Aside from food, there are certain essentials we believe are crucial for maintaining our modern lifestyle, and toilet paper is undoubtedly one of them. According to the Toilet Paper Encyclopedia, 69% of people regard toilet paper as a modern convenience that often goes unappreciated. Remarkably, if stranded on a desert island, 49% would actually prefer toilet paper over food. Clearly, it’s something we can’t do without.
To put things in perspective, each tree yields about 1,000 rolls of toilet paper, and Americans go through 7 billion rolls each year. This shocking statistic means we’re losing around 7 million trees annually just to keep ourselves clean. With that in mind, I decided to give family cloth a shot.
What is Family Cloth?
For those unfamiliar, family cloth is a euphemism for “reusable toilet paper.” Essentially, you use cloth wipes instead of traditional toilet paper and toss them in a bucket until it’s time to wash them. This process involves:
- Using a cloth wipe
- Leaving the soiled wipe in the bathroom
- Washing the wipes later
I was surprisingly unfazed by any of this, which perhaps speaks to how deep I had delved into the world of eco-friendly parenting. Having cloth diapered my kids, it felt like a small leap from that to using family cloth. After all, I had been cleaning my child’s bottom with a wipe and tossing it into a pail for days before washing it on a sanitized cycle. My washing machine had dealt with far worse, so why not? Plus, I already had a good stash of wipes from when I was pregnant. I placed a bunch in each bathroom along with a small plastic bin for collection. I was pleasantly surprised—those cloth wipes were incredibly soft and effective. For cleanup, a quick spritz with a spray bottle filled with the same solution I used for my son’s diapers made the experience feel luxurious. I was genuinely enjoying the family cloth experience.
Challenges with Family Cloth
However, my partner, Jake, was entirely against it. “I only use toilet paper for one thing,” he insisted. “I don’t want it hanging around in the bathroom.” The kids, however, were adaptable and with me monitoring them closely to ensure they didn’t use the spray bottle as a toy, they embraced the family cloth concept. Each night, I would toss the used cloth into the diaper pail. Simple enough, right?
That was until the odor from the bathroom hit me. I don’t know if the pH balance of adult urine differs from that of baby pee, or if the smell just permeated the plastic bin, but our bathroom started to reek—think of a public restroom in a busy subway station. It was a scent that wouldn’t be rivaled until my sons began their own adventures in potty training.
Jake had had enough. He declared that we would no longer use family cloth. “We are red-blooded Americans who can afford toilet paper,” he stated firmly. “When the apocalypse comes, we’ll have books to wipe with, so we won’t be using cloth then!”
I gathered up my cloth wipes, rinsed out the (pee) bucket, and washed that final load of (diaper and toilet paper) laundry. In the end, I’d saved maybe two rolls of toilet paper, equivalent to just a single twig or so. I also lost a considerable amount of my eco-cred. Despite the relief of a non-urinal-smelling bathroom and less laundry, I still found myself missing my spritz and soft wipe during those moments in the restroom.
For more insights on the journey of becoming a parent, check out this post on how to navigate the world of home insemination kits and fertility options. And for excellent information regarding pregnancy, explore this resource from the World Health Organization.
Summary
In a quest to reduce toilet paper usage and embrace eco-friendliness, I tried out family cloth, or reusable toilet paper. While I initially enjoyed the experience, the unpleasant odor from the bathroom and my partner’s strong objections led to a swift end to the experiment. Ultimately, I learned that while the idea of family cloth has its merits, it may not be practical for every household.
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