In lieu of toilet paper - serious suggestion

[Pacifist Patriot]

If anyone is truly concerned about a lack of toilet paper coming down the road, here is something you can do to prepare.

* One plastic bin with a lid, roughly the size of a bathroom trash can
* Laundry detergent
* Wash cloths

Fill the plastic bin about 1/3 of the way with warm water made soapy with laundry detergent and place it near your commode.

Use the washcloth (dry is fine if you have soft washcloths, may want to dampen courser ones) and put it in the bin. When the bin is full, put it in your washing machine, add more detergent, run the cycle on hot water.

I used cloth diapers when my kids were babies, and this is how I was told to handle the soiled diapers (skipping the step of shaking the #2 diapers out in the toilet before putting them in the bin - I presume that will be unnecessary for people already using a toilet).

I think we'll all be okay, but there are alternatives to toilet paper that don't clog plumbing or startle the neighbors.

Be well!

[MFM008]

1. I was planning

On using my brothers shirts for toilet paper...

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. Ha ha! In all sincerity, men's white t-shirts are great for this type of clean up.

I used to cut up my husband's old t-shirts to use as baby wipes when I used the cloth diapers.

[MissMillie]

32. lone socks too, I would imagine

We keep them around the house for dusting anyway.

[Delmette2.0]

47. Old pillowcases and sheets.

I'm very sure if things get that limited, my son will keep his old t-shirts for his own use.

[Kaleva]

2. The toilet mounted bidets i got are working very well and have greatly cut down TP use.

I usually have anywhere from 36 to 48 mega rolls of tp in the house anyways and now what I have ought to last quite awhile.

[cwydro]

3. I'm not in the least worried about a shortage of TP.

It’s the weirdest thing about the crisis. I dont get it.

[LisaL]

4. What are you going to do when you don't have it?

[OnDoutside]

16. Covid 19 doesn't cause the shits. It's a ridiculous panic that lots

of gullible people have fallen for.

If you are still concerned, Google Bum Gun. You're welcome.

[LisaL]

20. Actually diarrhea could be one of the symptoms.

"Before respiratory symptoms, many patients in China with COVID-19 had diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal discomfort, according to researchers. This was last week’s top story in gastroenterology."

https://www.healio.com/primary-care/gastroenterology/news/online/%7B934037de-d2da-44c4-b36b-cbd4016f2430%7D/top-stories-in-gastroenterology-covid-19-may-cause-gi-symptoms-bile-acid-sequestrant-reduces-gerd

[OnDoutside]

40. It's completely out of kilter with the panic. A normal supply of TP

is more than sufficient.

"Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and Children | CDC" https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/children-faq.html

Here in Europe, which is at least two weeks ahead of the US, the idiots TP panic is over and there's plenty of stock on the shelves.

[Mariana]

42. If someone has diarrhea

they're better off using a soft cloth and water to clean up anyway. It cleans better and is less likely to further irritate the area.

[Pacifist Patriot]

43. As anyone who has had a colonoscopy can attest!!!

[Mariana]

45. Yes indeed! nt.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Me neither. AndI have been using rags and washcloths for myriad housecleaning...

duties for years.

Including toilet duty at times.

[Rorey]

6. Clogged plumbing

That's what's coming. Mark my words.

We're going to have people flushing things that shouldn't be flushed. Even facial tissue is not designed to be flushed down the toilet. It's not designed to break apart like toilet paper is. Some people will try to flush paper towels. I wish there were some PSAs put out about this.

[LisaL]

11. Exactly.

This is a much bigger problem that some people realize.
Even the supposedly flushable wipes shouldn't be flushed.

[Rorey]

28. My drain guy said nothing but tp and, uh, y'know

Whenever I have to have him clean a line at one of my rentals, he always reports what he pulls out. If it's something other than tree roots, the tenant gets a reminder.

[Pacifist Patriot]

12. I agree. Given the run on toilet paper, there should be PSAs out there...

specifically addressing it.

1) That it is largely unnecessary
2) What to do or not to do if it does become an issue. (Though at that point, I think we'll have more serious concerns demanding priority attention.)

[LisaL]

13. I beg to differ that it's largely unnecessary.

[Pacifist Patriot]

19. Depends upon how we're defining things.

I think a lot of people are probably miscalculating their toilet paper consumption and over-buying. I get it, I really do. I have been doing pandemic prep buying gradually since February 23. My house of four, including two big strapping hungry teenage boys, will probably be okay for 6 weeks or so. But based on the folks I've talked to (yes, anecdote is not the plural of data), they really aren't factoring usage accurately. Just grabbing toilet paper every time they see some because supplies are dwindling and it's freaking them out.

