Me and my paper towel, a love story if you will

This giveaway has now ended and a winner chosen: ANDREW with this fabulously funny comment:I can’t help but feel you’ve neglected to speak about a ply rating; whilst this may have been alluded to in addressing integrity and structure, I do feel it requires a special reference. 

I wouldn’t purchase a one ply toilet paper for fear of an unintentional self-examination should the integrity of said toilet paper fail me, so nor would I use a one ply paper towel. If I were to find myself in the situation where I were required to wipe up some sort of substance such as, but not limited to baby or pet vomit, pet excrement, food spilt on the floor (which automatically means it has become untouchable in my books) and the like, chances are that I’m going to cringe and wish I was never born should it actually touch my skin; much in the same manner as I would when floaty bits of food in the sink touch me when I’m washing up.

Hope this helps get the word out there.”

Thanks to everyone that entered – this was a great giveaway and I LOVED all your comments and entries so much! Original post follows…

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A sponsored post for Maxima Paper towel

I feel like we are deep enough into our relationship now to tell you a little something about me. I think it’s time, I mean some of you have been here 10 years now. It’s the least I can do.

You see, I have a deep, devoted and loving relationship with paper towel. I’m about to go in hard on the topic of paper towel here my friends so if that’s enough for some of you to click away now, then don’t say I didn’t warn you. Yes, paper towel, or as it’s affectionately known around these parts, PT.

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There’s many things that I feel passionate about that you would well know about: A well made bed, a fluffed cushion, a freshly mopped floor, a glass of prosecco with a positive meniscus, but what you may not know is that my most beloved household item (besides my Swiffer) is the humble paper towel. I was recently asked if I wanted to write a little about it and I do believe that the company in question may have been a little bewildered about my at-length response as to the reasons why I was their gal. I think they were even like, yeah we get it, you like our paper towel. Great!

You see there are many reasons why I love this stuff so much: versatility sure, but it’s a workhorse. Tackling every room with ease. Much like me really. Now I have a dog AND a baby I can tell you sales went up by 12% just on my use alone. But being a connoisseur of the stuff, I felt like I could share with you my strict PT guidelines and how this stuff from Maxima meets them all. I think this is the bit where Maxima were like, um, OK….

BTW I cannot tell you how excited I am that this gets to be my job. Cue angels singing and insert praise emoticon here:

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BabyMac’s strict PT guidelines, a 4-step test

Before we begin delving into the strict 4 step process, I must say that I will feel like a complete FAILURE in my household duties if I go to grab another roll of paper towel and there’s none there. Honestly, I’m done. If the house is PT deficient, then I’m very uncomfortable. All PCL’s (personal comfort levels) which I have written about before here are breached and I will be known to make special trips into town to ensure it’s never for too long. I told you, it’s a serious business.

But now, those guidelines to ensuring PT makes it in my house.

 1. It has to be white

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I am unsure who buys the patterned stuff, I really am, but if PT is going to make it in my house, it has to be white. PLAIN WHITE. I have had Rob purchase the odd pattern by mistake, I may have even done it myself once or twice where I was distracted by a small child or it was hidden under the packaging, but I can assure you that plain white paper towel is 89% better (study undertaken by me).

2. It has to tear off well

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Whilst linen napkins may be the go for dinner guests, most night ye olde paper towel roll is on the table for wiping face and hands. I need my PT to be able to be ripped off easily. With one hand. A 5 year old with greasy cutlet fingers needs to be able to rip this off without it tearing at the top and (gasp) going around half ripped. A satisfying noise whilst ripping is a bonus, not a must. Maxima delivers a bonus here.

3. It has to be able to get wet and re-open without loss of integrity of structure

You know what I’m talking about here right? Packets may claim that you can wet the paper towel and use them for wiping up but too many times have hopes been dashed when you wet it and it just turns into a lump of wet paper towel that can either not be opened, or when it does it never returns to it’s original shape and it sure as shit can’t wipe anything up. Not here my friends, not on my watch.

It can be wet…

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And opened up, ready to wipe Maggie’s face much to her disgust.

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And after said wiping, it’s still in good nick. There is a God.

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4. It needs to work on all surfaces

I want my PT to work on a High chair cleaning up after the disaster that is meal times with a 1 year old.

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I want it to perform around the hot plates after dinner and I want it to be able to deal with grease. I’m very bossy, clearly.

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I want it to work well on a mirror or glass in the bathroom or around the house, I want it to work on stainless steel appliances like the fridge or dishy to wipe away handprints, I want it to clean up dog mess and baby mess. I want it to be able to wipe a hand or face.

I expect a lot from my PT, but surely it’s not too much to ask now is it?

Maxima tells us “With interweaving fibres and WET LOCK technology making MAXIMA the paper towel strong to use both wet and dry, it’s also perfect for kitchen, bathroom and window cleaning. And it’s tough enough for oil and grease.

