There is always a fear surrounding the attention threshold on hands cleansing habits. It is quite easy to clean our hands when you are at your house; however, it is equally difficult to do the same while you are traveling outside or at your office, school or other public areas. In 1931, Arthur Scott first introduced the paper towel for the kitchen and then he made perforated rolls of towels which were eighteen inches long and thirteen inches wide. This was how paper towel was evolved.

Much earlier, the dominant substitute for paper towel was sand papers which were mainly made of recycled paper. The decoration was limited to a few standard patterns and the presentation or the shelf appearance of the stack was simple. Later on, with the passage of time it is the tissue industry that helped to make paper or tissue towel gain popularity. These towels are stacked inside a container called dispenser and is conveniently placed close to washbasins in any public services. Paper towel provides a higher safety level of contamination when compared to hot air dryers. This is one of the primary reasons for the growth of the paper towel.

How is paper towels made?

Paper towels are made in the same process as recycled papers are made. During the process, the paper bales are placed on a conveyor belt and are then carried into a large tank full of water and chemicals. The paper is then soaked into container, cut into small pieces and heated so that the paper turns back to pulp. The pulp contains plant fibre and water from which paper was originally made. The pulp is then checked through a series of screens for any impurities like plastic bits or glue.

Post screening, the pulp is cleaned in centrifugal cleaner. The pulps are spun rapidly to make the material denser than paper fibres. This technique helps to remove debris to allow it through the hole in screening processes like staples.

The next step is deinking where the small particles of ink are washed away and the larger ink particulars are rinsed away with the floating process. In this process, the paper pulp is placed a larger container, forcing hydrogen through the pulp. This process helps to loosen the ink particles.

Finally, the pulp is refined once they are free from ink. However, the process of refining continues until kneading the pulp makes the fibre swell. The paper towel is ready after the refinement process is completed.

To make them appear brighter, bleach is added during the production process. The towels are individually packed and sold as stacks or are held on a continuous roll. There are different shapes and patterns imprinted on the paper towel to maximize absorption. However, to make them look attractive these towels are sometimes intricate with coloured images imprinted on them. Coloured paper towel is gradually gaining popularity and are used in two distinct sectors- institution and domestic.

Uses of paper towel:

Following are the primary uses of paper towel:

The paper towel is used for-

Wiping the hands to make it dry

Wiping baby’s bottom

Cleaning and wiping spills

Cleaning kitchen countertops

As a facial tissue

To effectively clean glass countertops

To easily wipe oil and grime

To wipe furniture dust

Wrapping dry food items like bakery products

As a coaster for chilled drinks, as paper towel absorbs moisture dripping from the sides of the glass

People suffering from cough and cold can use paper towel without the fear of any germs and bacteria, as they are disposable.

To hold paper towel, paper towel dispenser is more functional. Instead of the paper towel roll rolling in, with towel dispenser you can easily grab a paper towel with a flick of your wrist. In recent years, touch free dispenser have become more popular throughout the world. It has numerous advantages over the normal towel dispenser.

Automatic dispensers have motion sensor installed on them which automatically dispenses paper towels whenever a signal is detected within the range. This encourages a hygienic environment in the service area as you would not be required to physically touch anything. As you simply are not aware of how many other individuals have touched the same lever and the germs have transferred to your hands. In addition, it can minimize waste which is common with the regular folded towel.

The automatic dispenser can encourage a more Eco-friendly environment as these devices provide the exact amount of paper towels required to dry your hands. Most importantly, most of these devices are not available with batteries; therefore, you need to purchase them separately. What makes automatic dispenser popular is the ability to easily install them anywhere including your kitchen, office washroom, and garage or even in your house bathroom.