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edubya

POLL: Toilet Paper - Over or Under

Emily H
10 years ago
Let's settle this one once and for all. Does the end of the paper belong underneath or over the top?

VOTE and tell us how it works in your house in the comments. (Photos encouraged!)
Over
Under
Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Dustin Marquard Design
    10 years ago
    Over so you can do that cool little triangle fold, like the fancy hotels do.

    Comments (833)

    • PRO
      UpCountry Inc
      7 years ago
      last modified: 7 years ago

      Didn't have time to sc(roll) through but......patent 1891. Case closed........

    • zazfuzzroc
      7 years ago

      Really glad I was born after 1891...lol

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    • eli
      7 years ago

      UpCountry but he did it like that for the patent, he had not had a chance to "practice" and discover that under was best LOL

    • Judy
      7 years ago

      elipres Oh, no, I wouldn't want my host/hostess to decide how many sheets I should use at a time. I wouldn't want to have to "stack" :-)

      LOL This is definitely a first world problem. Some people still use newspaper, I'm sure :-)

      I visited my home country of Hungary while it was still behind the Iron Curtain. A friend warned me to take my own TP as what they had there was shocking. I stayed with a cousin and she was very insulted. She didn't think there was anything wrong with the shiny, folded sheets of paper they used. :-)

    • PRO
      CSI-Montage
      7 years ago
      over
    • eli
      7 years ago

      judy omg those shiny sheets! I remember from childhood, and there I go dating myself

    • Suzanne Melton
      6 years ago

      I'll just leave this here.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrg_6dny6Po

    • havingfun
      6 years ago

      get them all upset again but not answer problem lol!.

    • Steven Daily
      6 years ago

      I think that the toilet paper should always be over not under because it looks neater and for the ease of use.

    • darkmargaret
      6 years ago
      Under. That way you get what you want easily, not half the roll! It stops of its own accord, instead of continuing to roll. Do people REALLY fold the over ends over like the hotels? I mean, what an affectation. Who has that much time? And who uses toilet paper with a design. Think if the ink!!!
    • havingfun
      5 years ago

      well yes, I really do fold it over every time! well to be more honest my personal maid does it. like magic every time i use the restroom.

      you did note noone has used that thread since last fall. me thinks me foxy nose might smell a bit of a troll coming round, no? lol

    • PRO
      GN Builders L.L.C
      5 years ago

      Over or under it makes no difference but this does :-)

    • Judy
      5 years ago

      Been a while since I've visited here, so now will comment on several posts. Never understood why people worry about what pets and toddlers will do with TP. Don't people have doors on their bathrooms? Why are pets/kids in there with no supervision?

      (unless you have one of those cats that uses the loo, then flushes it) Cat using the toilet

      I've had/have both and never had a TP mishap.

      As for males not replacing TP etc. I found out (too late, I may add) that it is a matter of training. :-) My ex was a pig in the bathroom (will spare you the details) as is my son. My son tells me that daddy now SITS on the toilet, instead of standing in front of it and (not) aiming. The new wife ordered him to do that.

      As for the Japanese bidet toilets... I have one of those, but I still use TP. (not as much) AFIC it is for rinsing only, not cleaning. I couldn't imagine not using any paper at all, just as I, too, wonder how people would dry themselves after washing. My toilet seat supposedly dries you, but I still need a towel (kept just for that purpose, and just for MY use) to properly dry myself.

    • Sandie C
      5 years ago
      Over and over and over again!!!!
    • havingfun
      5 years ago

      and then we go under and under again!

    • PRO
      The Hot Tub People
      5 years ago

      Over !! my wife may disagree

    • havingfun
      5 years ago

      well thy kit or pup shall not

      but you might then think you were too free

    • eli
      5 years ago

      ok so I‘m thinking maybe the roll should be on one’s lap... in a little basket... to be unrolled any which way..... ( gonna go duck now to avoid the tomatoes)

    • havingfun
      5 years ago

      ahhh, the never ending argument

      where we always vent.

    • eli
      5 years ago

      It gives my spirit a sense of continuity....

    • Carson Abboth
      4 years ago

      Under because I have cats.

    • SouthernBelle ~
      4 years ago
      last modified: 4 years ago

      havingfun Thumbs up on single ply. From a comment you made "way back there" ---- My septic cleaner told me to never, ever, never a thousand years of never. EVER. NEVER use double ply if you have a septic tank. I can't remember all the negatives he had to put with it, problems for them as well, obviously, right? But, environmentally it is a big plus as well to go with single ply. I wish I could detail some of the minus and plus issues but suffice it to say at the time I took them in, they made sense, and I've gone single ply ever since. (oh, and I put my tissue on OVER not under. ;-)

    • SouthernBelle ~
      4 years ago

      Carson Abboth From an "over" to the point of it being a religion....I will say if ever there was a reason to go "under" you have it there my friend!

