It may be one that you have absolutely no intention of giving up at any point in your life, and that's absolutely fine, because we all have our luxuries. I just feel that the truth should get out there- that there is a great alternative to buying Charmin month after month- reusable toilet paper, also known as family cloth.
I started off using family cloth when I had forgotten to restock on toilet paper during my usual shopping trip and didn't want to make another trip just for that purpose, so I was determined to make what little toilet paper we had left last as long as possible. Well, it is now nearly half a year later and since then, I've only bought two packages of toilet paper.
What started off as a trial run became something so great that I actually miss my family cloth when I use the bathroom while out.
Why Cloth Toilet Paper is Best
It's free. I cut up worn out and ripped flannel sheets to make our family cloth.Never run out. Just wash them whenever you wash your cloth diapers. If you find your supply is too small to last, just cut up some more old material. No more getting stuck in the bathroom with no toilet paper.
No lugging home large toilet paper packages. For like myself someone without a car, this is especially beneficial.
It's soft. Flannel is much softer on your skin than toilet paper. Only the most expensive toilet paper comes anywhere near the softness of family cloth.
It doesn't rip. Toilet paper can rip while using if it gets wet. That never happens with family cloth.
It's versatile. Use wet or dry, as family cloth or wipes for your baby's bum. So many more options than toilet paper.
It gets you cleaner, simply because it can be used wet.
It's cute. Half our family cloth was made from an old children's sheet, so our family cloth has all sorts of cute designs. Lee especially likes this. He gets the choice between toilet paper and family cloth and asks for the family cloth every time.
It's green. Absolutely no harm to the environment because of our family cloth. No trees are cut to wipe our bums. I don't even do any extra loads of laundry because of it; family cloth gets washed with my cloth diapers.
No clogging toilets. Because these are getting washed instead of flushed, no worries about too much getting flushed and needing to call a plumber.
Can you see why I like family cloth?
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Our Family Cloth Method
We made an old "tissue box" out of a recycled container and cut a hole in the top. I fold the cloths like tissues so that one automatically comes up after you pull out one.
I made a sew free cover for the "tissue box". (I will share instructions for both in a future post. This tissue box can also be used for cloth hankies, as an alternative to tissues.)
This box sits on the toilet or nearby for use as needed. Used family cloth goes in a little garbage can next to the toilet. Dump the little garbage can straight into the washing machine before loading it up with cloth diapers.
No, it doesn't smell.
No, I am never touching poo.
No, there is no extra work involved.
Yes, we keep toilet paper in stock for whoever wants to use it, but we vastly prefer the family cloth for our own use.
No, it's not any grosser than using disposable wipes, because those anyhow will be hanging out in a garbage can in your bathroom because they should not be going in the toilet- they'll clog your septic systems.
Yes, I have little bits of poo sitting around for 2 days at most, but anyone with kids in diapers (especially cloth diaoers) or who uses disposable wipes has poo sitting around for a bit anyhow. Adult poo is no different than kid's poo anyhow- its just how we associate it in our mind.
No, if I washed my laundry by hand I would not be using family cloth.
Yes, it is perfectly sanitary. The family cloth is going through a long hot cycle on my washing machine, then getting sun bleached.
I'm not a martyr for doing this; I am not trying to pull anyone's leg by saying that even if I had lots of money, I'd still be using family cloth. Once you switch, you can't go back to vastly inferior toilet paper.
If the idea of family cloth grosses you out, consider using it just for pee, or using a bidet to clean off prior to wiping.
No, toilet paper is definitely not a need. And for me, its not even on the list of "wants".
What are your thoughts on family cloth? Great idea or gross? Do you know anyone who uses family cloth? Would you ever consider it for your family? Why or why not?
Part of Make it From Scratch.
