Q&A | Completely ditching paper towels & plastic bags | Re-dying black leggings
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!
I think about you and feel a little guilty every time I use paper towels and zip top bags in the kitchen. I try to minimize their use by using regular towels for hand and dish drying and containers for leftovers and some marinades, but I don't feel like I can completely stop using them.
How do you handle thawing meat at the last second? I often forget to thaw meat for dinner and end up using bags in cold water (otherwise the meat gets very watery).
Also, how do you handle greasy things like bacon and fried foods without using paper towels to drain them? If there's an answer for these situations, I'd like to know.
Thanks,
Em
Aww, I'm so sorry I'm causing guilt for you! Hopefully you'll feel better after reading my answer.
As you know, I do try really hard to avoid using disposable products. However, you should know that I am not at a 100% zero-waste level.
Getting to that point would require more time and energy and money than I have to spare at the moment, so I've made peace with simply operating at a low-ish trash level.
(Because really, if every first-world person just cut back on their trash output, that would be pretty world-changing. And I strongly believe that we shouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.)
Paper Towels
Like you, I use cloth towels for pretty much all drying purposes, and we use rags instead of paper towels for cleaning.
However, I do use paper towels for draining bacon and occasionally I use them for patting meat dry before I cook it.
(Side question for readers: Do you think there's a health concern with using a dedicated thin towel to pat meat dry, so long as you wash it and then dry it on high heat after use? That would kill the bacteria, right?)
Plastic Bags
As far as plastic bags go, I try to mostly use avoid using them for raw meat. I too marinate foods in glass containers instead of in a plastic bag, and even though the marinade doesn't cling as close to the meat this way, my food still seems to turn out just fine.
If I need to thaw meat in a hurry, I defrost it in the microwave or put in into cold water in the original packaging.
Here's the thing, though:
(and this is a perfect example of not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good)
If using a plastic bag to thaw your meat keeps you from eating out, then it's probably the lowest-trash option available to you.
Pretty much any eating out you do is going to be far more trash-producing than what you cook at home, even if you do use a Ziploc bag and then throw it out.
So yeah, ideally, you should thaw your meat ahead of time. But if it's 5:30 and your meat is a frozen brick, just use a plastic bag to thaw it and go on your merry way without feeling guilty. 😉
As fall nears, I am looking to "refresh" my wardrobe on a budget. I have two pairs of (fairly thick) solid black cotton leggings. They're basically my fall uniform, but after a few years of consistent wear and washing the black has definitely faded. Do you have any experience re-dying clothes? I thought that getting some black dye might help to return them to their original brightness...
Given that both are a cotton/spandex mix, what is your recommendation? Do you have a favorite dye and technique that you use for these situations? Can they be salvaged, or should I bite the bullet and buy a new, bright pair?
Taylor D.
I’d definitely give it a try! I bet there’s just a little bit of spandex and plenty of cotton to absorb the dye.
I usually use RIT dye and I opt for the bucket or stovetop method rather than the washing machine method.
(I’m scared of permanently dying my machine, which is a little silly given how old and ugly it is! Ahem.)
If you print out a 40% off coupon from Michaels.com or acmoore.com, a box of dye will only be a few dollars, so even if it doesn’t work, you won’t have lost much.
And if it does work out, well then, you just saved yourself a bunch of money and breathed new life into your old clothes.
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Readers, as always, I welcome your input on these questions! Please do share your advice in the comments.
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P.S. Shameless self-promotion (which is actually related to the question above):
I wrote an ebook filled with 20 ways to refresh and repurpose old clothes which might be helpful to any of you who are needing inspiration in that area.
Hmm, the only way I could use a thin cloth to dry my meat is if I microwave the cloth on high for at least 3 minutes after use. There are spores and such that really need boiling water to kill. In general, I think the paper towles are worth the splurge to keep germs and parasites at bay!!
I often redye my black knit clothing with Rit and it works quite well. I agree with Kristen about the bucket or stovetop method.
And, yes...paper towels are in my kitchen too....but I only buy one roll maybe every 2 months or so.
