Should You Switch to Cloth Napkins? Costs, Laundry and Everyday Use

Cloth napkins are worth trying if you regularly buy paper napkins and can wash them with suitable laundry you’re already doing. They replace a disposable item with something you can use repeatedly, and they don’t need to be fancy, matching or ironed.

The savings depend on what you spend to get started, how many paper napkins they replace and whether they create extra laundry costs. Start with one meal a day and a small set. You’ll soon know whether the routine works for your household.

Will cloth napkins actually save you money?

First, work out what you’re replacing. Divide the price of your usual paper napkin package by the number of napkins inside, then multiply by the number your household uses each week. If you use paper towels at meals, count only those sheets—not the whole roll used for other jobs.

Compare that spending with the cost of the cloth napkins and their ongoing washing. Adding a few napkins to a suitable load may have a small additional cost, but running separate loads or paying for laundromat machines can change the calculation.

Here’s a hypothetical example, using assumed costs rather than typical prices:

• You spend $18 on a starter set.
• Using it replaces $1.50 worth of paper napkins each week.
• You estimate that the additional washing and drying cost is 30 cents a week.
• Your net weekly savings are $1.20, so it takes 15 weeks to recover the $18 purchase price.

Use your own figures: startup cost ÷ weekly savings after laundry costs = weeks to break even. This assumes the napkins last through that period and you keep using them. If extra laundry costs equal or exceed the paper purchases you avoid, there isn’t a financial payback under those assumptions.

Already owning napkins makes the decision easier. Try those before buying anything, even if you’ve been saving them for special occasions.

Choose napkins that suit ordinary meals

For everyday use, look for machine-washable napkins that feel comfortable against your face, absorb spills and have secure hems. Cotton is a practical starting point, but the care label and how the fabric performs matter more than a decorative finish. Avoid delicate trims or special-care fabrics if your goal is less expense and fuss.

Discount stores, clearance racks and secondhand shops are places to compare prices. If possible, wash and use one or two before committing to a large set. Check whether they shrink, shed lint or need more care than you want to give them.

If you sew, washable fabric remnants or clean fabric you already own can work. Prewash the fabric before cutting and finish the edges so they don’t unravel. Dark colors and patterns can make lingering marks less noticeable, but they don’t replace washing.

Letting children choose a color or pattern can make the change more appealing. Keep it simple: they can help put clean napkins on the table and take used ones to the laundry afterward.

How many do you need?

Base the number on the meals you’re covering and how often you’ll wash them. For planning, allow a clean napkin per person per meal, plus a few spares.

For example, four people using cloth napkins at dinner for three days need 12 napkins before laundry, with a few extras for spills or a delayed wash. Covering breakfast and lunch too would require more. This is a planning example, not a reason to buy a large collection immediately.

Keep clean napkins in an easy-to-reach basket or drawer near the table. If they’re tucked away with holiday linens, it’s much easier to keep reaching for paper.

Make washing part of the routine

Remove food scraps after the meal and treat spots promptly. Wash napkins with items that have compatible colors, care instructions and soil levels. A heavily greasy napkin may need pretreatment and a different load from lightly soiled clothing.

The American Cleaning Institute’s laundry guidance recommends sorting by care needs, treating stains before washing and following detergent directions. Test a stain treatment on an inconspicuous area first. Check the napkins before drying; dryer heat can set remaining stains, so treat and wash those again if needed.

Choose the wash temperature and drying method allowed by the fabric’s care label and appropriate for the soil. Use full loads without overloading the machine, and air-dry when practical. Natural Resources Canada’s laundry tips recommend full loads, cold water when suitable and hanging laundry to reduce energy use.

Once dry, fold and put them away. Everyday napkins don’t need ironing unless you prefer it. Keeping the routine manageable matters more than making each one look like restaurant linen.

What about the environmental benefit?

Using cloth napkins in place of paper reduces the number of disposable napkins you throw away. The EPA includes cloth napkins among its waste-reduction suggestions.

Less disposable waste doesn’t mean cloth has no environmental cost. Fabric production, washing, detergent and drying all use resources. There isn’t one universal number of uses that makes every cloth napkin environmentally preferable to every paper option.

A practical approach is to use what you already have, keep using it for as long as it works and avoid running tiny loads just for a few napkins. You don’t need to buy new tableware or a different napkin set for every season to make the switch worthwhile.

Try dinner first

Put cloth napkins out for dinner for a week or two. Notice whether people use them, whether the laundry fits your routine and whether you reach for fewer paper napkins. If it works, add more meals or enough napkins to bridge your normal laundry schedule.

A mixed approach is fine, too. Cloth at home and paper when washing isn’t practical can still reduce disposable purchases. Choose the arrangement you’ll comfortably keep using.