Paper towel facts for kids

Paper towels, also known as kitchen paper, are a type of absorbent paper that is used to soak up liquids and dry surfaces. Unlike cloth towels, paper towels are designed to be used once and then thrown away, making them very convenient for cleaning up messes.

Paper towels are excellent at soaking up water because of how they are made. The paper fibers are loosely woven, which means there are tiny spaces between them. These spaces act like tiny tubes, allowing water to travel into the paper through a process called capillary action. This is the same way water moves up a plant's stem. Once the water is inside the paper, it sticks to the fibers due to adhesion, which is the attraction between different types of molecules.

Paper Towels and Hand Drying

In 2020, scientists from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom conducted an important experiment. They wanted to find out the best way to dry hands to remove viruses. The study was done in a hospital bathroom. The researchers found that people who dried their hands with paper towels removed more viruses than those who used jet air dryers. This suggests that paper towels can be a good choice for drying hands, especially in places where hygiene is very important, like hospitals.

Images for kids

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  A roll of paper towels (kitchen roll)

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  Early paper towels

See also

In Spanish: Papel absorbente para niños