[Rorey]

22. My biggest concern is people clogging the "big line"

The city's main line. A few years ago there was a major clog in the city where I live because of things like diapers. Sewage backed up into some basements. This has always been a fear of mine. I live at the top of a hill, so I hope I'm safe. I have some rentals, so I'm worried about them. With two of them I had the main lines cleaned within the last couple of months, so hopefully they're ok.

I used to live in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It lies on the Red River. We had a few big floods, and I remember an urgent announcement instructing people on how to make a sewer plug. I lived in a townhouse apartment at the time. It was kind of terrifying. Fortunately the backup never got to my place.

My neighbor is always having sewer problems. It seems like RotoRooter is there at least four times a year. In her case it's tree roots.

[BumRushDaShow]

30. You just reminded me about stories I read last year

about what was reported in the UK - fatbergs!

[Rorey]

33. I remember that

Yuck

[BumRushDaShow]

34. They blamed

wipes, cooking oil poured down drains, and poop!

[Rorey]

38. Those workers do NOT get paid enough.

No matter what they make, it's not enough.

[BumRushDaShow]

39. ...

[Pacifist Patriot]

44. Amen to that!

[Totally Tunsie]

62. As is said in the business,

"It may be shit to you, but it's bread and butter to us."

[Rorey]

63. Ha ha

[GoCubsGo]

7. I can't believe that people still have yet to figure this out.

I suggested the same thing days ago. Get old towels from the local thrift store and cut them up, if you have to. BTW, if one has a Harbor Freight nearby, and you are out of old cloths, they have 50 shop towels for $12.99, There's probably a coupon for them, too.

[jberryhill]

8. Always get the coupon

And... you get a free flashlight.

[GoCubsGo]

29. Yeah, those flashlight things are great for power outages.

One unit can light up a room enough to see fairly decently. I'm pleased that you replace the battery when it dies, too.

[LisaL]

10. That sounds disgusting.

[GoCubsGo]

27. What sounds disgusting?

Wiping your ass with a damp cloth, tossing it in a covered pail, and then washing it with the others? No more disgusting than clogging up the sewage system and landfills with disposable paper products like TP, paper towels and disposable diapers. And, don't get me started on the one-use cleaning products.

[Delmette2.0]

66. It's no worse than cloth diapers.

Just wash in hot water and bleach (if you are useing cotton cloths only). And your dryer will also sanitize the cloth wipes.

I have been wondering what parents will do when disposable diapers run short. They will have so much to learn in a short amount of time.

[Trailrider1951]

14. I posted about this in the lounge:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1018&pid=1330258

If you have a hand-held shower, after using the toilet, simply detach the shower head from the bracket, sit on the side of the tub and hang your backside over the tub. Adjust the temp/flow of the water and rinse off. Have a small towel handy to dry off. Voila! Nice and clean!

[jayschool2013]

35. YES! NT

[GoCubsGo]

46. I'm lucky.

Mine actually reaches over the toilet. One can get an under-the-seat bidet kit for under fifty bucks at Home Depot, Amazon, and a wide array of other vendors. They're easy to install and operate.

[Totally Tunsie]

64. Then what? Scrub the tub after every poo?

[Trailrider1951]

65. Nope. Just rinse any residue down the drain and spray the tub with your anti-viral solution

1/3 cup bleach to 1 gallon tap water, or

70% isopropyl alcohol, or

3% hydrogen peroxide

Put any of the above in a spray bottle and have it handy near the tub. DO NOT mix bleach with anything other than pure water!

[tavernier]

15. I lived on a boat for 15 years. We never flushed TP.

It went in a bag next to the toilet snd the bag went out in the trash every day. Toilet paper jams up boat “heads” or toilets. They make a special kind but it is really expensive.
Anyway, we got used to doing it this way. Haven’t had any plumbing problems in our home.

[dhol82]

60. I've been to many third world countries where that applies.

The TP clogs up the works so one just tosses it into a basket next to the loo.
You do get used to it.

[tavernier]

61. It clogs up toilets in this country too.

Sometimes I shake my head wondering whatever happened to common sense.

[aikoaiko]

17. Surprising, paper napkins will still plentiful.

I bought a few of the family-sized packages as a back-up plan before resorting to your back-up plan.

[LisaL]

21. Be aware they will clog your toilet if you flush them.

[aikoaiko]

41. Very true. Wasn't planning on flushing them.

Thanks for the reminder.

[LisaL]

48. I loaded up on preparation H wipes.

Even though they are supposed to be flushable, I don't think it's a good idea to flush them either.

