TikTok Warns Against Making One Big Mistake When Buying Paper Towels

Shopping for paper towels might seem like an easy task, but it can be quite tricky to navigate if you want to get the best deal. Not only do you have to consider how many sheets you get per roll, but you also have to weigh how quilted the sheets are, and how many times you can reliably use each sheet to calculate the true cost per use. But the investigative work doesn't end there. According to TikTok, you should also pinch the rolls before buying them to truly understand how many sheets you're buying. It might sound strange, but it's a great way to see if the packaging is making it appear like there are more paper towels on the roll than there actually are.

It might seem like an extra step while out grocery shopping, but you can save a lot of money if you do your due diligence. We all use paper towels for various tasks — whether that's to clean up a quick spill or DIY floor mop refills — and the more you can get, the less you will have to spend. Especially if you're not ready to cut back on paper towels. Here's why buying a brand without squishing the roll first is a big mistake.

According to TikTok, squishing a paper towel roll before putting it in your shopping cart will help you determine if you're getting more or fewer sheets per roll. Shoppers are visual as they peruse aisles, and plenty of people choose thicker rolls, thinking they're getting more paper towels with that pick. But if you pinch the roll — squishing it from the top to the tube — you will see if air pockets are ballooning the roll, making it appear bigger than it is. Some paper towels are rolled looser than others, making them appear bigger. But the squish test will show you how many layers of sheets are actually available.

While doing the squish test, many TikTok users commented that they prefer the Viva brand the most. They are highly absorbent, have a thicker quilt than competitors, and can be reused multiple times before they are thrown away. This gives you more bang for your buck, allowing you to stretch your paper towel use even further.