humility (I read that one at least once a year because I need it!), homeschooling books, and non-fiction books like the ones in the photo.
Interestingly enough, most of my blog reading tends to be much lighter. In fact, I can only think of about one blog I read that is remotely heavy. Which reminds me...I keep meaning to do a post about the blogs that I love and regularly read.
Oh, and when I read aloud to my kids, I mostly read fiction. We've been working through the Little House series for a number of years now, and when we finish with that, we'll go through more fiction books too. I never read productivity books to my children! 😉
_____________________________
Readers, as always, I love to hear your input! Any trash bag suggestions or paper-towel-reduction tips? And am I the only one who reads mostly non-fiction?
Today's 365 post: Oh, those useful puffet blankets!
For cleaning countertops, I use a spray cleaner (Method or Seventh Generation work well) and a microfiber cloth. I LOVE microfiber cloths. They pick up everything, last forever, and don't get all soggy and wet when you use them with a spray cleaner (not sure why, but it's great!).
The best thing I did to reduce paper towel use is to just not buy them! As Kristen said, the only thing you REALLY need them for is draining bacon 🙂 So, I stopped buying them for a while to break the paper towel habit, and now I have one roll that I hide that is just for bacon-draining purposes!
I too am a die hard cloth fan! i don't think I have purchased paper towels in several years, the only reason we have some at all is because my mother insists that we need them. I don't know why? I don't use them and tend to forget they are even there till she pulls them out for her to use. My towels get pretty trashed by the end of the year, I put them through a workout every day. So in January I splurge for myself and buy 20 brand new towels. The old ones get put in the rag bin. The current ones are already looking pretty shabby and its only October!
One thing you can do to reduce if not eliminate the need to buy plastic garbage bags is to use the smaller plastic bags that you inevitably end up with from groceries. Not store bags, but cereal liners, bread bags, the plastic bags from diapers, cookies, etc. Even if you do a lot of from scratch cooking, some are always around. Dry waste that can't be recycled doesn't need to be in a bag, just reserve a little cereal bag for things like chicken bones or wet items that can't be composted. And to keep the bag from getting stinky if it takes several days to fill up, keep the little bag in the freezer while you add to it, then take it out on trash day. Esp handy in the summer.
We go through paper towels around here fairly slow but I love these ideas on how to reduce our use even further. T-shirts rags is one I hadn't thought of yet!
I would love to read a post on your favorite blogs / places online! Posts like that usually lead me to a few new blogs. I think you can learn a lot about a blogger by what they enjoy reading online when not blogging. Also including how you go about reading them, a feed reader, by email etc. would be great. Looking forward to reading that one!
Actually, you can skip paper towels for draining bacon/fried foods if you use the Alton Brown method. I don't know that he came up with it but I learned it from him.
What you do is you take a cooling rack (I prefer the cross wire ones) and place it on a sheet pan (cookie sheet) lined with newspaper. No paper towel mess and you're reusing before recycling. I don't think you can recycle the newspaper after that but you could compost it, I guess or use it as a fire starter for starting a charcoal chimney.
I love this post Kristen! We use cloth napkins, t-shirts & handtowels too. It does seem to create a lot more laundry but quite a bit less waste.
We just started reading the My First Little House books to Camille. She really loves them. 🙂
I have not noticed an increase in my number of laundry loads due to reusable cloths. Even if I washed all of my rags and dish clothes and towels every week I don't think it would equal a full load.
Your right Rebecca. I've only been using cloth since last fall (when I started reading Kristen's blog) and I realize in the time I've been doing it, my sweet little guy has turned into the most curious and busy toddler! I do wash whatever cloth I've been using that same day after I clean with it to avoid it getting dingy or smelly, but what seems like an increase to me may just be my little guy. 🙂
I am a non-fiction reader too! I occasionally read fiction (I have a favorite series that I keep up with), but I am an information junkie. I love to spend my free time learning new things - that's my escape.
Also, thanks for the breakdown of what cloth you use for what purpose. I'd like to cut down on my paper towel usage, so this is a good start.
