Most of us can’t live without toilet paper. It is a necessary item in our daily lives and forms part of our personal hygiene and cleanliness routine. But with increased awareness on environmental issues, some people are now looking for alternatives or at least, cut down on their consumption of this item. But how to reduce the use of toilet paper when it seems like the most practical and hygienic way to wipe our bottoms? What are the alternatives out there if you really want to do your part for the environment or simply want to save some money in the long run?
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The Easiest Way To Switch
Most people will find it hard to transition from using regular toilet paper to none at all. So, the easiest way to start is by making a switch to use eco-friendly toilet paper. This way you can reduce the environmental impact while still be able to enjoy the convenience of modern hygiene. You can easily find bamboo ones now whereby their manufacturers will emphasize on sustainability and being plastic-free.
Traditional toilet paper is often made from virgin wood pulp and bleached with harmful chemicals. In contrast, eco-friendly toilet paper is made from sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable materials that are friendly to the planet. Even the packaging will be made of paper instead of plastic.
The problem though is eco-friendly toilet papers will cost you more than traditional ones. Hence, the cost will add up in the long run. Of course, being more expensive, you will also tend to be more conscious of the usage volume which in turn could actually help to reduce the amount of toilet paper you use overall.
Family Cloth To Reduce Use Of Toilet Paper
If you are up for it, switching to using family cloths will drastically reduce the use of toilet paper or even eliminate it altogether. You can think of them as reusable toilet paper. They are basically washable cloths that you can use over and over again. Hence, they are a sustainable alternative to traditional toilet paper.
Apart from being eco-friendly, they will also save you heaps of money as you can then strike off toilet paper on your weekly groceries list. Cloths can also be softer and more comfortable to use than paper.
However, it is also understandable that most people would be reluctant to make this drastic switch. It would also be a hassle to wash them. If it is not even sanitary to wash your underwear with your regular clothes, you can forget about dumping family cloths into the load of laundry.
So, if reusable and washable cloths are not for you, the option left is to install a bidet toilet seat if you want to reduce the use of toilet paper.
Bidet Toilet Seat For Cleanliness
Bidet toilets are becoming increasingly popular these days and it is easy to see why they are a smart choice for any household. You can turn it on to get a stream of water to wash your private area. This is far cleaner and more effective than using pieces of toilet paper. This also means you can significantly cut down on toilet paper usage and reduce wastage.
If you are an excessive toilet paper user because of the need to be clean, you will run the risk of clogging due to the amount of disposal that needs to be flushed away. With a bidet toilet seat, you will be relying on water instead of toilet paper to clean yourself. Hence, the risk of a clogged up toilet is minimized with much fewer pieces of toilet paper used.
Bidet toilet seats can be expensive as some models come with lots of bells and whistles. These include night lights, warm water, heated seats, and soft close to prevent slamming. But the basic ones are actually affordable. You will need an upfront investment but do bear in mind that you will also be saving on toilet paper which adds up over time. So, it might be more economical to get a bidet toilet than to keep buying toilet paper week after week.
In conclusion, there are a few ways on how to reduce the use of toilet paper including eco-friendly alternatives. In other words, you can do your part for a greener planet while saving money in the process. It all boils down to how far you are willing to go, how much you are willing to spend, and what is comfortable to you to implement.
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