Save Money and Reduce Waste With Cloth Napkins

Are you looking for ways to save money? Maybe you’re wanting to cut down on waste in your home? One simple way to save money and cut down on waste is to use cloth napkins.

Why We Use Cloth Napkins

We started using cloth napkins when we were first married as a way to save money. With just two of us, it was easy to add a few napkins here and there into our regular laundry.

When we had kids, we continued to use our cloth napkins (the same ones we’d been using for years). When our sons were learning to eat, it was nice to have something heavier. Cloth napkins don’t easily float away like paper napkins tend to.

Although the volume of cloth napkin use increased with two more people using them on a consistent basis, we still preferred our cloth napkins to paper napkins. They were more absorbent for picking up toddler spills, and our kids were used to them.

Now that the kids are starting school, we still love using the cloth napkins. They add color to our table, and I can use them as a rag for wiping off the table after meals.

We made a vinegar/water solution in a spray bottle to use for wiping down our table after meals. By using the cloth napkins to clean the table, we’re able to use fewer paper towels and rags, which has helped cut down on laundry.

Benefits of Using Cloth Napkins

• They last a really long time. We’ve had the same ones for over ten years.
• You can use them for multiple purposes. The napkins you use for dinner can be used for cleaning tables and countertops after the meal is over.
• They add color to your table.
• They’re heavier than paper napkins, which makes them easier for little people to use and handle.
• Using them saves resources. They save you money, and they decrease demand for new paper napkins to be made.

How to Make the Switch to Cloth Napkins

1. Rummage through your home and see if you have any cloth napkins. If you don’t have any, you can make your own, or ask if anyone in a local Buy Nothing group or Freecycle group has any they’d like to get rid of. Ask friends and family too. If that doesn’t pan out, you could always check thrift stores, or just order some online.
2. Put your leftover paper napkins in a place where they’re not easily accessible. That way, you can still get to them if you need them, but you can build the habit of just using the cloth napkins.
3. Figure out a system for washing your napkins. I like to wash them with our regular laundry, but you might prefer to wash them separately.
4. Figure out a system for storing your napkins. When our kids were smaller, we kept them in a drawer they could access. That way they could help us set the table. Now that they’re taller, we keep them on a wire basket on our kitchen counter.

Have you made the switch to cloth napkins? How do you handle the logistics of storing and cleaning them? Please share with us in the comments!