I recently found all the Caroline books to be very good, too. When you've finished the Little House books, look for the others!
Re: cloth rags: we keep a box of rags on the counter in the kitchen. Everything goes in there, and I never feel guilty about needing a second one to finish a job. Plus it's way more fun to have old tie-dyed tshirts than paper towels.
We can buy plastic bin liners made from recycled plastic or others which are composatable. It's still plastic but not quite as damaging as ordinary plastic.
recycled-content garbage bags are what we use in the kitchen. they cost a little more per bag, but when you only need one a week it's manageable.
for bathroom cans, we use the plastic shopping bags that crop up despite my best efforts (unexpected trips to the drug store or purchase of something wet at the grocery store). trash cans in bedrooms are mostly tissues so we use nothing at all and just combine loads when taking out the trash.
The easiest way I cut down on paper towel usage was to simply take them off the counter. Out of sight, out of mind! Instead, we have a hand towel and dish towel hanging on the paper towel holder. Works wonders!
This may be a dumb question, but do you wash cloth rags with regular laundry or do a separate load? I want to work more on reducing the paper towel use in my house, but don't want to increase the number of laundry loads.
It depends how many are dirty and how dirty they are. If they're super dirty and I have a bunch, they go into a separate, small load. Otherwise, I wash them with the rest of the laundry.
I am a non fiction reader. I love history book mostly, biographies adn such, but also Christian books too. Acceptable sins is a great book and so is Humility. I also like to read a fw old puritian, missionary biographies, and John Piper. I can't wait to have kids so that I can read to them. I was just telling my husband that I hope we have a few girls because I want to read little house on the praire to them. <3
Oh and I look forward to your blog post about blogs you read. 😀 YAY!
little house books are great for boys too
I have avoided paper towel use for years, for a couple reasons.
I am a tree hugger - have been for a long time. I feel we are put in the garden to take care of it .. so let's take care of it. Why kill a tree if we don't have to?
2nd reason .. I am cheap. Why pay for something I am going to throw away?
My dad was born in 1909 and was very impacted by the Great Depression and I think his experience with "lack" rubbed off on me. As a result I am thrifty by nature.
Thanks for all your posts.
I too am looking forward to your post on favorite blogs!
My favorite cloth rags are good-quality cloth diapers! You can sometimes buy somewhat ratty cloth diapers from diaper service companies, if you don't have diapers left over from kids. My youngest is 9 and those diaper-rags are still going strong. (We even keep them in the diaper holder my mom made, although it's now hanging in the closet, not in her room.)
I too keep the paper towels in a cupboard and use them for draining bacon and other icky things. Because I go through them so rarely, I splurge and buy the best ones I can find (Viva is my favorite)...if I'm going to use a paper towel, I want to use just one and not 2 or 3. And it's only about 50 cents more per roll. Since I go through a roll so infrequently, I don't mind paying the extra cost.
Another great kids' fiction author is Ralph Moody, who wrote several books about growing up in Colorado. Sort of like the Little House books, but with a boy protagonist and more "active." The first one is "Little Britches," followed by "Man of the Family."
Little Britches was fun but I found myself more interested in the father than in the boy. Especially near the end when we learned a whole lot about the father's past.
My mother was still using cloth diapers as rags when I moved out of the house and at that point in time her youngest child was 18 years old. I don't know when they finally gave out on her. If I'd have had children I'm sure I would have followed her example.
I absolutely love Ralph Moody's books! They are a must for family reading (although you might want to wait a few years until your youngest children would find them more interesting). Some need a little editing for language in my opinion, but the underlying values are rock solid! I really enjoyed the first several books in the series, but as an adult my favourites are "Mary Emma and Company", "Shaking the Nickle Bush", "A Horse of a Different Colour", and "The Dry Divide". These would be fabulous books in relation to living frugally as well, as this family is an inspiration for surving on nothing but hard work and ingenuity.
