Toilet Paper, the Good the Bad, the Ugly

The Importance of Being Toilet Paper

Susan Antonelli, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Sep 14, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

Toilet paper is not just a modern convenience. There are different brands with different consistencies, nuances of texture, thickness & pliability. One certainly can be a toilet paper maven and I'm certain many of us have very definite opinions about the brand that suits them best. In some cultures they have no toilet paper. That's where the use of only the right hand to shake hands comes from, you can guess what the left hand is used for. Yes, it's true, disgusting but true. Not much toilet paper in the deserts. Not many trees.

A little look into the history of toilet paper and you find that Scott tissue was produced by Irvin and Clarence Scott in 1879. It certainly revolutionized bathroom clean up. We've all heard of the newspaper used as wipes, I wonder what made this clever pair think up something soft and smooth.

When you purchase toilet paper it's not always about what's on sale. For those of us who have septic systems it's extremely important to buy septic safe toilet paper. Scott Tissue (they don't call it toilet paper on the wrapper) is our brand of choice. We have had a number of really awful experiences with other brands causing plugged up toilets. It's always too late when you realize a particular brand of tissue (toilet paper) is all wrong for your system. We've had flooding that soaked the carpeting in the adjoining bedroom, more than once. Part of the problem was the paper and part of the problem was the amount of paper. My Mom was a real offender when it came to overuse. Granted, nowhere on most toilet paper packages did it advise the amount of sheets to use but she would use scads. I've learned it does advise a cut off amount on some brands. We finally had to make a deal with her, she had to discard her used paper in a bag we'd keep near the toilet. Not terrific idea but cheaper and less disgusting than doing a mop up or calling the plumber. Then we switched to Scott and tiled her floor as well, just in case. Luckily the Scott paper did the trick , no more floods

On site the Scott people suggest you call Roto Rooter for any clog problems. They suggest avoiding any diapers, wipes, floss or swabs in the toilet. Also, keep the holes under the toilet clear of mineral deposits to avoid problems.One should also avoid leaving small things sitting on the tank. They could fall into the toilet too easily. I was once shaking up a small aerosole can and lost it in the toilet just as the toilet was flushing. The Scott site offers a clog clinic! I doubt that would have helped with this problem.

Scott Tissue actually announces on it's wrapper that it is septic safe. It is one ply, that is 4.5 x 3.7 in and each roll as 115.2 square feet. A package of 10 rolls , the large family size, is 2304 square feet or 5 packages of of four rolls each (20 rolls) with 1,000 sheets per roll. Ours was a Limited Time Value Pack offered at Costco. It's unscented. Yes, some paper is scented. Some toilet paper is triple or double ply. Scott tissue comes in 4,6,9,12,16,20 and 30 roll packs.

The single ply rapid dissolve Scott tissue is perfect for RV's and boats. It will take the fear out of flushing since it breaks up four times faster than other brands. You also get five more sheets per roll. Every little bit counts.

Cottonelle is another sewer & septic safe brand. It offers graphics "Show me where to tear" pictures. That's a great thing for children to guide them in how much to toilet paper they should use. We should have gotten that for my Mother but I only just discovered this piece of information. You can get Cottonelle in double ply or triple , with Aloe and E and with ripples. It's made of virgin wood fibers as opposed to recyclable fibers. It comes in 4, 6,12, 18 20, and 24 roll packages.

Both these brands are highly recommended to avoid those awful moments when your child or guest comes running out of the bathroom yelling that the toilet is overflowing.

Published by Susan Antonelli

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