    • Judy
      4 years ago

      Carson Abboth Sorry, don't agree. I have dogs, my son has cats. We both also have doors on our loo, so we simply shut the door. Should our animal follow us in there (happens) they are under our control, so we can stop them before they get a chance to do any damage

    • Judy
      4 years ago

      SouthernBelle

      Surely, regardless of how many ply, it would depend on how much and how you use the TP. Are you a folder or a cruncher? I happen to be a folder, and if I came across single ply, I suspect I would use more, so the ply wouldn't reduce the amount of paper that would end up in the toilet

      The purpose of TP is to use enough to achieve its aim, so I don't see why the number of plys would make a difference to the septic or otherwise. I suspect that people who have septic are probably more careful about what they put in there or even how much water they use.

      (sorry about the bold type - Houzz won't allow me to change it)

    • Cheryl Smith
      4 years ago

      I honestly prefer under... but use both depending. I think because of kids and pets. Easier to unroll a whole role and make a mess if it's over. At my moms I put it over because it is on the opposite wall from the toilet. Even a couple inches closer helps. At 87 the leaning over to reach could put her on the floor.

    • SouthernBelle ~
      4 years ago

      Judy You are making assumptions about what I said, and I never indicated this was about quantity. Because it is not! This is about how the tissue breaks down. Double ply is significantly harder to break down than single ply. ---->

      Even though the mass or volume of paper is no different, the surface area is greatly increased—practically doubled—by using single ply rather than 2-ply. The latter has half its surfaces facing each other, less available to undergo chemical breakdown that normally occurs at the surface interface, which involves 2-dimensional bio-films of micro-organisms.

      Technically all toilet paper is biodegradable, but some types break down much quicker than others. The longer it takes for toilet paper to degrade, the more opportunity it has to cause septic tank problems. Too much toilet paper can fill up the tank quickly, making frequent clean-outs necessary. Over time, or if clean-outs aren't performed when needed, this buildup can cause the tank to fail prematurely. Toilet tissue labeled safe for use in septic tanks (generally) breaks down quickly. It is safe to use other types, but look for ones that are single-ply, which tend to degrade faster than those with multiple plies, or layers.

    • Judy
      4 years ago

      I just came across this article in Choice Magazine (An Australian product testing publication) and had to copy it here :-)

      The age-old question: over or under?

      A controversy that’s rages since toilet paper was invented is whether to mount your toilet roll overhand or underhand. We know we are entering into dangerous waters here and are not going to change anyone’s mind on this, but at the risk of permanently losing members, we're here to answer it once and for all – it’s over for historical and hygienic reasons..

      Bypass bacteria

      Even the cleanest bathroom can be a festering cesspool of vomit-inducing (literally) bacteria. The most common bacteria found in public toilets is E.coli which is commonly found in faeces, so your hands will be at their most bacteria-ridden at the point you're reaching for the toilet paper. (Well, not your hands obviously, were sure your personal hygiene is beyond reproach. But we have grave doubts about the person before you.)

      Bacteria spreads from a person to various surfaces, and then to another person through touch, so if someone touches the toilet roll with contaminated hands it can leave nasties behind for the next person. And if the second person doesn't do a thorough enough job washing their hands, that bacteria can make its way onto the food they eat, making them sick.

      Mounting the roll overhand means you're pretty much only going to be touching toilet paper you'll actually be using, as the sheet or sheets you're taking are protecting the rest of the roll from contact, greatly reducing the potential for bacterial spread. Overhand also reduces the risk that the free end of the toilet paper and your hands will come into contact with the wall or other potentially bacteria- ridden surfaces.

      So there you have it - the argument's settled and years of debate are, well, over.

      Paper Trail

      Perforated toilet paper was invented in 1871 by Seth Wheeler. He subsequently re-patented his invention in roll form in 1891.

      His patent application includes detailed diagrams that clearly show the paper going up and over the roll, not under.

      So placing your toilet paper overhand is using this wonder product precisely as its creator intended.




    • Suzanne Melton
      4 years ago






    • pat lemmon
      4 years ago

      Are the earrings for real!!!!!

    • pat lemmon
      4 years ago

      I loved reading all the comments. thank you to funny we need a laugh once a day!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Lars
      4 years ago

      It depends on how far away the TP is from the toilet. If it is close, then I put it over, but if it is very far away, I put it under, as that allows more control over how much is unrolled. If the paper is further away, it's easier to tear off when placed under. That said, the TP should not be so far away that it need to be under, but sometimes it is.