Tags
bath and body
cloth diapering
extreme frugality
frugal strategies
laundry
made from scratch
minimizing
needs vs wants
personal
I am so excited about this! This morning (while on bedrest baking up some twins) I have spent some of my time: researching making my own disposable baby wipes, comparing prices on cloth diaper systems, and entering a contest to win more cloth pads (which I use exclusively for my period) when it struck me. What about cloth toilet paper!??! My partner and i don't flush the toilet at night when we are just peeing and every morning i am astounded by the wasted paper I have to flush away. I have always found it funny how freaked out about poop (everyone does it!) and pee - thank you so much for coming out of the WC as someone who uses cloth TP...i'm right behind you sister!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
DeleteAnother alternative to cloth pads is the diva cup. It takes a bit to get use to be I have been using the same one for a year now which seems so less wasteful than the alternative.
DeleteMy husband grew up in a tiny village in the mountains of Turkey. No toilet paper! They used....guess what? Family cloth!! This is not a new concept in any way. They rinsed first and each family member had their own little towel that was cleaned periodically. It can be argued that reusing the same cloth for each person is not quite sanitary, so having much available is a better option--I agree with the 'much available' version! We use in our home in America, water, then dry off with cloth. We have a 6 person family, so this is a lot of toilet paper that we don't buy, about $20 a month to do something else with. Depending on where you live, over a year, this is a family zoo membership, museum pass, a stack of great books for your kids at a used book store, etc. All for not using toilet paper.
DeleteA bidet is definately an asset if you are considering this type of use.
DeleteUse a BIDET !!!!
DeleteFirst of all, the euphemistic name is dumb. Secondly, if you're trying to save paper and be hygienic, why on earth are you wiping your ass within anything at all?
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anal_cleansing#Water
Hey, I didn't make up the name- thats what it is known as. If you want to know the truth, we call them "tushy cloths" in our home. :-S
DeleteAnd why wipe and not wash? Who said I don't do both? Spray then wipe dry. And girls need to wipe with something dry after peeing.
Hey anonymous what is up your....*cough* butt? You don't have to agree but sheesh such venom. (:@
DeleteObviously someone is "Anonymous" because their ashamed of their attitude. I am very hesitant to try this, but I just started using cloth wipes for my baby. Now I'm using cloth diapers. Why not keep the ball rolling with cloth TP? I'm scared. But I'm going to try it. At least it's an excuse to cut up some old T-shirts I NEVER use. And I have about 1,000,001 of them.
DeleteI'm my house my kids and I wash with soap and water then towel dry. We live I america. It's not a new thing if you are filipino lol
DeleteHello Mr. Anonymous, If you think cloth TP is "dumb" as you put it, why are you on this site at all!
DeleteWe call them bum wipes! I started when my daughter was potty training and I didn't like that toilet paper didn't get her clean as her cloth wipes did and the toilet paper would stick to her bum sometimes. So I continued to use them for her as I did when she was in diapers (I made my own when I started doing my own cloth diapers instead of the diaper service). I picked it up just cause I was curious and I LOVE it. I feel cleaner, it's softer than toilet paper and my hand NEVER gets wet ever. I rinse the poop ones right away, that way they're cleaner to wash and never stink (this is what I did when using them for diapers, just as you rinse out the poopy diaper too). I haven't bought ANY toilet paper in over a year and a half. I can't express how good I feel about not putting so much paper into the environment too. Just feel overall cleaner!
DeleteHey, When I'v been caught short of TP after seating myself I've grabbed a facecloth out of the cabinet next to the toilet. So, what's the difference? There is no difference. Don't tell me that people haven't found themselves home alone and caught short without TP 'cuz I know it happens.
DeleteLacking a profile I am signing as Anonymous but you can call me Nina.
What a gigantic savings for the environment this would be if everyone used it.
DeleteI believe there's an Indian system of toiling that is very ecological, the left hand is used for toiling, never the right - will have to research more .... you probably already know this.
