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Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

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61–70 of 106 posts

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#61
post #6

"The question is, if toilet paper becomes a luxury item, can Americans live without it?" The article itself appears to be part of the marketing machine. I don't at all consider toilet paper a luxury, in fact using water seems far more satisfactory and hygienic. Japanese style washlets and european bidets are the luxury, um, end, of the market. If anything, plain toilet paper is set to be discarded as a rather unhygie…

I keep a lotion bottle next to my toilet. Not only is lotion cheap, it's lubricating as it cleans, so it helps make the next wipe cleaner than just using a wet wipe! Lotion ftw. I visited Japan, they had so many awesome toilets, I had to take videos and photos of all the crazy versions and options in restaurants, public, at home etc... they are awesome. Also, the standard toilet conserves water by adding a small hand…

The problem with the sink in the top is that the soap encourages algal growth in the tank. It's the same reason you shouldn't use grey water to flush.

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can wash your hands with a nice antibacterial soap. It's easy and very clean.

Isn't every soap antibacterial?

No most are just detergents that make the dirt loose and then you wash it off using water. Anti-bacterial soap kills the bacteria before you wash them off using water.

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#63
post #6

"The question is, if toilet paper becomes a luxury item, can Americans live without it?" The article itself appears to be part of the marketing machine. I don't at all consider toilet paper a luxury, in fact using water seems far more satisfactory and hygienic. Japanese style washlets and european bidets are the luxury, um, end, of the market. If anything, plain toilet paper is set to be discarded as a rather unhygie…

Doesn't anyone know how to use the three seashells?

(Somewhat disappointingly) there is now an explanation for this:

https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/6688/how-did-the-t...

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#64
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A0RHSJO/ref=oh_aui_deta... $35 and you can install it in about 5 minutes flat. It's terrific, can't go back to TP ever.

The water that comes out of my tap is about 43*F right now so no thanks....

The butthole is surprisingly temperature tolerant. Can't speak for the female anatomy in this regard, however.

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#65
post #56
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are flushable wipes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N288ZXE/

I see you have never lived outside the city. Those will ruin any septic system in a hurry. Not great for city sewage. Where do yiu think wipes go when you flush them? Away? Someone has to deal with it eventually.

You're absolutely right, but the marketing for these is misleading. Many people think it's okay since they're advertised as being flushable.

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#66
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But when you use water - don’t you get your hands dirty? At least with paper you have paper to do all the work instead of your fingers?

You can wash your hands with a nice antibacterial soap. It's easy and very clean.

It's also bad for you and the environment, and completely unnecessary.

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#67
post #17
post #3

Something I find quite strange is how South American countries pervasively discourage people from flushing used toilet paper (instead preferring to have a little wastebasket to collect it and later throw it away in the trash). The usual account of the reason for this is that the plumbing can't handle it -- which you also hear about some old buildings in the U.S. OK, but this norm persists even in buildings that were…

Actually, this is the case in some Asian countries as well including parts of Japan and Indonesia.

Here in Japan, I've never been to a place where you don't flush your toilet paper. In fact, they sometimes run into the opposite problem, with tourists not knowing you're supposed to flush the paper (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/08/26/national/kyoto-...). Part of this might be because you're not supposed to flush sanitary napkins or anything but toilet paper, so there's often a bin next to the toilets for disposing of those, which I could see as confusing to someone who comes from a culture where you don't flush toilet paper.

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I keep a lotion bottle next to my toilet. Not only is lotion cheap, it's lubricating as it cleans, so it helps make the next wipe cleaner than just using a wet wipe! Lotion ftw. I visited Japan, they had so many awesome toilets, I had to take videos and photos of all the crazy versions and options in restaurants, public, at home etc... they are awesome. Also, the standard toilet conserves water by adding a small hand…

The problem with the sink in the top is that the soap encourages algal growth in the tank. It's the same reason you shouldn't use grey water to flush.

That's interesting, but doesn't algae need light to grow? The tanks are solid porcelain. Even our fish tank, if not near a window won't grow algae, move it near a window and 2 days later it's turning green.

Also, I looked in the tank, and it was spotless. I think any concerns of growth of anything in the tank are far outweighed by the water savings. I'd guess millions of gallons a year across Japan with just this one feature.

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#69
post #6

"The question is, if toilet paper becomes a luxury item, can Americans live without it?" The article itself appears to be part of the marketing machine. I don't at all consider toilet paper a luxury, in fact using water seems far more satisfactory and hygienic. Japanese style washlets and european bidets are the luxury, um, end, of the market. If anything, plain toilet paper is set to be discarded as a rather unhygie…

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A0RHSJO/ref=oh_aui_deta... $35 and you can install it in about 5 minutes flat. It's terrific, can't go back to TP ever.

This. Cheap, easy, and more thorough. In retrospect, scraping off with dry paper seems silly...

Re: Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe (2009)

#70
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are flushable versions. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Huggies-Pull-Ups-Big-Kid-Flushabl...

They sure do say that. Don't believe them.

Its like flushable golf balls, anyone can write flushable on some packaging and sell it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgHVO-RZ8c4

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