Paper towels?

[gardenjoinery]

I use conventional white paper towels, and I have been throwing them away because I assume they are bleached. Is it okay to compost them (I use rags if I can, just pt on certain things)? I am probably going to switch to unbleached from my co-op, but in the meantime...

[plantoneonme]

I compost all mine. I also shred up envelopes and other papers as long as they are not glossy and compost...sure feels good to shred them bills and turn them into dirt :D Kim

[Sinfonian]

I too compost my paper towels, tissues, bills, cardboard, etc. I also do dryer lint, hair, and other stuff. It may not be particularly nutrient rich, but it's still a brown.

I guess I'll need to research bleached paper towels. So far, I haven't cared enough to do so.

Good luck

[gardengirl72]

I haven't bought paper towels in a while. With the way things are we have just cut up old towels and dish rags and not using paper plates or plastic cups and washing all of our dishes instead of using the dish washer. I need to get a clothes line going this year as soon as it warms up. There are paper towels that are unbleached if you are concerned. Possibly at trader joes. there's also always 7th generation (i use their toilet paper).

[gardenjoinery]

I still use paper towels for wiping out the cast-iron, because I was concerned that putting super-greasy rags in my wash would be problematic. I guess I am also concerned that the chickens will eat the greasy paper, since it is bleached. I guess I'll just switch to unbleached - we don't use enough to make that cost-prohibitive.

[MoniDew]

I also compost plain white paper towels - the bleach never occurred to me, however. I compost newspaper, brown paper bags, brown cardboard, and the cardboard boxes of rice mix (all natural rice mix in an all natural box - natural ink, etc. ) But don't put shiny paper in the composter.

[wyo-helpmeet]

I compst the few PT's we use, so long as there's not a LOT of grease on them.

"I still use paper towels for wiping out the cast-iron, because I was concerned that putting super-greasy rags in my wash would be problematic. I guess I am also concerned that the chickens will eat the greasy paper, since it is bleached. I guess I'll just switch to unbleached - we don't use enough to make that cost-prohibitive."

I wash all my rags in hot water & add extra soap. Depending on how green you are, you can add various things- fels naptha, dish soap (just a smidge), purple power, stain remover, bleach, oxi clean, vinegar, etc.