You could be like my mom who dries her hands with a paper towel in the gas station restroom, brings it back to dry a bit on the dashboard, and then uses it to dust the car! (I really need to learn more from the previous generation.) 🙂
I have done what you do with meat for about 44 years, and we are hardly ever ill. I do use plastic, dishwasher-safe cutting boards for meat, though. I fear not getting wood clean enough. Probably psychological?
A roll of paper towels lasts me a month or so, and I buy plastic bags maybe once a year. No need to be fanatical, though.{:o)
Fear not--last time I checked, studies showed that wood cutting boards actually harbored LESS dangerous bacteria than plastic, even though wood is harder to clean. You should probably do your own research, but you can probably toss those plastic ones!
It's complicated.
Plastic boards can be cleaned more thoroughly than wood boards can, because wood tends to come unglued (literally) or fall apart if washed in dishwasher-hot water. But wood boards cleaned with a hot soapy sponge have less bacteria than plastic cleaned with a hot soapy sponge.
My solution is to use plastic for raw meat and hot wash it, and wood for the rest (including cooked meat) and sponge wash it. AFAIK I've never gotten sick from this, but that's weak evidence.
Once one has the plastic board, there's no environmental advantage to throwing it out.
You can also use vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide alternately on a wooden cutting board to clean it but I too use a dishwasher safe plastic one for raw meat.
I posted about getting rid of paper towels altogether last spring. Here's what I use instead--
for meat/fried foods, first choice, I use the paper bag that flour comes in, cut into large squares, second choice, paper take-out napkins (always have at least a couple of those)
for disposable cleaning rags for really yucky stuff, I cut up really old and very worn (see-through in spots) t-shirts. I use these very, very worn rags as disposables, and with 5 of us, I seem to have an endless supply of to-thin-for-pj top t-shirts
we broke a drinking glass last night, and after picking up all the larger bits of glass, for cleaning the rest of the mess, we used my supply of take-out napkins, followed up with a mopping using too thin to use again t-shirt rags (then threw those rags out). It worked great (but I've still told every one to wear shoes in the kitchen for the next few days).
Re dying clothing in the washer -- I dye clothing all the time using my washer, and have never had a dye problem inside. I don't know if different makes of washers can stain more easily, but my 19 year old Maytag seems impervious to permanent staining.
You can use a thin cloth to dry your meat. The trick is that you would need to put it into your washing machine or a bucket with bleach and water right after. Be sure not to set it down to avoid cross contamination. Treat it like you would a cloth diaper after use.
I use a cloth napkin to drain bacon on. It's a smooth fabric so I don't get lint on the bacon. It's also a dark color so you don't notice any grease stain.
I still use ziplock bags but try to use glass containers whenever possible. I also ascribe to the Voltaire sentiment of perfection being the enemy of good.
Do you think it would have to be washed right that minute? Or are you just saying right away to communicate that it needs to be put aside so as to avoid cross contamination?
Well bacteria does multiply but we have a sanitize cycle on our washer and couple that with good old bleach and I can't imagine anything living through that. Of course, I just use the paper towel and move on with my life but I can imagine that the Ikea Tekla towels (my favorite kitchen cloth) would come out just fine.
Mainly to stop any spreading of the bacteria. If you throw it right into the washer, you probably aren't going to be touching it again and getting bacteria on your hands or elsewhere so you wouldn't need to wash it right away. At the same time you don't want the bacteria growing for very long because it will start to smell so it should probably be washed the same day. I'd soak it in bleach if you can't wash it the same day mainly to prevent odor.
I mean bleach and water - not straight bleach.
Re: cloth napkins for draining bacon--How do you wash the grease-soaked cloth napkins? Are you worried about clogging up pipes? I'd love to know how to do this because bacon is my only reason for paper towels, so that I can throw them away and not worry about the grease washing down my pipes.
PS--I too have dyed clothes black MANY times in my washer with no staining. I usually do several pieces at once, using the smallest load setting, the hottest water setting, two bottles of liquid Rit Dye, and a cup of salt--which I read helps the black to dye better.