I learned how to make my own sanitary napkins 10 yrs before menopause. I tried to market them as EcoSannies but everyone I asked to take them to various Health Food stores etc managed to disappear them and I ended up simply contributing to their and the environment's gain, not my own. Too bad! I thought sharing could be helpful too!
I use a peri-care bottle like ones used on maternity units in Canada. Very effective, don't even need family cloth.
DeleteI'm tempted to try this one now :P
ReplyDeleteWhat are you going to do when your children are all toilet trained, will you be washing these alone?
ReplyDeleteI never heard of this. It sounds interesting, but not for me. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteI've used family cloth in the past and quit for one reason or another. I'm definitely going back to it. And I do all my laundry by hand by the way.
ReplyDeleteSame here Noel ... stopped for one reason or another and have started to use them again ... just wish i could get dear daughter to be of same mind frame ... maybe when she has to start paying for tp she will change her mind ... smiles all
ReplyDeleteSo what do you do when you have guests over? Do they ask you what the stuff is for? How do you explain it to them? I really want to do this but my SO's family is at my house every other weekend and I'm afraid of what they will think or say to me about it.
ReplyDeleteI think you could avoid the hassle and keep a roll of TP available for guests :)
DeleteI was wondering this too! What if they assume they're tissues? Or what if they put garbage or feminine products in the little trash can? Just trying to plan ahead :)
DeleteI would just put them away somewhere. The trash can as well(at least when my sister is around...). I think most of my family would be understanding, but a couple of them I just wouldn't even bother explaining it to and keep a roll of TP around for them.
DeleteI have just started making and using "lavipads" (pads for the lavatory). Right now I use them when I'm only wet because I do not know yet how to sanitize one s that are "dirty". But, I google a lot of questions and looking for ways to sanitize my lavipads. I do not have babies. I'm allergic to most soaps. How do I sanitize "dirty" lavipads? Please reply. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI've read vinegar works, might want to give that a try! Good luck!
DeleteI cloth diapered my second child and bought a diaper sprayer for that purpose. They're great for spraying off the poo prior to dumping in a bucket and then washing. Vinegar is supposed to sanitize, I think, as well as soften. Tea tree essential oil (as well as several other EOs) is also good for deodorizing and sanitizing...and hanging them to dry in the sun is good, too. It's called sun bleaching.
DeleteThank you,Juliana!. Since my last post above I am NEVER going to use toilet paper from the store again. I can't help it when it comes to public restrooms or other peoples houses. But, at home it's "lavipads" as I call them! I DO wash them by hand in a bucket with a plunger with soap and hot water. Hang dry and reuse. I am of German-Scottish decent. But, my Scottish mother introduced me to "LOTA". (No, not a woman) Lota is a Southeast Asian cleansing method by which you pour water on your unspoken regions with a pot of water. I have gone back to "lota" again. Try it! Ladies, you will feel VERY clean if you do this! I also hand sew my own sanitary napkins (with wings). Just soak them after use and wash them. Mine have a plastic lining. So, hand wash and put in low-temp drier or hang dry!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to know how to make my own sanitary napkins with wings!! While I wouldn't need them currently (I'm stocked up pretty good) down the road it would be great to have that as an option!! If you can, please email me about how to make them (mom2louis "at" gmail "dot" com). :)
DeleteHave you heard of the diva cup? It's really great and everything stays INSIDE your body. You only might want to use some kind of a cloth panty liner on top on heavy days, just for security reasons.
DeleteAs a senior with a blatter problem, would love to know how to make adult diapers for this problem, that is not noticeable under clothing. Adult diapers cost me about twenty dollars a week.
DeleteI don't know much about sewing, but maybe you could try and follow these steps?