 More hygienic than a kitchen sponge, you can count on MAXIMA to get you out of any mess, fast!”

Whilst I don’t use PT instead of a dishcloth, we know that’s a topic for another day entirely, I will say that it most definitely met my test and will be added to cart long after today. It’s good stuff friends, and you know I would not mess around with something as serious as this.

Oh Maxima, you had me at use of the word SUPERIOR on your hot turquoise packaging…

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You can grab a 2-pack of 4 ply Maxima Paper towel at your local Woolies.

But who would like to get a $100 Woolworths voucher AND A YEARS SUPPLY OF SUPERIOR 4 PLY MAXIMA PAPERTOWEL FOR FREE?

Um der Beth.

ALL OF YOU DO AM I RIGHT? Because if you have gotten this far into the post, you feel just as strongly about this stuff as I do! You are welcome here my people! And they are not mucking around, I have 1x $100 Woolies voucher and 1x one year’s supply of MAXIMA to give away!

Just tell me 1 of your non-negotiable when it comes to purchasing PT. What’s a must have? Leave a comment below for a chance to win a $100 Woolworths voucher and a year’s supply of Maxima Paper Towel. Giveaway opens Wednesday 31st August 2016and closes 14th September 2016 for all the T& C’s click here.

You can check out their Facebook page here.
Purchase online at Woolies here.
And be sure to enter a comment below for a chance to win!

So what’s your one PT non-negotiable?
Pattern or plain?
Good ripping ability?
Or have I forgotten something else entirely?

TELL ME EVERYTHING!

Comments

  1. Morgan North says

    Oh gosh! I love paper towel. It has been known to be done in our house that you ask the kids “please get the plates out for dinner.” And they naturally reach for the paper towel.

    I have four children so I’ve also been known to use half a roll cleaning up bodily fluids off the floor. So paper towel must have good scoop ability.

    I will also add I’m out of paper towel and as mentioned above I have four children so am yet I venture out and buy more. Who wants to do that with four kids from 9 to 1 year old! My floor and high chair, mirrors and children would thank you if I had a years supply!

  2. Cathy lawrence says

    For me Beth the paper towel needs to be water soluble to wipe away the grease and dirty kids faces

  3. 100% has to tear off one-handed whilst holding small child in the other arm that is invariably covered in foodstuffs. ?

  4. Rachel Ahern says

    Paper towel is essential in my house – in fact if I run out I start to feel a mild sense of panic! I use it for EVERYTHING! It has replaced the majority of cleaning cloths and I manage to go through about two large rolls a fortnight.

    I am very particular about which brand I purchase as it must maintain its integrity even under the toughest conditions so therefore I would be reluctant to switch brands. I could be convinced to switch if I was given an incentive or free trial…..if a successful transition to a new brand takes place then I would agree to become a very loyal customer!

  5. Dakota Morgan says

    I love paper towel, like it’s the shit! I even wipe my Tv, Computer everything down with it. I think when buying paper towel you can’t buy the cheap crap it has to be good quality otherwise it just falls apart. And I hate the patterns too. If I go to Costco I buy Tork paper towel because seriously it is stronger than any paper towel, I even use it as dish cloth and it holds its shape for life!!!

  6. We are a family of 7. Two parents, three kids, two cavoodles. That’s 10 feet, 10 hands, 50 … OMG, 50 fingers and 8 paws. Oh the prints, the smudges and the grot all of those make around the house. Paper towel is a regular feature on my fortnightly shop. To stand up to the demands of our ‘crib’ it must:
    Be durable
    Be easy to tear
    Hold up when wet and not disintegrate like cheap dunny paper
    But above all – not leave furry crap all over my toothpaste splattered bathroom mirror! After all ‘Ain’t nobody got time for that!’
    Thanks Beth xx

  7. OK!!!!! What a fantastic comp!!!!
    My love for the PT had been handed down like an heirloom tea set from my mother to me..what a blessing in my life.
    My ‘must have’ is that it must come in a multi pack of 2 rolls, 3 rolls or more for the true PT conniseurs amongst us.
    Need some last minute ice cold Prosecco for lunch but the other half forgot to pick up a cold bottle…wrap the bottle in wet paper towel and pop it in the freezer for 15mins!!!!
    Nothing beats the old PT ?

  8. I love my PT too. It always gets packed for holidays if we are headed somewhere that may not have my brand. With a son with additional needs, that needs help at mealtime, it’s essential.

    Criteria is that it’s soft enough for his face but sturdy enough to deal with the tougher jobs like cleaning.

    I wouldn’t normally share this but it’s clearly a ‘safe’ place for PT confessions!