Only tangentially related, but I recently heard a story on the radio about thawing meat in warm water, so that could save even more time on those last-minute-dinner nights.
http://www.splendidtable.org/story/thaw-your-steaks-quickly-and-safely-in-100-degree-water
I would say that if you use a towel to pat meat dry, boil some water and pour it over the towel. That would "cook" anything on the towel.
I use more of both than I would like. I use paper towels to clean the grease out of my Whirly Pop after use--you are not supposed to regularly wash it--and for seasoning my carbon steel wok.
And because I have only the small fridge-top freezer, I use plastic freezer bags instead of larger containers. I like to, for instance, cook a pound or two of rice or beans and then freeze two-cup portions. (I wash and reuse the bags.) I figure the energy savings (from less cooking, plus from not running a second freezer) balances out the use of the bags.
Re the eating-out-producing-trash thing: We went to McDonald's yesterday for the first time in a while on the way back from a trip. Three happy meals produce an amazing amount of trash: 3 cardboard containers, 3 fry sleeves, 3 apple packets, the wrappers for the toys inside, the milk containers, the hamburger wrapper or chicken nugget container, not to mention soiled napkins, the paper insert on the tray, the little container we put the ketchup in. I feel like we half filled the restaurant's trash can all by ourselves...
I occasionally use paper towels, but I always buy the 100% recycled kind (like Seventh Generation). I figure that's a good compromise. Our city has food composting as part of the garbage service, so I usually throw the used ones (not the super greasy ones though) in the food waste bin.
We have cut out paper towels 100%. We use fabric napkins and wash them with our regular clothes.
A way to get around having to use paper anything to drain bacon is easy for us. I buy nitrate free bacon so I can give the oil to our dog or save it for cooking later. Simply take dripping bacon out of the pan, lay on a cookie rack thats over a bowl. Easy peasy and no paper waste!
Ziplock plastic bags-I have them only for putting food into the freezer for later use. Otherwise no plastic bags! School lunch snack bags are fabric & we wash them often. We also use metal containers (found in thrift stores) and small glass containers I found at Whole Foods on sale. No plastic in my 4 girls lunches ever!
I challenge you ladies (and you too Frugal Girl!) to go 100% paper free!
What do you use for cleaning up doggie accidents? My cats are the main culprits for paper towel use here - I just can't bring myself to wash something used to clean up yuck from either end of a cat!
Same here! We used very few paper towels before we got a cat. Unfortunately, having them around for kitty messes makes it that much easier to grab one for other jobs...
I have two cats and two dogs and I don't buy paper towels. When one of those inevitable messes comes along, I go to my bin of cleaning rags. I clean the mess up with a rag or two, rinse them in the toilet, the way I used to do the diapers, and then wash them right then if enough are dirty, or store them with other dirtied cleaning rags I keep in a lidded pail with borax water -- again, just like I used to do with diapers -- until time to wash. Wash on hot or sanitizing cycle when there are enough to make a load or at least once a week. And get a good pair of household "rubber" gloves to wear while picking up nastiness. They can be cleaned in your choice of germicide.
My grandmother was born in 1896 (no, I'm not THAT ancient -- I was born when she was pretty old), and she never used paper towels, even when they became available. She raised four kids, two of them twins, with no disposables (and no household help), and the whole family lived long and healthy lives. We can make it without paper towels, but we do have to get over the squeam factor -- something I still have a problem with myself, now and then.
I also put the bacon to drain on a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet. I prefer this to using paper towels, actually. I think the bacon comes out crisper. I also use the bacon grease in cooking later- just save it in a little jar in the fridge.
The added benefit to this is that you can then cook vegetables or beans with the bacon grease and it makes everything taste meaty without actually using meat. Of course, the most environmentally friendly thing would be to just stop eating bacon. But if I am going to buy it, I am going to use it all up.
I try to season meat ahead of time and leave it to air dry in the fridge.
If you use a cloth to soak up oil, you should NOT wash or dry that cloth. This is a good way to start a house fire. I realize that plenty of people do this, it does say right on the washing machine not to do this.