Deletehttp://www.livestrong.com/article/275764-how-to-make-homemade-adult-diapers/
Or if that seems like a hassle, this one has a template / instructions and looks like it saves you some work if you're ok with paying $10 for it:
http://mammacandoit.com/products/adult-diaper-pattern?variant=7181881157
Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for your fun way of explaining the benefits of family cloth! After doing a little research on these we decided to start family cloth as well (about a year ago). We have been cloth diapering for the last 5 years (with our 3rd child now in them at 3 months old) and have been using cloth wipes since the 2nd child. This never even entered my brain as an option--and am SO GLAD that we came across your website! I have a small business on Etsy (loveroflifedesigns.etsy.com) where I make flannel cloth wipes in addition to other eco-friendly family products, and am so happy to help others along their journey of being more eco-friendly and economical. I just posted a link to this article onto my facebook page. Thanks so much!!
ReplyDeleteHas there been any research to show that cloth diapers or family cloth are actually sanitary, once washed? Does any e coli make it through the process?
ReplyDeleteThey are sanitary if you wash them correctly. I used a diaper sprayer (think kitchen sink sprayer made to attach to toilet plumbing) to get the #2 off the liners and/or diapers then put the soiled diapers and liners in a diaper pail. When it was time to wash, just dumped pail liner and all into the washer - hot soak, then hot wash. Sometimes I hung them to dry (when I had access to a line) but other times, just threw them in the dryer.
DeleteIf you go to the CDC and search "laundry" they explain that soiled linens and the sort can be adequately cleaned by your standard washer and dryer.
DeleteIf you go to the CDC website (who would know better than they would?) they will confirm that your standard hot wash with bleach in a washing machine is enough to handle soiled clothing. Search "laundry" on their site.
DeleteSheets and washcloths at hospitals are soiled by all sorts of unimaginable bacteria. They are washed, bleached and sent back out. I've never understood what the difference is. Do people throw away their infants sheets or clothes if they have a "blow out" in their diaper? We have used cloth toilet paper when we've been out before and my mother acted like I had gone crazy by asking my children to do this. She used cloth diapers and washcloths on us kids as infants. I couldn't understand her reaction. SMH.
DeleteHospital linen/laundry services use different machines - they function at a significantly higher temperature.
DeleteI don't have a hot water cylinder attached to my washing machine... will cold water do it? No dryer either... often have to air dry inside during rainy months.
DeleteI just went today and bought flannel for us to start using family cloth. I am very excited. We already cloth diaper and I use mama cloth. I still have yet to purchase unpaper paper towels but I really want some of those too.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to reduce the paper towels I use. I keep a kitchen towel out for drying hands/dishes that have just been rinsed, etc....that I normally would have used paper towels for. I also keep facecloths under the sink for cleaning up spills and messes. Very few paper towels get used! A neighbor made me some knotted dish clothes and I love using them.
DeleteExcellent information! I've never heard of this before. I live by myself and see it as a great alternative and plan to give it a go. My kids are all grown now but we were a cloth diaper family for 3 children and I can't even imagine how young families today afford disposable diapers or why they would want to waste the money. Cloth diapers are not difficult. Someone asked whether cloth diapers are sanitary...mine certainly were...toilet rinse for the solids...enzyme soak in the pail...entire contents of the pail into the washer...hot bleach/soap wash...hot dryer or sun dried...soft fluffy unstained white diapers. I see the family cloth idea being basically the same. Thanks so much for the info!
ReplyDeleteHere's a funny story about how we did NOT start using family cloth. http://pioneerperfume.com/2013/08/09/cut-from-the-family-cloth/
ReplyDeleteI have been using these types of cloths for over 4 years now, ever since I read about them on THE GROCERY SHRINK website. I thought, hey why not? If it doesn't work, I can quit. Well, it WORKS. My husband doesn't use themm, but he sees how much is saved by my and my son using them. When I lived in the mountains, I made them of old soft t-shirts, and would simply burn them in the trash since I had no laundry facilities. But now that I live where I have a washer and dryer--I just wash them. Good post, dear.
