I used towels in the beginning, rinsed them out and then washed them. I know how my mother must have felt now using cloth diapers - though she probably had to use a wringer washing machine. The towels get old pretty fast, it takes a lot of work. I switched to pine shavings, but worried myself sick they were going to eat them... after a while they kind of lost interest in them and it worked out okay. I have heard some people say to use them and some say not to. It worked for me, but I waited until they were four or five weeks old.
Tia
Tia