If you used a cloth to pat meat dry, then just wet it and then microwave it for 90 seconds on high. That is what they say to do with sponges to eliminate bacteria, I don't see why it wouldn't work on a cloth.
I do buy ziploc freezer bags, but I reuse them, unless I use them for meat. I try to use the ones I have already used on meat instead. I try not to use them for much- I prefer to marinate meat in a glass container. But they are really handy for storing things, especially in a small freezer.
tip for defrosting meat.....put the meat (in whatever container you have it in) on top of a cast iron pan. for some weird reason, it will thaw the meat in a short amount of time and you dont have to worry about the microwave accidentally cooking the meat.
i have done this before when coming home from work at 4, taking hamburg (in a freezer pack package) putting on top of my cast iron griddle and by 5-5:30ish, it's ready to use.
The reason the pan trick works is that metal is very conductive of heat: the pan moves 'warm' into the meat, faster than granite, ceramic, or plastic does.
one more thing, i typically de-grease my bacon on a paper bag instead of paper towels.
For plastic bags used for frozen goods, you can put the bag back in the freezer till the next time you need it. If it never defrosts then it (practically) never gets rotten. I do this with the bags for soup bones, until the bag gets holes.
For draining, you can reduce paper towel use by using one layer on paper towel on top of a pile of waste paper (newspaper, junk mail, etc.). I use cloth towels which I wash with the rest of my kitchen towels, whenever that happens. The meat in question is cooked so I'm not paranoid about it. It does drive my roommate nuts but I prefer that to the huge pile of paper that's otherwise needed.
I really need to know... why are you washing and drying your meat? There really is no reason for it and honestly, you are exposing yourself to more germs that way (your hands, sink, towel, etc.). Not to mention, that 'slimy' stuff on the outside you are washing off is what helps the meat to sear well and get nice and finished. My Mom has always washed and she mentioned once while here that my pork chops always are so juicy... I told her because I don't wash them. Rinsing them under running water really does nothing but remove that layer that helps them sear and make a mess. Making more work for you because then you either have to dry or use a towel and then you have to worry with cleaning your sink. I just HAD to ask why people do this! LOL
I don't wash but I do need to dry a lot - after brining and anytime I want to bread or brown the meat.
I don't wash meat - well poultry anyway. In the UK we are advised not to via leaflets, media etc... - because it can spread bacteria.
In fact the Hubby came back just the other night and said he'd heard it on the news not to wash chicken (and did I?)! Slightly random conversation to have.
Yep, exactly.
Oh, I don't! I'm just following recipes that say to blot moisture off the surface of the mat to help it brown well. Fish recipes especially tend to call for this (and I find that defrosted fish is usually quite wet and needs blotting).
For draining bacon and other fried foods, I use the occasional brown paper bag I bring home from the store (when I've forgotten my green bags). Old newspapers are great for cleaning windows. I always wash, dry, and reuse ziplock bags until they show signs of degrading.
In terms of dying fabric... If you want the best results you should use a "fiber reactive dye" (which RIT is not). It's more expensive and a much bigger PITA (pain in the arse) but you will get better results that won't fade - at least it won't fade nearly as much. I still have some things that I tie-dyed back in my crazy hippie wannabe days 25 years ago that are bright and beautiful because I used fiber reactive dyes. Whether it's worth it or not is up to you.
And I totally support the idea of letting go of eco-perfectionism where disposables are concerned. But I've never washed or dried meat - could someone please enlighten this recovering vegetarian as to why one would want to do that...
For a while it was thought that rinsing meat would rid it of bacteria. However recent studies have shown that all it does is splash bacteria all around your sink and kitchen area.
Interesting... but wouldn't the bacteria be inside the meat, not just on it? I thought that was why you had to cook it to a specified temperature. I guess I won't worry about it since splashing bacteria around sounds like a really bad idea! 🙂
From what I understand most bacterial contamination occurs on the surface of the meat and is only transferred internally when the meat is cut, so the cut surfaces may be contaminated , but not the muscle that is inside the piece of meat. The bad bacteria in the digestive tract and on the skin is accidentally transferred to the meat. This is why, unlike a steak which can be eaten rare, ground beef must be cooked until well done as any bacteria present is well distributed through out the meat. Chicken is the same regarding cooking temperature as it is more difficult to prevent contamination due to the size of the animal.