[Bettie]

18. We always buy TP in bulk

and have a fairly new package, however, we also have five people in the house nearly all the time (DH fixes hospital sterilizers and must go out if one breaks down). So, I noted that we have some really old flannel sheets (just the fitted ones, I have no idea where the top sheets are). I can cut them up if necessary.

But, I hope we just don't run out.

[MerryBlooms]

23. Episiotomy care flashback!

After you urinate or have a bowel movement, spray warm water over the area and pat dry with a clean towel or baby wipe. DO NOT use toilet paper.

[Pacifist Patriot]

36. Sitz baths were the bomb!

😂

[MerryBlooms]

37. Oh yeah!

[Hortensis]

24. Summer's coming up, and urine's a good, sterile and nutrient-rich

fertilizer for the garden. So much so that it should be retained for this purpose, though dilution rather than concentrated application is advised.

So suggest this would be a great time to turn over a new environmental leaf by fertilizing the yard AND saving water and toilet paper. And for females, the added benefit of getting in some squats while a hose bidet takes care of the dilution.

Btw, for those with some dirt to scratch in who've always considered it, it's spring -- great time to start a garden, turn a boring view into a beautiful one, and/or grow beautiful food.

[Quixote1818]

25. I think the reason toilet paper goes so fast is because you can't fit that much on a shelf

It's also an essential. Many people were probably just buying 1 package but it only takes about 50 people buying it to deplete all of them.

[Rorey]

31. Agree

I don't think as many people are actually hoarding as we're led to believe. If a lot of people just bought twice as much as they normally buy, the shelves can quickly get emptied. I don't really think it's fair for some to criticize someone for buying a double amount considering we've been told to ready ourselves for a quarantine for as long as a month.

[Quixote1818]

49. Yep. I used to stock groceries in my early 20s

I always remember that isle looking depleted and how easy it was to fill it up.

[panader0]

26. Most paper towels are two ply.

If you pull them apart, the paper is much softer and works well. I have a septic tank and
am very careful about what I flush.

[lame54]

50. The toilet is usually in the same room as the shower

[Pacifist Patriot]

55. Excellent point!

[Under The Radar]

51. Wet sponge

[Warpy]

52. That's the yuppie way. For the hippie way

(and yes, I was a hippie who was occasionally caught short with only a Sears catalog), the thing to do is line your bathroom trash can with a plastic bag. When you sit on the throne, rip down some newspaper to the size you think you'll need and crinkle it between your hands as you do your business. That softens it up, so keep crinkling it well, but not vigorously enough to tear it. By the time you're done (I'm assuming #2 here), the paper will do a good job of wiping but not be flushable. That's what the trash is for, just twist the plastic bag on top so there is little odor.

For #1, ladies can use a squeeze bottle full of water to wash the dew off the lily. Males generally just give it a good shake and don't generally need it. Cotton undies allow it to dry quickly.

Hygiene in an age of dumbasses hoarding TP is one of our smaller problems.

ETA: If you insist going the yuppie route, don't use a whole washcloth per wipe. That's what socks with lost mates and holey t-shirts are for, cut into smaller, more manageable pieces. A capful of Clorox into the wash water and you're ready to go.

[Pacifist Patriot]

54. Ha ha! I didn't think of it as the yuppie way.

I thought of it as the we don't have money for disposable diapers how can we keep our kids clean as cheaply as possible way. See above. Old t-shirts were diaper wipes.

[Skittles]

53. I worry more about a cat food shortage than lack of TP

yes INDEED

[Pacifist Patriot]

56. I noticed that too.

Fortunately, the stores I've gone to always seem to have some left and aren't completely sold out. I am worried about pets with special needs. We had a cat (died a few years ago) that required Rx cat food.

[sarcasmo]

57. I bought a 5 lb bag of cloth rags.

[edbermac]

58. Just went to a Walmart a few hours ago.

Toilet paper, paper towels, tissues....literally NOTHING there.

I do have some paper towels that I bought a few weeks ago.

[CottonBear]

59. This is what I used for cloth diapers & cloth wipes:

5 gallon bucket with lid filled 1/4 with water & a cup of borax.

Rinse diaper & wipe in tub with running water after shaking/rinsing any poo off in toilet.
(We kept kitchen dish gloves in bathroom for this task.)

Put wash cloth/diaper into bucket.

When bucket is full, empty water into toilet or tub drain & give cloths one more rinse.

Carry bucket to washer & wash on hot w/ clean & free detergent & borax.
(You an add bleach instead of borax.)

Vinegar rinse optional, but a good idea.

Line or machine dry.

Fold & place in small plastic laundry basket.