  9. Ohhhhh yes!! I loved this post! Maybe a little too much!! Ha 😉 SO much satisfaction from paper towel!! Good rip-ability is a MUST!! That sound…..ahhhhhh! I’d love to win a years supply – with a house of boys it’s a necessity 😉

  10. LOVE paper towel. It’s an essential in our kitchen. Although there is war raging around these parts since the husband thinks it’s ‘fun and quirky’ to purchase prints. It’s not.
    While I’m praising the humble paper towel it is imperative that I check the only before purchase. Minimum 3 ply quality for mess and spills that come with dog and small children every minute of every day. 4 ply and I’m a happy lady, this is the bee’s knee’s best paper ply around.

  11. Check the *ply (!!) before purchase. Damn you autocorrect messing with the serious business of paper ply!

  12. Yes must be white! So true! Had my PT “substituted” in my recent grocery delivery and *GASP* it’s patterned!!!

  13. The PT has to be strong enough for me to stand on and use my foot to wipe up the floor when I just can’t be bothered bending down! An inferior brand fails miserably.

  14. Marlo O'Brien says

    Non-negotiable on paper towel is the cheap stuff leaving lint behind after cleaning the windows! With numerous glass sliding doors and floor to ceiling windows scattered throughout the house, nothing ruins the satisfaction of cleaning the glass free of the grubby hand, paw, face and nose (and god knows what other body parts) of three kids and a dog more than turning around to see flecks and chunks of the white stuff all over my supposedly freshly cleaned windows. Ugh. If the husband buys the cheap stuff by mistake, he knows about it later..

  15. This is such a great post..My o.c.d cannot deal with having no paper towels in the house.It has to be a two pack or more.Perform with excellence without getting ‘holey’when wet.Not have a ‘scratchy’texture when dry,the wiping of small and old faces hate that..My list could be endless,best to say it must always be in my home.

  16. I agree with all your “musts” above. My mum has been known to buy patterned PT for my house (gasp) as my kids like it & I won’t buy the stuff. PT is a staple in my house & even my tea towel is a “stunt” tea towel as my house & frequent guests know I will lose it if the tea towel actually gets used. It’s PT all the way!

  17. When I read about your sense of failure if you go to get more & there is none I was with you.. In that moment. This is me. I agreed with it all.
    Added to this my paper towel has to be strong enough for when I double it over, drop on the floor & use as feet mops? You know for spills like water on floor post dishwasher unload? I have been also know to double or TRIPLE up on packing PT when we go on annual Ext. Family trips to Rotto.. To use as tea towels! Not for ev meal but for the big cousin bashes a tough white PT Is so much more hygienic & gets it done. The poor holiday house tea towels just don’t cut it.
    I actually could go on.. Which is both sad & exhilarating to me at the same time ☺️☺️☺️

  18. Paper towel is essential when washing the house windows – so for me it has to stay together and strong when wet!

  19. I can’t help but feel you’ve neglected to speak about a ply rating; whilst this may have been alluded to in addressing integrity and structure, I do feel it requires a special reference.

    I wouldn’t purchase a one ply toilet paper for fear of an unintentional self-examination should the integrity of said toilet paper fail me, so nor would I use a one ply paper towel. If I were to find myself in the situation where I were required to wipe up some sort of substance such as, but not limited to baby or pet vomit, pet excrement, food spilt on the floor (which automatically means it has become untouchable in my books) and the like, chances are that I’m going to cringe and wish I was never born should it actually touch my skin; much in the same manner as I would when floaty bits of food in the sink touch me when I’m washing up.

    Hope this helps get the word out there.

    • Andrew you are the clear winner here – this made me laugh and laugh. Thanks for entering! Have sent you an email requesting your contact details so I can arrange delivery.

      Thanks for entering and for being a true PT fan!

  20. Carly valentine says

    Oh paper towel how I love thee. The shame when I open that kitchen sick and where out!
    Now my husband is American and after living there for 5 years my passion for PT just exploded! The quality is superior! And the variety! Looks like maxima has stepped up to the challenge!
    PT has to absorb!! How else do I feel better about providing greasy delicious snacks, lets me real sometimes meals without giving them a good stand on some PT first to soak up allllll the fat! That I won’t then ingest!
    It has to be white! Please no Christmas PT!!
    Has to come in multipuls.
    I keep it in my car!
    I have made baby whiles with them! Very easy!
    I have made my husband turn around and drive back home to collect PT! Who bbqs without it??

  21. OK, this may be too much for some…….. when the wad of PT is placed onto the puddle of little girl doggie pee, it has to soak to the surface so I can SEE it is absorbing. That’s all

  22. Victoria Devine says

    I thought I was the only one who felt so passionate about paper towel!! I have a baby, two dogs and two cats, needless to say it’s a must have in our household and we go through A LOT!!
    My not negotiable is the inner cardboard tube must be sturdy and not crinkle at the ends, if it does then it won’t fit on my paper towel holder on the inside of the pantry door, or it falls off every time you try and use it *insert gritted teeth emoji*
    Gosh is love to win a years supply!