Oh, I never wash my meat. It's just that to get good browning on the surface of meat, you want to pat it dry to get off the moisture that just always exists on the surface of meat and seafood. It needs to be really dry for good browning.
Very interesting. Is that true for all cooking methods? I have yet to master any form of cooking meat other than tossing it in a baking dish with a little olive oil and putting it in the oven for about 45 minutes. I can't even bring myself to cut it until it's cooked... honestly I think I still have some "issues" there! Perhaps you could offer lessons in remedial meat preparation! 🙂
Yeah, it's not as important for baking, but when you're sauteing meat in a pan on the stovetop, then you want it to be very dry so that the surface will brown.
I just love your website!! There are so many reasons to be frugal....and saving money for a trip is my favorite one! 🙂
I will link this to my website http://www.theeducationaltourist.com where I write about traveling with the kids and making each family adventure magical.
Thanks for sharing your ideas. Love your website!
Natalie, The Educational Tourist
Could not agree more about 'perfect being the enemy of done'. Doing something is better than nothing. I too use paper towels for certain things. One thing I do is line a pyrex container with a sheet before I put salad leaves in. This keeps the salad edible longer (IMO) and reduce food waste. Also of great concern to me is food hygiene, and when handling poultry I always wash my hands and dry with disposable towels so that no bacteria spreads.
I've read that a lot of paper towel is made from recycled materials (but I'd need to investigate that further!) and also paper towel does decompose.
Yup, but they won't decompose in a regular landfill because there's not enough light and air. It would compost, but then I feel like I've heard that meat products aren't good to put in a home compost pile?
Generally home compost piles don't get hot enough to decompose animal products thoroughly. And don't EVEN think of trying to compost raw meat. I've been feeding one of my cats a new raw food and we came upon a flavor she didn't like. Since neither she nor any of the other cats would touch it, I tossed it in the municipal compost bin. BIG MISTAKE. Within a few days the bin was crawling with maggots! EEEWWWW! So now if I ever have to toss any raw meat it either gets put in a hermetically sealed plastic bag in the garbage or it goes down the disposal.
Oh... and does anybody else worry about BPA in recycled paper products, or am I just overly paranoid?
EcoCatLady, maggots are a good thing (in this context) - they're part of the composting process.
That said, it is true that most home piles can't handle meat, grease, or cheese because they don't get hot enough (technical term, explanation upon request). However, paper with meat juices are unlikely to be a problem. I've composted for over a decade, both hot and cold piles, and haven't had a problem with meat juicy paper towels - neither attracted varmits nor undecomposed paper towel.
Ooh, good to know about the meaty paper towels and the compost. I'll definitely put mine into the compost from here on out then.
If you wish to be cautious, put in a few at first, then larger amounts if there are no negative effects.
I have a couple of things that have bleach spots on them, but I'm not ready to part with. Can I re-dye them too?
What do you use for freezing items, i.e. bananas, chicken carcass, muffins, etc.? I don't seem to have the right size glassware for all of these items. Also, it seems like some get more freezer-burnt in a glass container since I can't press out the air as much. Since I only have a fridge freezer, I don't have much room. I'd like to reduce my use of ziploc bags, and this is one consistent place I need an alternative.
If I use paper towels for bacon, I throw the used towel into my woodstove - or fireplace if that is what you have - to help light the fire. (Only in winter of course). We also often only use a half of a towel or even less if it is a tiny spill. Also when we use paper napkins if we have guests I put the used napkins into a spot to use for mopping up floor spills - if they are reasonably clean, which of course they usually are.
I use ziploc bags to portion up food when I buy it in bulk and then freeze it, and also when I run out of containers to freeze things in. Like you said, this stops me from buying heavily packaged foods and eating out, so I see it as a trade-off. I also try to reuse the bags (just not the ones that have had raw meat in them).
