When you need to clean up a spill or wipe down the kitchen table after dinner, what do you reach for first? Paper towels are an obvious choice, but there's actually a more affordable, less-wasteful alternative than your go-to bulk pack: Swedish dishcloths, also known as reusable paper towels.

Patented in 1949 by Swedish civil engineer Curt Lindquist under the brand name Wettex, reusable paper towels are typically made of a cellulose-and-cotton blend. They're meant to be dampened, squeezed out, and used to sop up spills or clean up crumbs, just like a regular paper towel. They're slightly spongy when wet, but feel just like paper when dry.

You can use reusable paper towels with an all-purpose cleaner nearly anywhere that a regular paper towel can be used: on glass, tabletops, countertop surfaces, and floors. Buying multiple patterned designs can help you designate them for cleaning separate areas. However, we wouldn't recommend cleaning soiled areas or your toilets with reusable paper towels unless you plan to throw them out immediately afterward.

Washing a reusable paper towel is simple. You can give it a quick rinse and wring out, just as you would with a sponge. For a more substantial clean, they can also go in a washing machine or on the top rack of a dishwasher and hung out to dry in both cases.

When the reusable paper towel is starting to look dingy, even after washing and drying, or its edges are starting to curl or fray, it's time to dispose of it and move on to the next one in the pack. Many reusable paper towel brands claim that they can be used for a few months before throwing away or composting — but as a general rule of thumb, you shouldn't compost anything that's been used with a chemical cleaning spray.

The best reusable paper towels are absorbent, quick-drying, and come in cost-efficient multipacks. They're the perfect, eco-friendlier alternative to using paper towels to wipe up dust, crumbs, and small messes around the home. Read on to check out the best reusable paper towels for spiffing up any household.