Archive for July, 2009

A Bathroom Stall at Toilet Paper World Headquarters - What? Doesn't everyone have 3 toilet paper dispensers?

Great question! I’m glad you asked!

Here, at Toilet Paper World Headquarters, we generally stock Kleenex Cottonelle or Marcal Sunrise Recycled Toilet Paper in our dispensers.

However, we’re constantly testing different lines and brands so we can continue to bring you the best advice. Right now each stall has 3 different dispensers in it so we know which ones work well and which ones well… don’t. If we get frustrated using them, we would hate for our customers to experience the same frustration.

Have a toilet paper or another product you’d like to see reviewed?  Never hesitate to email me here .

Is it me or is my toilet paper getting smaller?

You’re not going crazy and you’re hands aren’t getting any bigger.  One of closest companions is actually getting smaller.

Toilet paper was originally manufactured 4.5” wide by 4.5” long, which is relative to the average man’s hand size. The square makes it convenient to fold over a few times and still be acceptable for size/ sanitary coverage. Basically, the size was established because it worked – kind of like the 90-foot pitcher’s mound and the 10-foot basketball rim.

However, the size of toilet tissue has been reduced in the last decade as manufacturers try to trim costs by trimming sheet size.

Currently, most TP rolls are still 4.5” wide (or close too it at least), but have may contain much shorter sheets.  Typical sizes of popular brands include:
-    Kleenex Cottonelle; Standard :  4.5 x 4.0
-    Angel Soft; Standard: 4.5 x 4.0
-    Charmin Basic: 4.4 x 4.3
-    Quilted Northern: 4.5 x 4.05

If you’re missing your old friend, have no fear.  Two manufactures still produce 4.5x.4.5″ rolls of toilet paper:
-    Boardwalk Toilet Paper; 2-ply
-    Windsoft Recycled Toilet Paper ; 2-ply

**Product Update: As of November 1, 2009, Private Label brands Boardwalk and Windsoft Toilet Paper no longer produce sheets in 4.5″ x 4.5″ sizes. Both brands have reduced their sheet size to 4.5″ x 4.25″. Thank you to Phil for bringing this to our attention.**

Who Am I? 1-ply or 2-ply?

When you look at a toilet paper holder, its pretty easy to tell at first glance whether you’ll be enjoying the comforting benefits of 2 ply toilet paper or whether you’ll be roughing it with 2-ply’s distant cousin, 1 ply. Most people prefer 2-ply, but what gives it that softer feel?

1 Layer vs. 2 Layers
Simply put, 1 ply toilet paper is made of a single layer of paper, while 2 ply has two layers.   In the past, 2-ply toilet tissue was always thicker and usually assumed to be better. However, thanks to today’s technological innovations and product advances, now TP can be made of only 1 layer of paper, yet may still be thicker and stronger than 2 layers.

Price & Usage
Cost wise, 1-ply generally tends to run cheaper than 2-ply (less paper layers = less costs).  In terms of usage, people use relatively the same amount of sheets regardless of which version of toilet tissue they are using.  Since they are then actually using less paper when it’s 1 ply, it’s cheaper to use.

Which one do you prefer?

Whether you prefer 1 ply or 2 ply toilet paper, remember to visit ToiletPaperWorld.com for the all of your TP needs.  Become a Preferred Member (for free!!) and save take 5% off of every order, every time.

When did we start calling this the toilet?

The other day my friend said to me, “Excuse me for a second while I go toilet to brush my teeth.” I thought to myself, “Gee, I hope you’re not actually brushing your teeth in the toilet water!”  This statement got me thinking – when did the nouns “toilet” and “bathroom” become interchangeable? Besides the obvious reason that the toilet is located in the bathroom, there are still plenty of cases where one says ,”I’m going to the toilet” when all he is doing is shaving, fixing his hair, or brushing his teeth.  So why in the world would one then reference or define this room by its most unpleasant feature?

Your guess is as good as mine, but this got me thinking.  What other names do people refer to that sacred room by?  According to bathroom historian Frank Muir, the toilet and/or the outhouse have at one time or another been called:
•    “House of Honor” – the ancient Israelite
•    “House of the Morning” – the ancient Egyptians
•    The “garderobe” – literally “cloakroom”
•    The necessarium/the necessary house
•    The reredorter – literally “the room at the back of the dormitory”
•    The privy/ the private place
•    The jake/ the john
•    The loo – mostly Europe/U.K.
•    The W.C. (for water closet) – mostly Europe/UK
•    Room 100 – mostly Europe
•    The lavatory
•     The closet of ease
•    The Throne
•    Countless other nouns

Who would’ve thought?  The reredorter?  The House of Morning?  I guess the “toilet” makes more sense afterall…

Whether you’re looking for toilet paper for your “toilet” or “bathroom” , remember to shop ToiletPaperWorld.com for low prices, next day shipping, and unbeatable customer service.  Not a Preferred Member?  Sign up today (for free!!) and receive 5% off of every order, every time.