For window washing I use those microfiber cloths that are texturized specifically for glass. And just water or vinegar, that's it. No chemicals are needed when you use those things. At first it'll look a little streaky but when you step back for a second the streaks go away. If it's the outside of a window that has a LOT of grime on it, I might use a teeny weeny weeny bit of dishwashing liquid in water, but usually don't need to use anything. In fact I use those microfiber rags for everything "” I don't understand how they do it but they really seem to get extra dirt off things without a whole lot of elbow grease.
Also, I'm bothered by the whole plastic garbage can liner thing too. A while ago I heard about some "plastic" trash bags that were actually made out of biodegradable hemp. So I've started a personal campaign to get Costco to produce these for us! Every time I go in there I fill out the little request form for hemp trash bags. Hahaha. So if anyone wants to join me...
Hi, I have really cut back on my paper-towel usage by using rags to clean up household messes. I cut them from my husbands white undershirts when they get too ratty to wear. I put them in a basked on the counter, next to the paper-towel thing, so I'll remember to use them (Actually, there are a couple of old socks in there, too :)). Then, I just throw them in the wash when they get dirty.
My in-laws use newspaper for draining greasy stuff (I'm not sure how much I can recommend this, however, especially if you have kids!). My mom used to dust with old underwear - it ended up being a little embarrassing when we got to be teenagers.
Ha! Ha! I knew you were a kindred spirit! I use old cloth diapers when I wash my windows and mirrors ( I also make my own Windex and disinfecting multi purpose cleaner). I've asked for new cloth diapers for Christmas (LOL!). Old towels and wash cloths take the place of paper towels. We use wash cloths for napkins (except my Dear Hubby. He said he's a bigger boy, so he needs a bigger napkin. He uses my old ratty dishtowels instead). I send produce scraps out to compost in the garden, I reuse containers that products come in or buy bulk items for less packaging. In fact, if I buy something that comes in a plastic container I try to think of several ways I can reuse that item. Recycling is big at our house, too. I love, love, LOVED Jane Eyre when I was growing up, and Anne of Green Gables, but now most of the books I check out of the library are cookbooks, frugality and money management, how to, or other non fiction books; or cooking ,crafting, and decorating magazines I am to cheap to subscribe to. I also try to make scripture study part of my daily reading, too.
Tightwad Mom, what's your recipe for disinfecting multi-purpose cleaner?
2 tablespoons of ammonia
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup alcohol
1/2 teaspoon liquid dish washing detergent
3 cups of water
I put the first four ingredients in a large spray bottle and then pour in the water. Shake the bottle a little bit to mix the ingredients.This cleans greasy fingerprints off of walls,doors, and doorknobs. It also great for kitchen counter tops, bathroom counter tops and toilets. I use it on everthing!
Rubbing alcohol? My first thought was "Vodka?" but that would probably help the cleaner more than the cleaning.
Ha!Ha! Yes rubbing alcohol. I don't want the cleaner "nipping" on the cleaning products (not much cleaning would probably get done)!
i'm in the process of converting us to a paper-towel/paper-napkin free zone. i can only think of a few things i'd rather use paper towels for (checking the oil in my car is one of them) so while we will still be purchasing a roll or two here or there, i'm determined to have us fully weaned off of paper disposables by the end of the year. this post kind of kicked me in gear (i made a huge stack of tshirt rags today), so thanks for the reminder!
I recently read the older articles and decided that I would reduce our paper towel useage as well. The use of paper towels was becoming quite embarassing at our house! I had kept my cloth diapers that I used for burp rags because I didn't want to just give them away, so I placed them in a basket on my window ledge in the kitchen and told everyone they were paper towels. Imagine the chuckle I got! My seven year old said "they don't look like paper towels". My oldest had to explain what I meant and told her apparently she missed the memo. Anytime I change things its a joke in our house that if you failed to hear the information, you missed the memo.
So I am moving forward to reduce more waste inspired by The Frugal Girl! Love your blog. Can't wait to hear what other's you visit regularly.
