Do you find yourself in a bind when it comes to toilet paper? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
We’ll tell you how to make your own homemade substitutes for toilet paper. The first and most important thing to know is that if you’re going to make your own toilet paper, there are a few things that you need to consider before starting.
The best kind of paper is one that will not disintegrate in water and can be used with bleach. You also ought to know that for the non-paper substitutes, you should have an additional way of disposing them off since you can’t just flash them down the toilet.
First off, you can make your own toilet paper from any kind of cloth or paper that you have lying around your house. Toilet paper is made from cotton, which is a really soft material that absorbs water well and becomes softer after being wet.
You can actually use this absorption property to make your own toilet paper—just soak some cloth in water, wring it out, and then lay it on top of your regular toilet paper! It will absorb all the water from the toilet bowl while still keeping its original texture and absorbency.
If you want to go more extreme than this, consider using something like old T-shirts as your “toilet” paper: they’re made out of cotton too!
Paper Towels
If you have a roll of paper towels lying around, try using them as a substitute for toilet paper. Just tear them into bite-sized pieces and use them like you would the real thing. This is a great way to save money on toilet paper because some of these are reusable, too!
Old Newspapers
If you have old newspapers lying around or even some newspaper pages that are just too torn up for their original use, try using those instead of toilet paper. Just cut out a piece of each type of paper and wrap it around something like a pencil or toothpick until it forms one whole piece of toilet paper.
If this option doesn’t work well enough for your particular situation, then there are some options out there that may help out even more than these other methods above such as using cloth napkins instead.
T-Shirt Toilet Paper
This is probably the easiest kind of homemade toilet paper to make, and it’s also one of the most popular. All you need is some t-shirts and some scissors! Remove any tags and cut the material into long strips about 4 inches wide. Then spread them out on waxed paper and let them dry overnight or until they’re completely dry (about 24 hours). If required, you can use a hair dryer on low heat to speed up drying time. Once completely dry, store them in an airtight container until ready to use!
Leaves
If you have a garden, or even a small patch of grass in your yard, consider harvesting your own leaves for this project. Just be sure to pick the right leaves—you don’t want any poisonous ones on your hands! So, first things first. Here are some leaves safe and convenient to use as an alternative for toilet paper:
- Leaves from oak trees: these are probably the most common type used by campers and hikers alike—and for good reason: they’re tough enough to handle tough jobs like cleaning off after a hike or sloshing through sticky mud. But these leaves aren’t just for outdoor use; they’re also great for making your own toilet paper at home! Just crush up some oak leaves and add them into any liquid detergent solution (like vinegar) or water mix that you’d normally use when washing clothes (like dish soap). The result will be a soft, absorbent wipe perfect for wiping away sweat after working out or just getting ready in the morning.
- Asparagus: this is a great leaf to use because it’s super sturdy and will hold up to the moisture from your body without breaking down. It’s also very tender and easy to tear off pieces that are just right for wiping.
- Buttercups: not only does buttercup leave have a very similar appearance to toilet paper, but it also has the same texture as well! You can tear off as many pieces as you need with little effort.
- Dandelion Greens: these are great because they’re so tough and fibrous that they can stand up to the moisture coming from underneath your bottom without breaking down like other leaves might do. This makes them perfect for the job.
Corn Husks
They are perfect for cleaning up after you’ve eaten something that’s a little too spicy for your system. They’re soft and absorbent and can handle whatever messes you make without being harsh on your skin. Plus, they smell great when they’re fresh!
So next time you go camping or hiking—or just need some extra toilet paper—try using corn husks instead of paper. You’ll never go back to paper again!
Sponge
You can buy sponges at the store or make your own by soaking it in water and then squeezing it out until it’s soft enough to use as a toilet paper substitute. If going to the store or affording the sponges is an issue, you can simply turn to that mattress you don’t need any more instead of disposing it off. You can then cut it into smaller pieces and place them in a bucket, basket or a bag near the bathroom. Just be sure to have a bin for disposing them off inside the bathroom.
Cotton balls/old shirts/old socks
Or any other type of fabric you can find around your house (except for leather)
If you’re using cotton balls or shirts, cut them into small pieces or squares, so they’ll be easier to use as toilet paper once they get wet from sitting on the bowl too long! And always remember: If something gets wet in the bathroom, throw it away immediately because germs spread through the air quickly!
Whether you are indoors or outdoors camping and hiking, you have no reason to panic if you just run out of toilet paper.
You can always improvise with whatever you have in the house, or what nature provides. Just be sure to use clean materials and ensure there are no wasps, bees, worms, or any insects on the leaves before using them.
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Given that toilet paper was not event invented until 1857, it is a fairly modern day luxury. So, it seems inconceivable that a wide range of other alternatives did not exist in the millennia previous to the United States Civil War. Your article did not even explore the possibility of a bidet or bidet wand to use soap and water. After living in the Middle East for nearly a decade, our family largely converted to use of a bidet wand in lieu of toilet paper. This served us very well during the pandemic-related “Toilet Paper Crisis of 2020.”
Bidet Wands are affordable and easy to find via Amazon, Home Depot, or Lowes. Use of the bidet in conjunction with liquid soap, water, wash cloth, and hand towel provides a more sanitary and sustainable method to “finish up” with.
A Bidet generally works best with running water; however, one may use a “bird bath” method or deploy a gravity-fed water dispenser in the absence of reliable running water. In a pinch, a standard, thin-walled water bottle with a hole poked in the cap can be used a “squeeze-sprayer.”