  23. Dianne Whittle says

    Right at this moment I have no less than 12 rolls of paper towel in my house. Like you, I cannot bear the thought of running out. Gone are all those smelly kitchen cloths that sit around the sink getting grotty and smelly – and of course there’s one for the sink, one to wipe the floors, a separate one for the counters, and so it goes on – far too many. So now I use paper towel and I can use it once on something disgusting and throw it away, or I can refuse it if I want. So, my one must have in a paper towel is that it has to stay together. None of this wetting it and it desintergrates before you can even use it. It has to stay in one piece when I open it up and use it, because theirs nothing worse than it falling apart as you use it and getting little bits of paper towel everywhere. Oh my goodness, I didn’t realise just how strongly I felt about paper towel. See what you’ve started? ?

  24. The best invention since “sliced cheese”!!!! I too, begin to hyperventilate if I am down to one roll in the pantry!!

  25. Absorbability! Some of that cheap stuff is pathetic, I don’t know how it is still legal to brand it paper towel when it is less than 2 ply (minimum) and falls apart on impact with the slightest moisture or mess.
    My Mum is another one who passes out a square of PT as a substitute serviette at meal times! Ha! Good ol’ paper towel.

  26. Oh paper towel! How I love thee. I’ve got the 3 kids (stay with me, the description is necessary for dinner context): kid 1 (7)- part dog and so messy and he can never sit still at the dinner table, kid 2 (5) – suffering from anxiety and extreme perfectionism bordering on OCD. She’s a Virgo and like living with my mother again! And kid 3 (3) – easy going but a preschooler and also very messy.

    So paper towel is imperative at dinner.
    It needs to tear off clearly, with no scraggly bits as kid # 2 is ripping off more and more trying to achieve the perfect square. This fulfills her “quirky” need and my tight ass “you’re wasting so much paper” paranoia.

    It needs to actually grip mess of their hands and also retain shape if wet for kid #1 and kid #3. Some cheap stuff is too dry and just results in a white fluff/balls/lint like mess of paper attached to sticky fingers.

    It needs to be reasonably priced as kid #2 goes through heaps of it, wiping after each time she picks up food and puts it in her mouth. At times we resort to wet face cloths to appease her and then she “drys” with paper towel.

    I also use paper towel to wrap my kids baked good item in a twist top scenario (think sugared almonds in cellophane at a wedding) so that the treat can be lifted clearly out of the lunch box thus avoiding crumbs landing on the fruit and veg. Apparently when crumbs land on fruit and veg it is no longer fit for consumption according to kid #2 ( no surprises there) or kid #3. Wiping said crumbs off doesn’t cut it. Sick of throwing out good food and aiming to reduce plastics, paper towel does the job.

    My laundry is down stairs and dining upstairs so the lazy part of me relies on paper towel to clean up the sticky dinner bits off the floor instead of the laundry cloth. I know it’s wasteful and lazy but it’s one of my domestic indulgences.

    I love the acronym PT. We’ll definitely be adopting that one in our household.

  27. Oh Beth you crack me up. Snorting out my coffee here. I’d like to propose a future post topic – paper towel vs baby wipe. Pros and cons. I will most def be trying maxima and do love a PT but I think my love runs a little deeper for a BW. I love to give the toilet seat a once over with a BW. But perhaps I should try a PT because then I could flush it. Mmmmm you’ve got me thinking. I love the way we really wrestle with the big stuff here.

    • Do not flush PT !! Ask me how I know?….
      Master 5 flushed a few sheets trying to be helpful having cleaned up a bathroom mess- it did not flush. Seriously nearly caused a toilet water flood, reached the rim of the bowl. Hubby had to get gloves on & fish it out by hand into the bin:(

  28. Sam Spring says

    Beth

    I love your thinking. White paper towels are the go in my house. They have to rip apart easily I agree and soak up stuff. However i discovered a new brand recently that is worth a look. It is Who Gives a Crap. Each sheet is a little longer then the run of the mill paper towel. They are 2 ply, 120 sheets to a roll and made with bamboo and sugarcane. One of the best bits for me is that they come wrapped in paper not plastic so kinder to the environment and 50% of the company’s profits are donated to build toilets. That’s got to be a good thing. Sam

  29. Oh man. I feel very strongly about paper towel. I recently threw out a full 3 pack of unopened home brand paper towels that appeared somehow in my house because don’t waste my time, people.

    I need superior absorbency for those doggy wees because we left the door closed accidentally or those cat spews. I cannot bear the idea of a finger tearing through… shudder.