I used to consistently forget to thaw meat but I was given this tip by a coworker years ago and since then I have never had to worry about forgetting to defrost because it is habit.
When I begin the evening dinner prep for the evenings meal, my very first action is to go to the freezer and remove the meat item for the next night's dinner. I let it sit on the counter during my dinner prep and while we have dinner and while I clean up after the meal. My last act is to put the meat in a bowl in the fridge. It is always thawed by the next evening when I need it for prep.
If I have something large (like a roast) that needs to thaw more quickly so I can start it first thing in the morning in the crockpot, I will leave it out on the cabinet until bed time or for a couple of more hours. I set a timer so that I don't forget to go into the kitchen and pop it in a bowl and refrigerate during the night.
I really becomes automatic and no more nights of standing and browning a frozen hunk of hamburger and scraping off the layers as they defrost and brown. I am not an organized soul, so anything I need to develop habits to cope with my inefficiencies. This one really works.
I think paper towels are one of the perks of the current time. They should be used responsibly not done away with all together. Some people use way more than needed, but there is a time and place for them.
I buy the "select-a-size" paper towels and find that I am using up a roll about every 3-4 months. We do have cloth napkins, dishtowels and often use racks and original packaging. I did consider Green and Clean Cloth Towels on etsy.com as an alternative...
A box of plastic bags lasts me a year or so...I often wash them and re-use them.
Will opt for metal or glass containers. Canning jars of all sizes with re-usable lids are perfect for me. I find that most containers are designed to have a lid, thus can be purchased online. Pyrex and Luminarc especially. A little research is all that is needed.
I use disposable products out of habit more than anything...I guess I should just not purchase them and that will force me to create a new habit. Newspaper could be used for bacon... in our area the ink is non-toxic.
There usually two different kinds of sponges in my sink and a scrubber. Good enough to clean most messes. They often go in the microwave or sit in bleach/water solution once in a while before going back into circulation or I let them sun dry. I have never used a plastic cutting board and we have never been sick.
A good way to reduce your paper towel use is to move them. Take them from the nice convenient place on your counter, and put them someplace a little harder to get to, under the sink, hallway or linen closet, pantry, etc. Then place a basket of whatever you're going to use to replace them (I love old t-shirt rags) right next to where they used to be. Then when you go to automatically reach for paper, you can grab a cloth or rag instead, but if you need the paper for a certain job, you can go grab it. This just trains you to use cloth first, and only take the paper if you think the job really requires it. Like many other commenters, I still use them for cat messes, also wiping oil into my cast iron, and greasing baking pans.
Does anyone else buy the select a size paper towels, and still find themselves tearing them even smaller to use less?
I don't see any problem with using a cloth to blot meat either. You wouldn't throw away your apron or shirt if you splashed some meat juice on it would you?
Trying to come to a conclusion about whether to use a thin towel or a paper towel to dry meat is making my head hurt and is seriously sucking the energy out of my morning.
Who gives a damn! If you want to lower greenhouse gases the choice is blatantly obvious.... get rid of the second family vehicle and stop buying plastic-bottled drinks. Those two choices would outweigh all others by a landslide not to mention we all would have a heck more money.
By the way, I haven't accomplished either of these two suggestions! lol
Yeah, I'm not giving up my second vehicle any time soon. I would be in a world of hurt when Mr. FG was at work without my car!
I use un-paper towels for virtually anything, except oily/greasy stuff. I did try with oil, but I found it takes sooo much detergent to get out, that it's just not worth it.
They get used for one yucky job and then get thrown in the pile for washing. When the washing pile gets big enough, it goes in the machine on a boil wash (actual temperature 95 degrees C). I have to boil wash my work clothes for decontamination any way and without the un-paper towels the load would be half sized at best, so I think it's probably as eco-friendly/thrifty as I can manage with out changing my job!
By the way, we are advised that 70 degrees C is sufficient to kill the bacteria/virus/spores that we get exposed to (pretty much anything humanly infectious), but my options for high temperature washing are either 60 degrees C or 95 degrees C, no contest!