A Week Without Toilet Paper
You might remember a post I did a while back about The Family Cloth, well I finally gathered my courage and gave it a try. Yes people, I went this whole past week without using toilet paper… well, almost completely.
Okay, before you turn your nose up at the idea, hear me out.
When I first read about this notion of using cloth wipes instead of toilet paper, I thought that was pretty hard core frugal! Though intrigued by the idea, I wasn’t sure if it would be for me.
You know me though, I’m down for trying anything once! So, I rounded up all of my baby wash cloths and set them in a basket on the bathroom sink. The idea was for just us girls to use these cloths, and only for wiping after a “tinkle”. I showed Jada the basket of cloths and told her what they were for. I also set a trash can beside the toilet just for these cloths to go in once they had been used.
It wasn’t nearly as bad as I had imagined! Wiping with a soft cloth was actually much nicer than a wad of linty toilet paper! And now that I’ve tried it, I really don’t understand how it came to be such a taboo.
Since the cloths are quite absorbent, you really only need to use one per “visit”. And it’s not like you soak the whole rag, remember, you are only wiping a drop or two. The cloth hardly gets wet at all.
I was afraid my bathroom was going to stink like urine like my cloth diaper pail does, but since the cloths are barely wet at all after use, they dry out quickly and cause no scent at all!
And washing them is really no big deal. Like I said, it’s not like they are dripping wet, actually quite the opposite. And if the idea of washing cloths that you have wiped with grosses you out, think of it this way: it’s no different than the washcloth you use to clean yourself with in the shower!
So, after seeing how easy this is to do I really don’t see any reason to stop! I wish I knew how much toilet paper we use in a week so I could give you the cost savings, but I’m sure you can imagine. Toilet paper is expensive! This is a great way to save some money, and honestly, it’s not bad at all!
Willing to give it a shot as well? I promise, once you try it you’ll wonder why you never did this before! Now I just need to make more wipes 
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I’m totally up for this…except my hubby said that it grossed him out too much!
I read a blog about a small family that uses only clothes and has one roll of tp for guests and I was amazed at the savings!
It really is brilliant. She even said that they used them for #2 and it didn’t stink up the bathroom as they washed them everyother day.
With my kids I think I might be afraid of them accidentally or “accidentally” =) throwing them in the toilet and clogging it up. I bet the baby wash clothes you are using will help if that ever happens as they are smaller and thinner than normal wash clothes!
Maybe one day I’ll just go ahead and set up the system for me and the kids…those kids go through toilet paper like candy…maybe I should ask them if they are eating it! j/k! =)
Give us an update someday!
it does sound interesting, not sure if I am that brave yet, but surely you wouldn’t use them during ‘that time of the month’?
when you put it the way you do, it sounds completely logical, but no one at my house would go for it, but cost savings you better belive, toilet paper is expensive, and we do use alot. the septic tank would be relived of all that “wasteful paper”, pun intended or not!
Kendra,
I’ve been wanting to try this for some time now, and I just haven’t done it yet!
I have a stack of old t-shirts that should work perfect for this purpose, that I just need to cut up and put in a basket.
Thanks for the encouragement, I think I’ll try and start this this week!
Hannah
I started doing this after I read about it on your blog:) I figured, I already use cloth wipes with the kids, why not me and my husband? My husband still doesn’t care for it, he uses toilet paper, but since he’s at work most of the time we only buy toilet paper about once a month. That’s some MAJOR savings at our house. I definetly prefer the wipes to toilet paper. I just wash them like I do cloth diapers:) Glad you gave it a try!
intriquing!! i use cloth diapers and as for shannon’s comment- i use homemade cloth pads too so why not? i can’t get the rest of the family psyched tho! ~smile~
btw- i LOVE your blog. i’ve been following it for awhile now
I have done this in the past. Cloth wipes are much more sanitary than the same pair of undies touching the same area for 24 hours!
My family has put up with a lot of my frugal experiments, but I am certain this one would not fly! But cloth pads have been on my “to do” list.
Stephanie-
You’d be surprised how much you’d save even if only YOU use the cloths! Maybe once they saw you doing it and realized that it really isn’t gross at all, they’d join you
I use cut up heavy t-shirts from the thrift store. The used ones go into a little trash can with a swing lid. No smell! I even use them for #2. However, I do use TP when I have my period… too messy otherwise.
Hubby doesn’t participate. Of course, boys don’t need paper for #1, and that’s what I do all day long! He likes the really expensive, super soft, aloe covered paper.
Once you realize that this is much less ick than washing diapers, adding the used cloths to a regular wash load is no big deal.
Hi Kendra -
Great idea! We go to the grocery store rarely, but the motivating factor to go is usually TP. I’m game for this. My question is though do you wash them in a separate load? I suppose so, but it seems like it would be a very small load of laundry. The kids have outgrown diapers (thankfully!) otherwise I’d just throw them in with the every other day cloth diapers. I’m going to pull out those “baby wipes” baby wash clothes and put them to good use again.
Thanks for your ideas! Melissa
Hey Melissa!
If you aren’t cloth diapering, then I’d suggest simply throwing these in with your other wash cloths, and washing in HOT water.
I am doing this in my house and it has cut back our tp usage alot just by me switching. I use gladrags and I love them for that time of the month. I use the cloth anytime in the restroom. You can wash the cloth in a lingerie bag and this helps to keep the cloths organized when going through the washer and dryer.
I’m just not sure I could do that. I do use the Diva cup, so I guess it can’t be grosser than that. Something to think about, thanks for sharing.
How much do you really save when you take into account the cost of laundry compared to toilet paper?
Sharp Shepherd-
Actually, it hasn’t increased my laundry expenses at all. I just throw the wipes in with my load of cloth diapers, the same size load I’ve always done. The tiny wipes really don’t add up to much of an addition to the load. So, there is no additional washing cost for me.
I’ve lived in Asia for some time and for me the most frugal (and, I believe, most sanitary) way to save on ANY paper/cloth in the toilet is to copy the natives and WASH yourself clean.
I have a long hose on my showerhead which allows me to direct the water flow to my nether regions.
I am quite repulsed by the idea of those people who use paper to SMEAR themselves. Admit it… no matter how many times you wipe with paper you cannot remove all traces of waste. Not convinced by the idea? Then think… Don’t you wash yourself “down there” when you bathe or shower? Same idea, except that you clean yourself more often.
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