ReplyDeleteI have been using these types of cloths for over 4 years now, ever since I read about them on THE GROCERY SHRINK website. I thought, hey why not? If it doesn't work, I can quit. Well, it WORKS. My husband doesn't use themm, but he sees how much is saved by my and my son using them. When I lived in the mountains, I made them of old soft t-shirts, and would simply burn them in the trash since I had no laundry facilities. But now that I live where I have a washer and dryer--I just wash them. Good post, dear.
ReplyDeleteI love it! I'm now using cloth pads, unpaper towels, & unsponges. I think this will be my next change. I already get weird looks for using cloth pads but I really don't care. I have nothing to hide & narrow mindedness looks terrible on anyone.
ReplyDeleteI don't get weird looks for the cloth pads, I get them for the menstrual cup. My mom and husband completely support me on it, to the point my husband tries to convince everyone else to use one, but everyone else thinks I'm crazy. I love how they make menstruation easier. http://cleaningouttheclutter.com/2013/02/a-menstual-cup-is-a-girls-best-friend/
DeleteI love this. I am a big advocate for cloth wipes I use baby wipes for my dog's paws (allergies) and for #1. I actual wrote an article about using cloth wipes and wipe solutions. http://cleaningouttheclutter.com/2013/05/all-about-homemade-cloth-baby-wipes-and-wipe-solutions/ I am in the process of trying to convince my husband to use family cloth for himself. I really hate buying any type of paper products.
ReplyDeleteI know it's been YEARS since you posted this, but our family (me, my husband and my 11 year old daughter) are family cloth users and won't use anything else (unless we have, which we do when we are away from home...but we're NOT happy about it!!). This past October made two years of not buying toilet paper for our own use. We tried the "wet bag" approach but it didn't work for us. We go with the under-the-sink-discreet bucket with vinegar and water method to hold the used cloths until laundering.
ReplyDeleteI teach music at my house (private piano lessons) and there is toilet paper in the guest bathroom (as well as family cloth but the guests are always oblivious to them). I think I go through a pack of four rolls a year, tops.
My husband, whom I thought would be the hold out on switching is the biggest advocate. We love that we don't have to buy toilet paper, we are saving a butt-wad of money (yeah I know, cheap shot), and the comfort is second to none. Each week I mix a spray bottle of water with baby wash solution to spray the dry cloths with before use. It's heaven.
For the squeamish, there's less poo on the cloth when using it than you'd think (usually none at all). For the germophobe, read the CDC's testimony about laundering (look up "laundry" on their site) and feel safe. The laundering costs are negligible, we are saving a mint, and our bottoms have never felt better. The initial output for dark colored cotton flannel cloths off of Etsy was a drop in the bucket and we haven't spent a dime since. Family cloth coupled with the DivaCup and reusable hankies (in white, and tossed in the washer...even my students use these) ...we will never go back to being a paper family.
What about the electricity/gas and water used to wash the cloth? That adds up in cost to equal the cost of toilet paper. Here's a laundry calculator, http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/laundry.html. At 3 loads a week you're looking at least $17 a month. This isn't even including the time and calories expenditure spent doing the laundry. Although minimal, it does add up. Another option you might want to look into is getting a bidet. It's much more sanitary in terms of personal hygiene than any paper or cloth could be since you're actually washing each time you go. It would use water but I think the increased hygiene makes it the best option of the three for likely a similar or reduced cost.
ReplyDeleteI've been down the road of reusing, diy and so on. One thing I kept coming back to is working. It seems logical to take all the energy used reusing, doing it yourself and such and instead spend it working in a way you enjoy, to make money. I understand it is fun to save money, especially when you've gotten used to the feeling it gives you, but why not find a way to take part in this amazing and useful society by putting yourself to work in the network of humans. There's a reason why we have gotten so far as a species, it's by working together. When you use water, you contribute to the need for it and in turn, the continued operation of our water purification systems. If we were to stop using all of the services/products that we've created, they stop existing, and suddenly we're a third world country. I believe forward is the direction we're trying to go and not backwards.
