Coronavirus: 8 Toilet Paper Alternatives
With toilet paper shortages still troubling parts of the U.S., many people are getting creative. [...]
Bidet
First and foremost, the best replacement for toilet paper is a bidet. Bidets are water spouts installed inside the toilet, which shoot a pressurized jet upwards to clean much more thoroughly than toilet paper can. They are common in many countries outside of the U.S., and sales are on the rise here at home as well. Many can be installed easily, without the help of a plumber or other professional.
prevnextNapkins/Paper Towels
In a pinch, any napkin or paper towel can stand in for toilet paper if need be. This is likely the go-to option for anyone desperate in the coming weeks, as most people have a stash of fast food napkins lying around. The big drawback, of course is that these products cannot be flushed down the toilet, so you will need to throw them in the trash and, presumably, take the trash straight outside. Apparently, this is a common practice in parts of Europe already.
prevnextWipes
If you can plan ahead a bit, wipes are often a step up from toilet paper anyway. Whether you pick up flushable wipes for adults or find a stash of baby wipes somewhere, you can get a pretty comfortable clean from wet wipes. Again, check to see if these are flushable, and if not, take the trash out right away.
prevnextReusable Toilet Paper
Believe it or not, reuseable toilet paper is an option gaining a lot of traction as pandemic anxiety spreads around the country. As this YouTuber explains, toilet paper was not invented until 1857. Before that, many people simply used cloth and then washed it.
prevnextSocks
Most people have a few old mismatched socks sitting in the back of their drawer, waiting for the day you decide to throw them away. In the case of a toilet paper emergency, they can serve one final purpose before going into the trash and — once again — straight outside into the garbage can.
prevnextMake Rags
Old t-shirts, bed sheets, or any other soft cloth product can be cut into rags and used in place of toilet paper if need be. This is essentially a version of the "reuseable toilet paper" option listed above, without the dubious task of washing them. Hopefully after one use, your local store will have the real stuff back in stock.
prevnextMakeshift Bidet
Bidets are not as expensive as you might think, but for many they are still a little too expensive to consider right now. There are some ideas for alternatives out there — for example, bloggers The Thrifty Couple suggest a baby birthing squirt bottle. Take a look around at your options for creating and directing water pressure and you can probably figure it out.
prevnextFoliage
Finally, as all avid campers know, toilet paper alternatives literally grow on trees out in the woods. If you know how to avoid poison ivy and pricker bushes, you could always go out into nature to find what you need.
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