RIP Pink Toilet Paper, Cherished Friend, Companion, and Always There When You Needed It Most; 1950-?

Think about it for a second – When was the last time you reached for some TP and saw anything but the standard white roll?  Probably around the same time tie dyed t-shirts and Birkenstocks were still in style, right?

30 years ago colored toilet paper wasn’t the rarity it is today.  Introduced in the 50’s and popular throughout the 70’s, many manufacturers produced a variety of colors including pink, blue, yellow, lilac, tan, and black.  Homeowners loved matching the color of their toilet paper to the color of their bathrooms (it was the 70’s after all!).  So besides the obvious reason that what was hip in the 70’s isn’t anymore, where did all the colored TP go?

According to the King of Toilet Paper, two major events occurred which  hurt sales and thus led to the downfall of the colored toilet paper reign:
-    Doctors started warning colored toilet paper could lead to skin irritation.  As pretty as we once thought it looked, no one wants to deal with that!
-    Ecologists also began warning the dye in the colored toilet paper rolls was harmful to the environment.

With an increased cost of production (it costs more to produce colored than white toilet paper) and a decrease in sales, manufacturers began to produce less and less.  Up until 5 years ago, Scott was one of the last remaining manufactures to still produce our old friend in beige, blue, and pink.  However, they have since cut production all together.

RIP Colored Toilet Paper – From the bottoms of our bottoms, we thank you for the service you have provided us over the years.  We’ll miss you.

I’ve read some interesting posts recently about whether or not toilet paper has an expiration date (who would have thought?!). Most sites say no, of course toilet paper does not expire. However, there are also plenty of arguments for the opposing side which claim, yes, toilet paper can in fact expire at some point (they claim it loses its softness/effectiveness overtime, etc.) I also read on a product review site that only select, 1-ply toilet papers can expire, which is why they are cheaper and used in high traffic areas.

Now I know much of this sounds absurd, but there some surprising products that actually do have expiration dates – such as bottled water (it loses its nutrients over time), beer (More of a marketing ploy – Sam Adams first introduced a ‘Freshness’ date & others brewers soon followed suit), and makeup (due to bacteria growth).

To get to the bottom of this debate, I went to the King of Toilet Paper himself, Kenn Fischburg, author of the Toilet Paper Encyclopedia and President of our company,ToiletPaperWorld.com. Here’s what the King had to say: “Paper can last generations and will only lose effectiveness if it gets wet or moist. There is no set expiration date.”

There you have it, straight from The King – Toilet paper does NOT carry an expiration date. We are safe to continue buying toilet paper in bulk!

The Swiffer Duster with Extendable Handle

When I was a kid, “dusting” was always an interesting concept. Every week I would “clean” the dust off of picture frames, counter tops, and various other places with a feather duster, and then have to go back and do the same thing all over again the next week. Really all I was doing was moving the dust around, putting it back into the air, and thus affecting my allergies.

I can now stop wasting my time thanks to the Swiffer Duster. Theses dusters work great because the fabric actually traps the dirt and dust, instead of just moving it around with feathers. I like to use the extendable handle version to get high areas, such as dusting off cabinet tops and ceiling fans. The handle is also bendable so you can lock it at an angle to get hard to reach spots (I use this feature when cleaning cabinet corners and baseboards.) Then when you’re all done, simply toss the Swiffer refill away and pop a new one on.

Thanks you Swiffer for making my life easier once again!

Ann Kagawa Lee of Honolulu, Hawai; Contest Winner

Here at ToiletPaperWorld.com we’re all for being thrifty and finding creative ways to save money.  But this one impressed even us!  When I initially saw this image, I thought to myself  “What an exquisite dress!”  Then when I realized it was made from toilet paper, I was down right stunned.   This dress rivals some couture pieces!

The dress and headpiece were designed by Ann Kagawa Lee of Honolulu, Hawaii and are made only out of Charmin toilet paper, tape, and glue.   Ann was the grand prize winner of Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com‘s 5th Annual Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest and took home $1,000 for her extraordinary efforts.  Her piece is a blend of “Gone with the Wind” and Japanese origami themes.

Congratulations Ann!

Whether you are designing couture toilet paper dresses or stocking up for your home/office, get all of your Charmin toilet paper here.

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