Facts about Paper Towels

We all use paper towels in the kitchen, toilet, and even when we are down with a cold. It is also used to wipe the grime from our hands! But have you ever wondered from where they come from and who thought of it first? The humble paper towel has been in use for over a hundred years now. Here are some little known and interesting facts about paper towels.

Facts about Paper Towels

• Paper towels are made from paper pulp, which is extracted from wood or fiber crops.
• It can be made from virgin as well as recycled paper pulp.
• It was first made by Arthur Scott out of a cartload full of rejected toilet paper! He perforated them into small towel-size sheets and sold them as the first ever disposable paper towels.
• Scott was again the first to introduce the paper towel for kitchens in 1931. It was thirteen inches wide and eighteen inches long.
• Tissue paper is lightweight, and made of multiple layers for better absorption.
• They are classified as per their key properties such as strength, absorbency, weight, and thickness.
• To make them appear whiter, bleach is added during the production process.
• They have to be disposed, after just one use.
• Paper towels are packed individually and sold as stacks, or are held on a continuous roll.
• There are patterns and shapes often imprinted into the paper towels to maximize absorption.
• Most paper towels are manufactured with two to three layers of thin paper, but some types can have fewer layers.
• To make them more appealing, paper towels sometimes have intricate colored images such as flowers or teddy bears imprinted on them.
• Colored paper towels were introduced just 30 years ago and come in two distinct classes; domestic and institutional.

Uses of Paper Towels

• Wrapping dry food items like bakery products.
• Wiping the hands dry.
• Wiping babies bottoms, mainly with wet paper towels.
• Fragrant wet paper towels are used as facial tissues.
• Cleaning kitchen countertops.
• Oil and grime can be wiped easily using them.
• Cleaning and wiping spills.
• Glass tabletops can also cleaned effectively with them.
• One can use them to wipe dust off the furniture.
• They can be used as coasters for chilled drinks, as they absorb the moisture dripping from the sides of the glass.
• People suffering from cold and bouts of sneezing can use them without the fear of passing on germs, as they are disposable.

Paper towels are one of the most versatile paper products. There are many brands available in the market such as Bounty, Scott, Brawny, and Viva. They all have different absorbent properties. Except for the Viva brand of paper towels, all have a trademark towel design. Paper towels are considered as an excellent cleaning invention, though their use is subjected to controversies regarding the garbage pollution they create. However, one can purchase paper towels made from recycled paper or pulp, and never worry about those spills again.