Editing Paper towel (section)

{{Short description|Absorbent towel made from paper}}
{{unreliable sources|date=February 2017}}
[[File:Paper towel.jpg|thumb|A roll of paper towels (kitchen roll)]]

A '''paper towel''' is an absorbent, disposable [[towel]] made from paper.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/paper-towel |title=PAPER TOWEL &#124; meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary |publisher=Dictionary.cambridge.org |date=2022-05-25 |accessdate=2022-05-31}}</ref> In Commonwealth English, paper towels for kitchen use are also known as '''kitchen rolls''', '''kitchen paper''', or '''kitchen towels'''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/kitchen-roll?q=kitchen-towel |title=KITCHEN ROLL &#124; meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary |publisher=Dictionary.cambridge.org |date=2022-05-25 |accessdate=2022-05-31}}</ref> For home use, paper towels are usually sold in a roll of [[Perforation|perforated]] sheets, but some are sold in stacks of pre-cut and pre-folded layers for use in [[paper-towel dispenser]]s. Unlike cloth towels, paper towels are [[disposable]] and intended to be used only once. Paper towels absorb water because they are loosely woven, which enables water to travel between the fibers, even against gravity ([[capillary effect]]). They have similar purposes to conventional towels, such as drying hands, wiping windows and other surfaces, dusting, and cleaning up spills. Paper towel dispensers are commonly used in toilet facilities shared by many people (such as at schools or shopping malls), as they are often considered more hygienic than hot-air [[Hand dryer#Hygiene|hand dryers]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhs.uk/news/lifestyle-and-exercise/paper-towels-may-be-more-hygienic-than-air-dryers/ |title=Paper towels may be more hygienic than air dryers - NHS |website=NHS|date= June 2013 |access-date= 14 January 2019}}</ref> or shared cloth towels.