h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

We have had the over or under toilet paper conundrum (A972290).

But I am curious as to whether there is a conspiracy by toilet paper manufacturers.

h2g2 has had the over or under conundrum. Here in the UK, toilet paper is around 125mm X 105mm.

Now I am curious as to whether anyone actually uses a single sheet of paper. For any purpose.

I use a minimum of 2 sheets, folded in two and folded again otherwise it disintegrates. And if used for blowing my nose, then a minimum of three are required.

I have noticed, in many public toilets, that they have double sized sheets.

So are the manufacturers conning us? Should the sheets be twice as large?

Does anyone actually use single sheets?

I'd really be interested to know, but not necessarily ALL the details.

MMF

Well how could anyone use just one sheet of bum fodder and do a proper job is a mystery.

Europe seems to be standard in size and design as all roll holders seem seem to be the same size.

In years past recycling newspaper must have been very uncomfortable and the rolls of tracing paper type loo roll who invented that the masochists society.

The worse trend now, I've noticed, in some hotels, is those individual 'sheet' pieces of toilet papper, in the pull them out of dispensor.... its impossible to get it out sensibably, so you always end up having to use about twice what you need, though I assume their logic, is to reduce usage

I don't believe perforation span is meant to suggest using single sheets. The shorter the perf span, the easier it is to use just as much as you want or need.

For instance, if you believe that two sheets is the minimum you would use, imagine if they only perforated at every other current perforation. Well, then if you just needed a bit more than normal, you'd have to use twice your normal length.

Paper towels are like this. Recently, some paper towels have three times as many perfs per roll as they once did. Various brands call this "select a size" or "choose a sheet".

It just gives the consumer more options.

What bothers me is that there is less and less on the roll! Used to be 70 meters, or even 100 on a super long roll. Now there's 50 m on a good roll, and sometimes less than 20 m on a bad one. And the size of the cardboard tube? Bigger and bigger, unless you look out. Sure, you can buy big bales of rolls, but you'll need a new roll every day if you're not single. Pah!

Ah, now that is a valid issue.

(A tissue issue?)


I do appreciate a new one I've seen advertised (but don't remember the brand or name) that leaves out the tube. It's such a waste.



I need to find a brand that makes cat-proof TP.

I recently bought a nice holder for the reserve rolls but I quickly had to cover up the front of it to prevent the rolls from becoming cotton balls.

Our brigade are far more intrested in destroying the population, they are currently under house arrest

I agree you generally need two sheets minimum for all toilet paper tasks (except dispatching daddy-long-legs, which I do with a single sheet).

But the perforations enable the user to fold two sheets exactly in half, or to match three sheets exactly together when more thickness is needed. So I don't think it's really a waste of perforations.

I need the cardboard inners for root trainers for my peas and beans!

Mol

Don't squish the daddy-long-legses and spidurs!...

I need to get one of these.

http://youtu.be/x2m1befNGIY

It is interesting that a certain Branded Coffee house uses paper that is insert-less but, from my experience, it is almost impossible to put the connector through the centre as the paper is so tightly rolled.

The worst dispensers are the loose paper dispensers as the 'filler' crams as much in as possible, especially on a Friday (as I guess they don't work weekends) so as a sheet is withdrawn, a great wad follows, so negating the cunning plan of the filler for the supply to last until the following week.

Also economy lavatory paper is next to useless as a minimum of four sheets are needed to be functional, even though it may be two-ply. It is, to all intents and purposes, loosely packed paper pulp. I have found they are a false economy.

Also the big commercial rolls that pull from the dispenser through a tiny hole, to be torn on the perforations,often right at the edge of the hole. This means hunting for a tiny shred of paper to gently coax the paper out so that a usable amount can be obtained. A Swiss army knife, or paper clip is useful in these circumstances. Once the paper is extracted it is almost useless as the paper comes out twisted, and invariably needs to be unrolled to use it.

The equivalent hand towels are even worse.

Has no-one troy thought about these things to create the ideal dispenser to be both economical and ecologically sound? Surely it cannot be that difficult?

MMF

The endless, non-perforated paper is just as bad - you know, those Swedish ones in a round dispenser with a hole at the bottom with teeth where you can tear off as much as you want. The teeth don't tear! So I end up pulling out more than I need, then tearing it manually at the point I want.

This sort of thing:

http://www.staples.com/Georgia-Pacific-Sofpull-Center-Pull-Paper-Towel-Dispenser-2-Rolls-of-Towels-Included-/product_782781


And in case anyone is not familiar with the classic Simon's cat in the bathroom:

http://youtu.be/ApN73TUVMEU

What bugs me is the people who fill the big dispensers but don't loosen off the stuck down first sheet before they do. You can sit there for quite a while turning the roll round and round in the dispenser, searching with your fingers for the join in a limited space.

Deb

There are some which roll o freely that far too much comes out & others that you have to pull so hard that you only get small pieces torn off.
At work we suffer with too much stacked in a dispenser, so there's often a big wodge on the floor underneath.

Can't say I'm too bothered where the perforations are. I fold two sheets into 3 layers. Depends how thick/soft it is.

The only solution, seems, that we, as the populus, need to stand up, and take back control of our ablutions, and scatter the toilet papper hold apon our lives, and we the populus shoudl rise up, as one, and.... I dunno... use something instead of toilet roll... hmm.... I've not thought this through...

Three shells?

http://youtu.be/gdnuOa7tDco

Roman bog roll a bit of sponge on a stick dipped in vinager, keep rincing as often as required.