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For a period of time during the COVID-19 pandemic, stores all over the US experienced shortages in toilet paper, among other essential items. During these times, residents in some towns and cities had to get creative in finding alternative sanitary products. As toilet paper began to pop back up on shelves, stores got smart with their supply — in many stores, customers were limited to a certain number of toilet paper products with each shopping trip. Today, things are slowly getting back to normal.
Since the pandemic, and after experimenting with their options, people are beginning to wonder whether there are better ways to sanitize. While some are passing by the toilet paper aisle in favor of more effective products, others are seeking alternatives in order to reduce their ecological footprint and reduce their need for emergency plumbing services in Loveland.
Are you curious about your toilet paper alternatives? Check out this complete list of the best items you can use before you flush. Keep in mind, some of these options aren’t flushable, and doing so could result in a call to your Loveland plumbing professionals.
Baby Wipes
Do you have sensitive skin? If so, toilet paper might end up leaving you feeling irritated. Additionally, some brands of toilet paper leave lint behind, which can be particularly annoying. In this case, baby wipes are a great alternative that leaves you feeling much cleaner than conventional toilet paper. Baby wipes are best for sensitive skin, but there are also brands of wet wipes available that work just as well.
Be cautious while selecting the kind of wipe you use, however. In every case, the wipes you buy should be skin safe. Do not use disinfectant wipes or cleaning wipes that contain bleach or ammonia. Additionally, it’s important to discern whether the wipes you use can be flushed. Most baby wipes cannot be flushed. Doing so can clog your toilet, or worse, leave some complicated repair work for your Loveland excavating contractors. Some brands sell wipes and can be flushed. However, recent reports have uncovered that many of these flushable wipes do not actually break apart in sewers, so it might be a good idea to toss them in the trash instead.
Bidet
A bidet is a receptacle that you can use to rinse yourself after using the toilet. When people typically think of bidets, they imagine the traditional standalone bidet that functions apart from your toilet. There’s no harm in installing one in your bathroom, as long as you have the space to do so. Ideally, you should have enough room to install a bidet right beside your toilet. These days, however, installing a standalone bidet is more of a stylistic statement than a practical one, since they aren’t the easiest or cheapest to install.
Thankfully, there are now plenty of bidet nozzles on the market that you can fit right onto your toilet seat that cost under $200. Not only are they cheaper and easier to install, but they’re discreet, and you can buy them in different styles and colors. They work just as well as standalone bidets and bidet-toilet combos to get you feeling fresh and clean! Bidets don’t come with automatic dryers (yet). So once you’re done using one, you’ll probably want to keep a towel or cloth nearby to dry yourself — and maybe the toilet — off.
Did you know that portable bidets are also available? If you have a bidet at home and would like one to bring on your travels, you can purchase a bidet bottle. All you have to do is fill it with clean water, aim the nozzle, and apply pressure to squirt the bottle while over the toilet. This could be a great option if you’re environmentally conscious and wish to reduce your toilet paper use wherever you are.
Family Cloths
Known alternatively as reusable cloths, family cloths are rolls or squares of fabric toilet paper that you can wash and reuse. They are much thicker than conventional one-use toilet paper so in most cases, you’d only have to use one or two squares, compared to the four or five that most people use.
Washing these cloths thoroughly is a crucial part of their reuse, however, as there have been reports that family cloths can transmit infections between family members without proper sanitization. If you plan on saving money and paper by going the family cloth route, you’ll need to make sure to wash them separately from your other textiles with a decent amount of detergent. After washing, you must dry your cloths on a hot setting to eliminate any pathogens or bacteria that might remain. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling used family cloths.
Tissue Paper
In a pinch, a box of tissues or even a stack of napkins will do the trick if you don’t have any toilet paper on hand. This won’t guarantee you the most effective cleaning experience, or a comfortable one, for that matter. Toilet paper is lighter and softer than toilet paper because it is meant to cause your face as little irritation as possible — it could tear and break apart while you’re using it. Napkins are made to be more durable since they’re for wiping food off your hands. A napkin might do a better job than tissue, but it will most definitely cause irritation. If you choose to use one or the other, keep in mind that both should be disposed of in the trash, and not flushed down your toilet.
Looking to experiment? Try a few of these options and see what works best for you! Many people still buy toilet paper and use it in combination with these alternatives, which can also reduce your use and save you money in the long run.
Have any more bathroom or home maintenance questions? From plumbing to water heater replacement, your local Loveland plumbing services have you covered.