    It also has to work well when wet because sometimes you just don’t have time to use the microfibre cloth and then rinse out the greasy gack. Sometimes the greasy gack is just too gross.

    I’m a hard core fan of one of Maxima’s competitors (it rhymes with beaver) but you may have just convinced me to try them.

  30. I am with you all the way on the no pattern front! That shit is completely unnecessary. I love a paper towel that will wipe over the mirrors without leaving all its fluffy bits behind – that frustrates me no end! I’ve been a Viva girl for quite a while now but you may just have swayed me to give this Maxima stuff a crack, it’s on my shopping list today as a matter of fact.. Thanks Beth, clean on my friend ?

  31. I have seen you wield paper towel like nobody’s business. I cannot deal with patterned PT or toilet paper. Just WHY?!

  32. Jill Unsworth says

    Oh no, I’m in trouble here. Clearly I’m missing out on something big. I have a confession to make, I don’t use paper towel. ?
    Now before you all go crazy, please hear me out.
    I wasn’t raised by a paper towel user … not an avid user anyway so my training clearly early on was lacking. Once my husband and I began cohabiting he too missed the early guidance. The PT I have used (and is currently at home in my laundry) is only used in absolute emergencies. This unknown named product is un perforated, beige, 1 ply, and has the consistency and absorb ability of shiny toilet paper- you know the stuff. Ewww. Feel my pain.
    So my friends, I’m a PT virgin. With a house of 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 teenage boys and a husband who likes to cook (therefore – mess!) I feel I’m most deserving of this wonder product.
    Actually, I’m heading to Woollies right now , let me on your PT train !

  33. I’ll be brief, love the stuff and now (due to my impressionable brain) I’ll only be buying white! My non-negotiable relates to food preparation. We eat fish at least once/week and I rinse the fish under fresh water then pat dry with a PT. Dry fish cooks so much better than wet! Ditto defrosted steak etc. Crappy PT sticks to the fish or meat and then yuck, you have to pick it off. Maxima is the bomb of PT.

  34. A PT double sized roll on my PT holder (like yours) is my definition of ‘Ready for anything!’
    And prints, not allowed. Similar concept to the hideous prints on bus seats. Why cover an item destined to be soiled in a pretty (someone’s definition of pretty?) pattern?
    Subterfuge.
    Though I do have fond memories of my Nan’s plastic cream coloured PT and plastic wrap dispenser on the wall of her tiny kitchen – always fully stocked with printed PT.

  35. OMG!! Yes! Has to be white and has to be IN STOCK! I am with you on “who is buying the patterned stuff?” No, it’s just not right and I have the exact – dispenser rolly thing! There is nothing worse than not having any in the house. The big man in our house uses it to pat down his pork after he has soaked it or something like that – I don’t want to disappoint you too much by admitting that I don’t know how to cook pork! *slowly sneaks away*

  36. Hear, hear to all the above – my one must have rule (which is the same for toilet rolls by the way), is that the cardboard inner hasn’t been squashed at all – hate when one slips through and the roll won’t spin properly on the holder.

    I also have a tip for using paper towel – using your swiffer tear off enough PT to double over and put under the swiffer head and use as a completely disposable floor duster – don’t even have to wash – just dispose of in the rubbish.

    Love Cindy F
    xx

  37. Jessica Choi says

    Suffice it to say I almost sobbed reading your post – I’m not an environment hating loon after all! There are others like me! Kleenex Viva has been the only brand permitted to enter my home after extensive testing, as it’s the most absorbent one I’ve found that also STAYS INTACT WHEN WET! That’s my absolute non negotiable, just like you said, oh Beth my PT-caressing soulmate! I will not permit moldy rags to touch my counters and tabletops (shudder).

    Woolies recently had a half price sale on Viva and we now have 30 rolls stashed in various cupboards around the house. Your description of Maxima, however, has seriously piqued my interest. I may have to make a quick Woolies pitstop this arvo…

  38. Super Sarah says

    It absolutely cannot be scented. CANNOT. I have no idea why such a thing would be invented but once upon a holiday in Europe, someone who cannot be named bought scented paper towel. Disgusting. Shameful, almost unusable; almost. Never again!

  39. My paper towel must be easily ripped off, very absorbent & strong. I have a13 year old but when she is in the kitchen I still regularly hear a crash followed by “it was an accident”. Unfortunately she tends to stand staring as the chaos unfolds & things start dripping off the bench so it is vital I can get there quickly & not have to fight the paper towel off the roll.

  40. absolutely has to be the non shedding shit. If it leaves bits of fluff on my mirrors I lose my damn mind.
    Aint nobody got time for that.

  41. I want to wipe baby spit or grubby food finger prints off my clothes with wet or dry PT and have it not leave little white paper fibres on me.
    Because if I’m doing this I’m obvs in a hurry and don’t have time to change.

