Are you still using expensive, wasteful toilet paper? Technically, toilet paper is literally purchased and flushed down the toilet. No matter how expensive, fancy, or unique a certain type of toilet paper is, it’s all destined for the same fate.
There are many reasons to dislike toilet paper – it’s expensive, wasteful, and not as efficient as wet wipes or a bidet. Just the environmental impact alone is enough to make some people turn to DIY reusable toilet tissue.
On average, a family of four will save roughly 540 pounds of wood per year by switching to a bidet. That would make a significant impact when everyone participates. However, most people aren’t willing to give up their disposable toilet paper.
Making your own toilet paper isn’t as weird as it sounds
At first, making your own toilet paper sounds like something for crazy people. Who would want to reuse something that has already been used for that? Washed or not, it doesn’t sound appealing. However, it’s not actually that gross. When you know how to wash it and you use a bidet first, your reusable toilet paper will be easy to clean.
Still not convinced? Consider these benefits.
- Combined with a bidet, homemade toilet paper creates better hygiene habits
If more people stopped using paper toilet paper it would support the environment. However, protecting the environment isn’t the only reason to make your own toilet paper. It’s also a great companion to a lesser-known hygienic bathroom fixture called a bidet.
A bidet lets you shoot a stream of water at your bottom after using the toilet. Using water to wash with is much cleaner than using dry toilet paper. Water will leave you clean, while toilet paper just smears everything around.
Even when using a bidet, you might still want to use a little bit of homemade cloth toilet paper, but the experience will be much cleaner. When you’re already clean, using cloth TP won’t be as messy.
- If you have a septic system, you won’t waste room in your tank
When you have a septic system, you’ll want to maintain as much space in your tank as possible so you don’t need to pump it as often. The best way to do this is by not flushing any toilet paper down the toilet.
Not flushing toilet paper means you’ll end up throwing bags of toilet paper into the trash. After a few weeks of this, you’ll realize just how wasteful paper TP is and you’ll probably want to try using cloth toilet paper.
With cloth toilet paper, you’ll save room in your septic tank and you’ll save the environment at the same time.
- You’ll save money, time, and gas
How many times have you rushed to the store in the middle of the night because you ran out of toilet paper? How much gas do you waste going on TP runs? How many more long lines are you willing to stand in just to get your TP?
When you make your own toilet paper, you’ll learn how to conserve and ensure you wash it all on a regular cycle.
When you use homemade toilet paper, you won’t be blasting through your paper toilet paper, which means you’ll have backup TP on hand in case you do run out.
- You’ll be ready for the next TP shortage
If the world experiences another toilet paper shortage for any reason, including panic buying, you’ll be set. You’ll even be okay if the whole world runs out of toilet paper and it’s never to be seen again.
Once you start using your own homemade toilet paper, you’ll have no problem using TP substitutes like shop towels. Anything that will be remotely functional as toilet paper will be fair game for you. Other people won’t know what to do and will probably just take a full shower.
- Cloth DIY toilet paper is better than other alternatives
There are plenty of toilet paper alternatives, but the important question is whether or not you want to use them. Can you see yourself wiping with newspaper, a corncob, or leaves? If not, at least make some reusable cloth TP for an emergency backup stash.
You really can DIY anything
Did you ever think DIY toilet paper was possible? Now you know you can make just about anything. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you can always give it a try in desperate times.