How to save money on Toilet Paper

Introduction

In this post, I'm going to deviate from my usual political and religious observations/rants, in order document a technique I came up with that worked incredibly well for me. (That's past tense because of the huge caveat, which I will put in neutral terms without going into detail as to my life.)

This technique is actually, I believe (clinical studies welcome) far more sanitary than using Toilet Paper, and in my opinion, informed by practical application, gives a far better bathroom experience as well. It's flat out superior technology!

Caveat

The huge caveat, though, is that people about whose opinion you may care (significant others, your children, houseguests, etc.) might think you've gone off your rocker. YMMV in that respect, and you may have to give it up to preserve your relationships.

Method

All that being said: here it is. If you want to save money on Toilet Paper, and also not be subject to future supply crunches, then do the following. This will require a small-to-whatever-you-want sized initial capital outlay per bathroom, depending on options chosen.

1. Buy a bidet & install it.

   This will probably be the most expensive part of this, and will go a long way toward reducing TP usage all on its own. You can't eliminate TP use entirely with just a bidet (unless you don't mind waiting around for things to "air dry", but you can reduce it significantly. For many, this may be enough.

   If you want to really get weird, though, while also eliminating TP entirely, keep going down this checklist.

2. Buy a pack of painter's rags

   You can get these online or at your local hardware supply store.

   (Note: I bought two different kinds, for comparison. Terry cloth, and the "old t-shirts made into strips" kind. Both work, but I personally like the terry cloth way better, if only because they are far more absorbent. However, if you're looking to really minimize your expenditure, you can even just tear up old t-shirts or towels of your own.)

3. Buy a "trash" bin.

   If you want to get one with a sealed popup lid, feel free, but it's more money and not strictly necessary. That does make for good aesthetics, though, which may help with the Caveat.

   I got the cheapest bin I could find, which was a little open-top thing for $7.

4. (Optional) Buy a shelf, enclosed floor cabinet, or something to hide the above in.

   For further aesthetics, but at additional cost, you can buy a floor cabinet or something to hide even the clean rags, and the bin itself, out of sight but within easy access. I did not do this, but in retrospect I probably should have.

5. Put the bin near the toilet

   If you're keeping it simple, just stack the rags flat on top. If you purchased the hiding spot (#4), put that near the toilet, and put the bin & rags inside.

   Either way, easy reach from the toilet is key.

Procedure

In case this isn't completely obvious already, you will use the bidet to clean yourself, then use a clean rag from the stack to dry off. I'm confident you can figure out the details yourself.

After doing so, just throw the now used rag in the bin. Don't worry if you didn't get entirely clean and there is more than just water on it. While that is not ideal, it's not a problem either, since you will be doing the third step. Just make sure it's minimal — that is, actually do your best with the bidet!

FINAL STEP: When the bin gets full or you're just about out of rags, just take the bin and dump the contents in the washer. Pick the cycle you want that will get everything clean. Dry in the dryer or (if you prefer) on a clothesline.

Note: I prefer using a clothesline, because:

1. It's less energy usage over all
2. It's even more sanitary, since the UV rays will kill anything the wash cycle didn't.
3. Also, it will keep the cloths brilliant white without chemicals!
4. Finally, the cloths will last longer, and feel better, too.
5. I personally find the process of using the clothesline to be very calming as well. YMMV
   (However, doing this will definitely add to the "weird" factor for people who are not already on board with it.)

Supplies

Here are links to the particular products I used.

Disclaimer: NONE of these are affiliate links, nor do I have any compensatory connection with them of any kind. They are included here because I used them; that's all.

• Bidet: I used Clear Rear's Buttler
• Painter's Rags: I used Home Depot's Terry Cloth
• T-shirt rags:As an alternate, I also bought these for comparison.
• Bin: I can't find a link to what I bought, but it' similar to this: Small Waste Paper Bin

Conclusion

This method may not be for everyone, but it will certainly free you from the tyranny of the toilet paper supply line. It may even make a difference for your skin in the areas affected! It does require a bit of up-front expenditure, but it should pay for itself in a relatively short time.

If you implement this, let me know in the comments if you like it!