  42. Sharon whitehead says

    When I am wiping the adorable little faces of either of my 20 month old twin grandkids and they take a swipe for the pt and they happen to grab it in their chubby little hands I can with one foul swoop grab it back still in one piece !! ?

  43. Definitely no prints! I checked with my husband who is very particular(!) about wiping the sink and surrounding area, sometimes even when I’m not done…. ( which has caused lots of domestic dissonance at our place) – agrees with all your points and includes the absolute must – it must be cheap or on special!!!!

  44. Teenage daughters, make up, mirrors, floors. Need I say more!

  45. Lisa Downie says

    Paper towels are great when all the plates ars in the dishwasher.
    Allways plain. Never print thats so nannaish.
    Nothing against nannas!

  46. Lisa Downie says

    On another matter, you mentioned swiffer. Is it a real swiffer. If so where did you purchase.

  47. I loved this post!! I hate fluffy residue from paper towel. Last thing you need when wiping up. Especially on stainless steel?

    Thanks!

  48. Oh I am a paper towel fiend. I have switched shops as at one point one didn’t stock the particular brand I used at the time. Saying that i am always keen to try new ones but none besides my current fav have been able to meet by deal breakers:

    1) no lint left behind on glass – drives me insane as we have a glass table

    2) thick and luxurious feeling – so it doesn’t feel like it will dissolve if in use with spray cleaners

    3) strong when dry also wet – no soggy tissue hits left behind

    Yep – I am a fiend

  49. Amanda King says

    My one thing… It can’t be cheap. When I go to someone’s house, and they rip off some homebrand PT (and I assure you people, it’s obvious), I have a little internal pity party. That stuff is ineffective and does not meet my absorbency requirements. It’s like washing your face with toilet paper. Ditto on the white comment too Beth. Same goes with toilet paper, it’s not a decorator item. Keep the shell motif for highway motor inns.

  50. No to patterned pt or tp. Plain all the way. And the non-negotiable in purchase is most definitely a generous ply. None of that single ply nonsense, you may as well be cleaning up with your bare hand! I don’t believe I have clocked 4 ply pt before tho. I’m with you on the wobbles when you run out. My family use volumes of the stuff and have no sense to apply restraint when they see the roll dimishing. I on the other hand adopt a sparing approach and will even save (hide) a bit if I know I can’t get to the shop for another day or so. There is just no substitute when you need a square of tp.

  51. All of yours Beth, AND it needs to be soft enough to use as a tissue when the need arises and I’m mid-kitchen activity with wet hands and no tissue box nearby!!

  52. Hi, after reading all these comments I feel like an outsider by admitting this but I don’t buy PT. There. I’ve said it. I might have bought the odd roll when the kids were little but not now. Clearly I need to get on board!! What the hell am I doing with my life?!

  53. Eliza Whalley says

    Hi Beth,

    Strict criteria for PT at our house:
    Must be in plentiful supply in pantry.
    MUST MUST MUST be white. Patterns please do not darken our door step.
    Cheap PT – look it’s not you, it’s me and it’s just not going to work out. I’m really sorry.
    Lots of PT with baby wipes hanging quietly in the background – priceless.

  54. It has to tear off cleanly without leaving a snowstorm of dusty fivers all over the holder and bench!

    And I’m with you plain roll is essential- none of this coloured pattern business

  55. I like my plain white PT to have a pleasing pattern of indentations.

    It was the first thing I noticed about the MAXIMA, the pleasing nod-to-paisley pattern of the roll.

    Also, I often use PT at my art desk, for mopping paint flicked with too much force, or for creating cool effects in pools of acrylics or watercolours.

    PT that works hard in the kitchen, bathroom and art room is the one for me.

    Be art ready, and have a pretty swirly pattern and I shall clear out my pantry to house the spoils of either a Woolies voucher (handy for a girl sans employment) or 52 weeks’ worth of MAXIMA.

  56. It has to be able to absorb oil but not become one with the item containing oil. I hate when you have to spend time picking paper towel off your food when all you wanted it to do was absorb a bit of the oil from the cooking process

  57. It has to be strong enough to be stuffed into the mouth of a revolting toddler who has just used it (after it’s had “water on it paper towel mummy”) to wipe down her high chair tray.

  58. Hmmm. One thing? It really needs to tick a few boxes I think! No furry/fluffy residue left behind . . . Strong and durable – it’s gotta survive a bit of a road trip tucked in the trusty caravan drawer when on camping trips and then STILL perform to the best of its ability . . . Easy tear for sure . . . Needs to feel kinda nice – no one wants to wipe their face/hands/arms/legs/butts with crunchy PT!!