    • mileaday None
      4 years ago

      Over, under or sideways - It doesn’t seem to matter at the moment since the store shelves are empty!

    • Lars
      4 years ago



    • Judy
      4 years ago



    • D. L.
      4 years ago

      Laughing. Yes, I haven't seen a package of toilet paper in the stores for a few weeks. They say toilet paper season will be starting again soon. A real bummer to have an epidemic where 50% of the people get things like diarrhea and the stores don't have any paper products.

    • PRO
      Norwood Architects
      4 years ago

      Always over

    • User
      4 years ago

      Gee whizz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! why is toilet paper so scarce in the World today---are people stockpiling or has it become a collector's item???? hahahaa-- we live in Brisbane, Australia and we also had a chronic shortage WTH

    • D. L.
      4 years ago

      Lyn, The manufacturers said that it mostly wasn't hoarding. It was mostly that toilet paper usually is divided pretty evenly into commercial paper and residential paper and now, people are home all around the world and each person is using 40% more residential paper. They said that they have switched to manufacturing just residential paper and they are manufacturing fewer varieties, so they should catch up soon. Also, in the USA anyway, China manufactures about 10% of our residential toilet paper, so we have had 10% less available right when we need 40% more.

    • SouthernBelle ~
      4 years ago
      last modified: 4 years ago

      There may be "some" logic in that D.L. but people made a run on toiletpaper and yes, there IS hoarding. The tp shortage came before the isolation too, so that's not 100% right logic either....(by the way, not sure how the manufacturers know what's in my neighbor's closet, but whatever, right?) As for me alone, I have seen people's homes where they have the giant sizes of Charmin - large packs of tissue of at least 72 packs. Not hoarding? eh....actually...they ARE hoarding. (edited for spelling errors)

    • everdebz
      4 years ago

      We have only a few extra rolls, and I hope to see a package on a shelf sometime... before we have to use handkerchiefs or something... come on.

    • everdebz
      4 years ago

      I wouldn't mind seeing bleach either, or the wipes. I just made a homemade essential oils/ Dawn cleaner - maybe it's ok, and better than nothing... but is it better than rubbing alcohol... hm.

    • User
      4 years ago

      Southern Belle, I agree with you that people shouldn't hoard only I do agree on having a pack 'in hand'. I was born in Rhodesia--now Zimbabwe and the World put sanctions on our country so what the rest of the world considered luxury items INCLUDING toilet paper and female hygeine products were blocked entering our country. Guess what!!!!! we had to come up with a way to make our own and this was amusing but we did learn fast, thank goodness. Just a funny----our first toilet paper made we all called it 'non grip super slip' it didnt have much 'finese' to it but our manufacturers did soon learn. Thank goodness.

    • SouthernBelle ~
      4 years ago
      last modified: 4 years ago

      . Lyn Wait. What? I have NEVER said that anyone shouldn't hoard, nor would I make such a judgment as that is very much subjective and based on way too many individual reasons. I only pointed out, when it was indicated in a post that said hoarding was not the issue. (post ----by D.L. who said, "The manufacturers said that it mostly wasn't hoarding.") I only pointed out that there was in fact and indeed hoarding going on and happening and cited an example. But I never made a judgment call on whether it should or should not be done, or whether I approved or disapproved.

    • Judy
      4 years ago

      It was just on the news that that guy attempted to return (get refund) for a huge number of boxes of TP, because he bought them to resell on eBay (apparently he had a whole operation going, having people going to different stores to buy up all available) and when he couldn't sell them, he tried to return them

      He was refused a refund. Serves him right!

    • HU-457422903
      3 years ago

      Depends. If you have pets then under. Otherwise over.

    • PRO
      Live In a Legend
      3 years ago

      Wiith my babies, I found rolling under kept little hands from unrolling the whole roll in the blink of an eye. it didn't always work, but most of the time. Those were the good old days!

    • Judy
      3 years ago

      I keep asking the same question. Don't people with pets have doors? (yes, I have a pet, but it doesn't get to be in the bathroom when I'm not in there)

      I have always believed that children and pets have to learn to live with us, not the other way around. I have had friends whose house was like a desert island, having removed anything portable from reach, to avoid having to use the word NO to their children (or animals) God help the people whom they visited! 😄

    • Julie
      3 years ago

      Don’t care, as long as it’s THERE

    • MWJ '90
      2 years ago

      Julie that's HILARIOUS!! ὠ2ὠ2 I agree lolol!

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