It has been scientifically proven* that there is no hygiene value in using a reusable textile cloth or sponge. Damp cloths or sponges provide the perfect breeding ground for bacterial cells, so wiping or drying a surface or utensil with such alternatives can only encourage contamination. Similarly, use of a textile cloth to wipe or dry food encourages the proliferation of germs already present in the food itself, notably salmonella. Single-use paper towels are the only means of reducing the risk of contamination.
Georgia-Pacific offers consumers a wide range of super absorbent paper towels for household use through its brands across Europe: Okay® avec Coussinets Absorbents in France and Belgium; Lotus® Vochtvangers in the Netherlands, Colhogar® con Círculos SuperAbsortentes in Spain and Portugal, Thirst Pockets® in the UK, Inversoft® Eco-Kind in Ireland, Lotus® Emilia in Finland. Similarly, Lotus Professional® offers a wide range of single use wipes for use in industrial kitchens and canteens where cross-contamination can occur through food borne bacteria. Dine-a-Wipe® cloths for example have a high absorption capacity and are colour-coded, enabling kitchen staff to reduce the risk of cross-contamination by allocating different coloured wipes to different areas. The Reflex® Wiper sheet-by-sheet system is another practical wiping solution that is popular not only for kitchens and canteens but also in school classrooms and other high-traffic areas. The system consists of an enclosed dispenser, protecting the tissue from damage and dirt and the sheet-by-sheet feature means that users only touch the sheet taken.
* Scientific analyses