The 1 kitchen 'essential' professional cleaners never waste their time or money on – and their $14 must-have non-toxic alternative

A kitchen with a large green painted kitchen island and marble countertop, built into a large orange kitchen table with black bar stools. A floor-to-ceiling fridge freezer unit built in in the background. .

Paper towels have been a staple on kitchen counters for decades, but there is a far better option for keeping surfaces clean, professional cleaners claim.

Although made from paper rather than plastic, paper towels are a big part of the single-use waste problem and are not as efficient for cleaning and disinfecting a kitchen as you might initially think.