Swedish Dishcloths: Your Go-To Zero Waste Swap

Swedish dishcloths from Cleaner Cloths are the eco-friendly alternative

The kitchen creates an awful lot of waste, and this is especially true when it comes to single-use items like paper towels. 

North America has a bad paper towel habit: it’s estimated that loggers cut down 51,000 trees every day to feed consumer demand.

But Cleaner Cloths is introducing Americans to what Europeans have known for decades: Swedish dishcloths are the incredibly versatile, eco-friendly alternative to paper towels.

[Note: While this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own.]

What are Swedish dishcloths?

Swedish dishcloths are an essential zero-waste swap that replace sponges, rags, paper towels, and microfiber cloths.

Whereas microfiber is plastic, sponges are disposable, and rags harbor bacteria, Swedish dishcloths are made from plant-based cellulose and cotton. 

As much as I hate to admit it, I grew up in a household that adored paper towels. We used them for EVERYTHING: cooking, cleaning, crafts, starting fires, you name it. We went through at least one to two rolls of paper towels each day.

But these days, I strive to create a different household culture for my children. Over the years, I’ve been able to cut down my paper towel use considerably but was never able to fully drop them completely.

That is, until I found Swedish dishcloths.

What are Cleaner Cloths?

Cleaner Cloths are a brand of Swedish dishcloths that specialize in sourcing this centuries-old Swedish staple. 

CleanerCloths.com is where you can find the highest quality cloths at the most affordable price. They make a high-quality, completely utilitarian product that’s ridiculously affordable (just $1.47 per cloth!). 

Made from 30% cotton and 70% wood cellulose, this magic material is more absorbent than a sponge, rag, and paper towel combined. Each cloth from Cleaner Cloths can hold 20 times its weight, so they are made for tough jobs. 

The best part? They are 100% compostable in a backyard compost bin.

Here’s how to a Cleaner Cloth: 

Use like you would any paper towel, but rinse and reuse several times in a day. (I use mine for about 3 days before I notice it needs a good wash).

Wash them by hand with dish soap at the sink and hang them to dry or throw them in with your regular laundry.

You can also wash them in the top rack of your dishwasher. It’s that simple! 

To make the transition to this essential zero-waste swap easier, consider buying two colors. In my home, I use yellow in the kitchen and grey for the bathrooms. This way, we don’t end up cleaning the toilet and the counters with the same cloth.

6 reasons to swap out paper towels and sponges for Cleaner Cloths:

• Cleaner Cloths are functional tools for your home that don’t harbor bacteria.

• They are NOT a single-use item and are designed to be reused 100 times before composting.

• They clean streak-free on glass and stainless steel. 

• One Cleaner Cloth replaces 100 rolls of paper towels. 

• Cleaner Cloths source their product from Sweden by the same company that invented the material. (While other dishcloths market themselves as “Swedish”, they are actually made in Asia.)

• Cleaner Cloths offer Swedish dishcloths in bulk so they are affordable for the average consumer. 

The essential zero-waste kitchen swap

I get it. Some habits can be hard to break, especially when it comes to changes for an entire family.

But enacting small changes like switching to Cleaner Cloths helps the planet and saves money (you’ll save approximately $200 per year by not purchasing paper towels!).

For just $1.47 a sheet, you can swap out your single-use paper towels for Cleaner Cloths. Report back and let me know how you like them! 

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