Thanks for the great advice! I have recently entered the "frugal living" world and LOVE finding new advice.
If you have a large dog, use the empty 40-50 pound dog food bags to line your can. They are already moisture proof and strong. Obviously, this will only cut down on some plastic bag usage, but it's better than just throwing them away!
I thought the Little House books were autobiographical not fiction.
Sorta kinda. Most of the anecdotes are true but she took a lot of liberties to hide the unpleasant parts and mess with the timelines.
For example: the family lived in the Big Woods, moved to Indian Territory (where Carrie was born, the day Pa took Laura and Mary to the Indian Camp; according to Rose, this is the only thing Laura remembers from that time, the rest is based on family stories), moved back to the Big Woods (this is when LHinBW is placed). Before their move to Silver Lake the family lived somewhere (I don't remember where), where Pa and occasionally some of the women worked in a hotel (see Ma's horror that Laura might be working in a hotel in Little Town). Most significantly, at this time a boy was born to the family, he died in infancy. The family used to talk about him a lot, includling speculating how things might have been had he lived.
Even in my early teens, Farmer Boy seemed a very rose-colored version, perhaps Laura's fantasy of a food-filled childhood. And how she paid special attention to Jack the day before he died in Silver Lake, struck me as wishful thinking at my first reading at age 9 or so.
I noticed there's another Rebecca commenting, so I changed to Rebecca P. I hardly ever come across another Rebecca, so hello Rebecca! 🙂
We are working on reducing our paper towel use now, and the hardest part is getting the kids to stop using them! I've resorted to hiding them!
We're also reading Little House on the Prairie books and are having so much fun with them. We have several books about pioneer living, covered wagons and westward expansion that we use for further study. I'm considering having us try some of the pioneer cooking next... or should I say I'm trying to get brave enough to try some pioneer cooking with my girls!
Linda, the Little House books are sort of half and half. Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote down her memories and then her daughter Rose took her notes and embellished them to the point that they became a kind of historical fiction.
Aaah -- Jane Eyre -- the first "grown-up" book I ever read!! LOVED it, without fully grocking it. Are you a Jane Austen fan, too?? So wonderful! Also, thank you for all the tips on paper/consumption reduction. We are struggling with that here . . .
Thanks for answering! Nice to know, but my Dad grows trees for a living, so I doubt I'll be cutting back on my paper towel use anytime soon. 😉 But who knows? Maybe it won't be the family business one day!
I'd just like to make the case that good fiction DOES help us grow. The purpose of literature is to entertain AND instruct, it teaches empathy by helping us imagine what it's like to be another person. It sheds light, enlarges, gives perspective. At its best, it helps us come out of our own lives and problems and care about others, and thus is vital to our humanity.
Yes, that is true and it's why I make sure my kids do plenty of reading.
It's just that at this point in my life, I feel like I desperately need pithy, practical help, and non-fiction books are a good way to get that. lol
I do still expose myself to fiction as I read to my kids, just not to the degree I used to. I think more time for fiction will come along in another stage of life. 🙂
It's true the time for fiction comes and goes in life, and hard to imagine having it with four kids! I did the most reading when I was single, and not as much as I'd like now.
After reading this post and thinking about Little House on the Prairie, I'd wager that we'd all agree that good fiction helps shape character as well. I know I responded to the family's resourcefulness in the face of hardship, and I'm sure you and your readers feel the same.
Yeah, when my kids were littler, I hardly had time to read anything at all! I kept up with my Bible reading and that was pretty much it. Now that I don't have babies/toddlers anymore, I'm starting to have a little bit more time to read, so I expect that trend will continue as they get even older. 🙂
Good point about Little House on the Prairie...I often am encouraged as I think about how happy Laura's family seemed to be, even when they didn't have much in the way of physical provisions.
Not sure exactly where you live, but there's a grocery store chain here in TX (HEB) that carries trash bags that are made from recycled trash bags. I think Hefty may make something similar as well. It's something to look into. Oh and I just ran across your blog and I LOVE it!!