Stop for a moment and think. How many rolls of paper towels do you think you go through in one week? Between spills, quick countertop wipe downs, and, especially if you have kids, a second round of spills, we'd bet your grocery store basket typically includes a 12-pack or two of paper towels on a regular basis.

What if there was a way to keep your kitchen clean without the waste and added weekly Costco expense? No, we're not asking you to spread bacteria around your kitchen surfaces with a sponge. Instead, consider adding microfiber cloths to your kitchen cleaning routine.

Believe it or not, microfiber cloths (48 pack, $15, amazon.com) are proven to be the best cleaning tool for most kitchen surfaces. Science backs it up. According to a study published by the EPA, microfiber cleaning cloths dampened with water can disinfect better than most conventional cleaning techniques. Microfiber mops moistened with only water removed 93 percent of viruses and up to 98 percent of bacteria from hospital floors in the study. Normal cotton mops with cleaners in the same setting only eliminated 23 percent of viruses and 30 percent of bacteria. Not only is that a disgustingly drastic difference, but in our book, if it's good enough for keeping a hospital cleaning, it's good enough for our kitchen counters.

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It's all in the structure of the cloth. As reported in the study, its tiny fibers split to create "microscopic hooks" which can claw away at dirt and grime while scraping up and holding onto dust. So, all you need to do is dampen the cloth and get to wiping. Let the cloth do the rest of the heavy lifting. Once your kitchen is clean, just rinse, hang dry, and throw the used microfiber towel into the laundry from time to time. If that doesn't revolutionize your cleaning routine and lighten the load in your grocery store basket, we're not sure what will.