  59. Kate Eastwood-Connelly says

    Ye’ old paper towel, how did one survive without it? I’m a single mum of 2 kids, 2 cats and a dog – PT is like my PA. In desperate times it’s had to wipe an arse or 2, bandaged up a flap of elbow hanging off after a scooter accident whilst on the way to the ED (thank heavens for duct tape too). Heck, it’s even been used as a sanitary pad when caught out

  60. I know I should promote the practicalities, such as durability and absorption but my number 1 PT criteria is that is must be white. Not negotiable. Any colour and I take it back to Woolies and exchange. Same goes for loo paper. WHITE, WHITE, WHITE! Sorry, I don’t mean to yell at you. It’s my husband who doesn’t seem to get it.

  61. What you said Beth, on all fronts. I too, have issues with PT & TP with patterns, there is simply no need. My husband recently bought some PT home (by request) and ofcourse it was not only cheap & nasty in quality (on special he says… whatevs) but had fucking patterns on it. Not only that, we needed TP a week or 2 later and he replicated the same mistake – I will share his reasoning over a drink next time but whatever the reason was, there is just NO NEED for patterns. Ever. I can’t believe I am writing this comment…. clearly we are as mad as each other. That is why I love ya x

  62. I think I go one further than your 4 essentials. I am also particularly fussy about the dimpled pattern you get on the said white paper towel or toilet paper. For years I would only buy Kleenex Cottonelle Toilet paper and Kleenex Kitchen Towels because of the indented/ribbed stripes, this made me happy, nice and orderly, nothing fussy, strong and most importantly matched the ribbing on my Sheridan towels. And then something happened (clutches pearls), they changed the width of the said indented / ribbed stripes and I wasn’t comfortable at all, I felt betrayed. I have now been left drifting helplessly without a loyalty to a brand. Not only has your post highlighted my need for superior PT but the indented pattern is a nice, very nice, an abstract paisley even. I think that it would meet all my 5 requirements, the first four you listed and last but not least, number 5, a good indented pattern. Now I just need to find some paisley tea towels and all will be good in the world.

  63. Personally I use tea towels because of the cost and waste factor with paper towels…

    You dyson hand held stick is crying because it thought that he was the fave thing.

    Like you I insist on a pristine home- so comforting after a hard day at the coalface.

    Clean Hard.

  64. I love PT and just like my TP it must be unpatterned and white. Living in a household of 4 boys (this includes the husband) PT is essential.

    I have a roll in every bathroom for getting that toothpaste off the mirror everyday you know the tooth paste that gets there by itself ? and several other rolls in high areas of PT need. This also ensures that I’m never without a roll!

    An absolute must for me is that it doesn’t break down and rip when wet. Some PT don’t like getting wet and these ones aren’t for me. I need PT that can handle a bit of water/liquid and you don’t use the whole precious roll cleaning up one spill.

  65. We have a puppy…. This in my opinion is where PT comes into its own…. Toilet training dogs !!! It has to be able to soak up, but not enough for me to hand wet (ewww). I concur with Beth about the white factor ( who does buy all those patterns???)

  66. That crisp tearing noise is a hallmark of quality towelling. My top criteria for paper towel excellence is how it handles the wet test. A good paper towel can handle a drenching, be wrung out, and continued to be used. It must not disintegrate and leave tiny fibres everywhere.

  67. Maximum absorption!

  68. It’s gotta be environmentally friendly!
    Bleached?
    Non-sustainable paper sources?
    An absolutely turn-off for me.
    PT feels like an indulgence but one I’m more than happy to use as long as I’m not compromising our planet for it.

    I wish there was more focus on this important consideration especially for a planet we’re passing on to our littluns and lineage ??

  69. Julie Harris says

    Yes has to be white. I love paper towel. And was inspired by this to switch brands and try Maxima. Previously I would only ever use Viva. Well Maxima you have a convert. Never will I ever use another brand. I like really good PT and this fits the bill. 4 ply who knew! I tell the Maxima people that this sponsored post converted me. I don’t typically like sponsored posts as a rule, but I find your posts believable Beth.

  70. Omg this may be the oddest competition I have ever entered but im soooo excited lol….whilst my pt gets a workout in most areas of the house my not negotiable is definitely my glass sliding door….Pt must be able to remove the doggy slobber that my two pups leave all over the glass EVERY DAY…..they need to let me know how excited they are to see us once we get home and this means getting as close as possible to the door….heavy breathing, snot and slobber….so a years supply of pt would be awesome and while your at it Beth I may also need a comp for a years supply of windex too lol

  71. Nicole Woolfrey says

    Two words- Dog Wee

  72. My all-time non-negotiable for paper towel purchasing is….a pretty pattern. Buying in bulk is also a winner here too!

  73. Lisa Mckenzie says

    Yes has to be able to clean a toilet as good as a kitchen,wipe up the odd dog accident and baby spew ,tough yet not scratchy and cheap and yes has to be able to be used wet!

