Plastic Table Cloth: Disposable or Reusable?
By Shavkat
@Shavkat (137189)
Philippines
September 3, 2012 7:18pm CST
It was really a hot day today. The weather is like a summer season in China. In summer of 2006, my co-workers and I planned to spend our weekend in a close beach area in Guangdong China. We did not go for swimming per se, but to taste and eat sea foods delicacy in the resort. I’ve noticed that the tables are covered with printed table cloth, it adds to our appetite. The sea foods were really a mania: the shrimps, oysters, lobsters, etc. In addition, dipping into the hot chili oil create the drooling of heat madness. That’s a terrific moment! Before setting off, we settled the bill and waited for a few minutes to let our food be digested. The waitress came back with our change, she started to clean up the table cloth. She lifted up the cloth from the round table, then she suddenly dunk shot it to the trash. Oh boy! I was thinking she can just wipe and clean the cloth with a bus rag. The plastic table cloth is still a perfect conditions, no wear and tear can be seen. Besides, is it really a one time usage? I think it is justifiable to dispose the plastic table cloth all day long use. Then we step off from the place and decided to go around the beach, while we continue talking about it. Since the issue is being an environment-friendly discussion.
1 person likes this
16 responses
@habibti320 (925)
• United States
11 Nov 12
Reusable table cloths are better on most levels. Of course, it is more economical since you will buy one instead of many.
Second, it is cleaner since they are easier to clean than reusable ones which bunch up and tear when you scrub them.
Which brings me to the most important: reusable are better quality to eat on. They don't stick to your skin, bunch up, or fly away on a windy day. They create a nicer atmosphere. If you can't get a reusable tablecloth, I'd much rather use none at all!
@asliah (11137)
• Philippines
8 Nov 12
hi,
for me i think plastic table cloth is a disposable because plastic is easily to ruin and of course it cant be use it anymore,even at home we had plastic table cloth once but when the part of that teared and we just throw it to the garbage because we cant use it anymore,or maybe it will depend upon the quality of the plastic clothe.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
7 Sep 12
that is a complete waste and is destroying the environment. Plastic table cloths are made to be wipe clean and used over and over again that is what we do here in Canada.
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
6 Sep 12
Hello my friend Shavkat Ji,
Well, use of plasic should be banned globely. It is a harmful products. People are very much addicted to use them.
May God bless You and have a great time 
@asdomencil (4265)
• Philippines
5 Sep 12
I think, they just put it in trash bag and will be recovered in the kitchen area to wash and clean and can be used after cleaning. Maybe they just don't want to have mess on the tables that are being used. Having clean table cloth will really have a great impact on customers.
Perhaps, you might have the courage to ask the waiter if they are used the table cloth again or just put it directly in trash.
@r3jcorp (1382)
• Philippines
5 Sep 12
The restaurant is not helping out in our environment issues nowadays, specially that you told us that it is made of plastic. If there is no other ways but to use a thing made of plastic, we should make the most of it. The more number of times that we used it, the better... recycling too should be encourage. I do hope that someone with authority would get their attention regarding this.
For me, I would rather use a real table cloth, made from fabrics so we could just laundry it when it could get soiled. Or put a glass at the top of the table, it would be easier to clean and would be more durable.
@sylvia13 (1850)
• Nelson Bay, Australia
4 Sep 12
I can imagine a private person could use those plastic tablecloths at home, but I guess it would be more difficult for a restaurant to do that, as it would not be too hygienic. The feeling of sitting to a clean tablecloth is also different to sitting to one that has stains from the last customer.
@lynboobsy11 (11343)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
You may never knew the reason she's doing that I hope you did care to ask for.
Maybe you thought it was a trash but it can be also for re washing bin, since
eating seafood dish is a stink. Did you saw that she replaced it with another one. Maybe
its their way of sanitazing to wash rather wipe it.
@angelkarah050182 (4980)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
Oh, I hope they'll reuse it some more. We have to minimize the use of plastic. They aren't good to our environment. I still prefer reusable table cloths than disposable ones. Thanks for sharing. Happy mylotting.
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
Wow, what a waste of money if they are using a one time use plastic cloth.
I agree that it can last for a day- but a waste to use it one time.
Oh, is this how people waste money instead of saving?
too bad...
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
Well, if it is a plastic table cloth, one can certainly reuse it.
Actually, ours in the house are like that. We have at least 4 of them. When it is already soiled, i soak in a a fabric conditioner and have it dried. It can be reused again after that.
@mrswhitfield (2044)
• Indonesia
4 Sep 12
wow what a experience you had, the seafoods and the tablecloths as well. I am with you that they can still use the cloth table if it still in good condition. Changing and throw the cloth table every time new customer come sitting, order and eating is really extravagant. I can not imagine how many tablecloths are still worth taking they have wasted. Since the tablecloth is made of easy to clean plastic they should be able to use it for some time before deciding to discard it.
@OpinionatedLady (5966)
• United States
4 Sep 12
One would think int wouldn't just be eco friendly to wash the plastic clothe but financially better as well they may not cost much but pennies add up.
@911Ricki (13588)
• Canada
4 Sep 12
Many places here have paper down thaat you can draw on, but sort of wasteful, and bad for the environment. I mean many would make a stink here if they saw that, many restuarents here dont use table cloths just wipe down the tables with a cloth and sanitizer. My friend use to work at a place that would wash their table clothes in the washer and reuse them.