  74. See, I thought paper towel was just for draining the grease off food! I had no idea it was really this good, I thought it was just advertising, like when you see a glorious hamburger on an ad and you go to buy it and it’s like a week old footy burger…. I’m sold Beth. I’ll go and grab some, it is going to save me oodles in wipes, serviettes and cloths, I chuck out so many after a couple of uses and the kitchen clothes cost a small fortune… Love that these do windows, cook tops and kids! Heaven sent… Sign me up!

  75. It’s has to be durable for floor skating, when you don’t have time to fully mop, so you spray and skate ⛸⛸ for a quick touch up.

  76. Absorbency is the key, the paper towel needs to suck about as much as a hooker on pay day.

  77. Liesl Brownett says

    Paper towel is my saviour!
    I feel I’m quite experienced in this department, having 3 step children as well as 2 children of my own ( & a husband! )
    I have masses of mess to clean as I’m sure you can imagine, along with a toddler who I feel have vomitted for what feels like 2 solid years (?) I need a pape towel that is tough enough to scoop up piles of mess that I can toss straight into the bin and be done with that stink & mess (atleast until I have to wash the sheets, blankets, pillows etc..)

  78. Has your be able to wipe up spills without disintegrating.. Whats the point of paper towel that falls to pieces when it’s used to wipe up a spill…
    What the….

  79. Lauren Russo says

    My one absolute necessity when it comes to paper towel is that its in the house!!! I am FOREVER running out of the blessed stuff! With two kids under five and one cooking on the inside, a messy little Cav, a giant muddy pawed Mastiff AND a dirty tradie husband…I need all of the paper towel!!!! If I won this amazing prize I would probably wee with sheer excitement..finding yet another fabulous use for this brilliant paper towel!

  80. Wow PT my friend if I don’t have you in my kitchens yes two of them – I would be lost. The horrible giant off white role at work and the ok white at home. I go through heaps of it. Yes please I want to win!

  81. My most firm paper towel requirement: a sheet must be larger than my hand span. It is considered a catastrophic failure if I end up with something on my finger tip as it should have been caught by the paper towel that extended well past that. For bonus points, a good number of sheets per roll, I hate the feeling of burning through an entire roll in a cleaning sesh.

  82. Christina Va'a-Lopez says

    Usually I don’t purchase paper towels due to the fact that I want something that is more geared recycled and sustainable. I am trying to limit my familys use of wasteful items, but that isnt working out so well since now my 2 year old loves spilling things. So, if I can get a paper towel product that really works with cleanup with one towel thy would be amazing.

  83. PT oh how I love thee! One non negotiable for me: PT must not leave a little trail of white paper/fluff on surfaces like glass, mirror or dark bench tops etc, or when the sheets are torn apart!! (PS your new glasses are awesome!)

  84. It must come in packs of two,
    One for the kitchen and one for the BBQ.
    Because with my newspaper being delivered online of late,
    It’s my new essential “go to” for cleaning my hot plate!

  85. No. 1, I’m a crafter who uses heaps of PT and it must be white and able to get very wet so I can mop up quickly, No.2, we caravan often and use loads of PT for wiping out pots and pans along with plates, it saves water for washing up and No3, I love PT in my kitchen as well for cleaning with spray on products. I even use PT as serviettes most of the time.

  86. I was trying really hard to think of something to add to your list. I am a towel pro. My standards are high and my criteria tough. Then I stood in chook shit. Hattie Wright the rogue egg laying, superpooper had done it again. Climbed a flight of stairs, walked through the lounge to kitchen eaten the dog food, did her business and left.. My ideal paper towel provides a barrier that doesn’t breakdown. When I hit the poop with spray and wipe it off with the towel. My fingers stay chook shit free.

  87. The bulk of my PT is used to clean cut pieces of glass for craft work so it has to be TOUGH!… No ripping on sharp edges allowed!

  88. It has to be good for the environment in some way, shape or form… Recycled paper, donates to charity or is recycleable

  89. Supernashwan says

    My must is that it has to be reusable. I like to mop up water baby spills, wring out, and reuse to soak up more. I would hope PT does that! Never used it before!

  90. They are fast and effortless,
    For any kind of spill,
    Around the kitchen benches,
    Even the oven and grill,
    They are environmentally friendly,
    Handy for any kind of mess,
    MAXIMUM paper towels can handle anything,
    I’m forever impressed!

  91. Cathy Krostek says

    This is hysterical and useful, and you made a believer of me. With 3 dogs, a full-time job, a house to take care of and going back and forth every few days to visit my husband in a nursing home, I have no free time. I use tons of paper towels but never heard of Maxima before readin your article. I liked the Facebook page and will be buying them online!

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