We're much closer to apes than you might think.
I looked at the website. One thing that I noticed is it mentioned that you don't have to use hot water to disinfect and that hot water doesn't really do much anyway because the water isn't hot enough unless your washer has a built in water heater. The dryer will actually sanitize and the sun will if you hang dry. So, assuming I wash in cold and dry in dryer, I will spend 4 dollars a month on the one extra load per week this would create for me. Right off, this is cheaper than purchasing toilet paper, plus I have not spent fuel to get it. (Sure I can get tp when I shop, but what if I run out? Then I have to take another trip.) I can't imagine it would take three loads a week to do only the cloths unless I just don't have enough.
DeleteI only wash my family cloth with my cloth diapers, that I have to do daily anyway. It saves me a ton, and the cost of laundering them for me is $0 , I line dry mine so no added time in the dryer either.
DeleteThis isn't thought through in either of your two points.
DeleteFirst, as Squishers says, you're not washing 3 loads a week of toilet wipes only. You wash them with the rest of your laundry, so if calculated correctly, they maybe make up 1 load every 2 weeks in our washer at the very most, one per month more probably (we use cloth wipes for diapering out kid, and they. are. *tiny*). So using the - btw excellent - calculator, you're looking at around $10-20 *a year* in extra laundry. On hot, with store bought detergent. I don't even bother line drying, I just toss them on some surface, as they dry so fast, you can practically watch them.
Second, you don't magically generate more personal funds by using toilet paper. The amount of money you have available stays the same, so if you buy TP with it, this is money you don't spend on other products of our fabulous civilization, e.g. necessary medication, food, rent, or a shiny cell phone. Don't worry, our society won't collapse from people using cloth tushy wipes. Rather, you'll see businesses jumping on that train, and produce fancy new ones with accompanying boxes.
We are a family of 7. Two in cloth diapers at night only, two using cloth menstrual pads and 7 (usually) using cloth wipes. I wash it all in one load per week in a front-loader machine and hang it to dry. This absolutely saves us money, even if it was just for the wipes.
ReplyDeleteAt some point in my life we had no money and had to use soapy washcloths to clean our potty parts. I was actually happier doing that. It was so much cleaner…That experience made it a no-brainer on the decision to ditch the toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteWe have been using cloth wipes (we call them toilet rags) for about 3 years now. I’m so happy not to have to worry about TP or the expense of it. My husband is the “don’t knock it til you’ve tried it” kinda guy (I love him). My boys literally go with the flow, it’s rare for them to resist change. The boys were 15 and 11 when we started our trial run. I had recently bought a bag of microfiber rags at Costco and thought I’d start with those since it’s what I had on hand. I folded each one in fourths and cut them up. Some of the quarters I took and quarted again so the boys could have something small to wipe the dribble off their boy parts, and come to find out, it works fantastically for dribble on girl parts! I hate using the restroom at work or in public, I have to use TP…gross… We are all happy with the change, no one wishes to return to TP. I have a storage pail in each bathroom along with a spray bottle of water. Never has a stinky smell come forth. But we also eat more organically and try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. I don’t know if that’s the difference but we don’t have an icky smell in the bathrooms. We have guests. LOTS of guests! LOL I do the same thing anytime someone new to our “weird ways” comes over. “We don’t use toilet paper we use toilet rags. There’s a spray bottle of water next to the commode to mist it with. Don’t soak it just dampen it. When you’re done there’s a bin with a lid for you to toss it in.” A few people have freaked but then came around after they have used it. It’s always the same questions about why we do it. That list is long I’m thinking of printing it out and handing it over when they ask. :)
I wash them in a load by themselves with hot water, homemade detergent and vinegar. They are nice and soft and fresh smelling when they come out of the dryer.
Everyone in the US may need to use whatever they can before long. In a dictatorship, there is no choice.
ReplyDeleteGood point!! I found this post while looking for alternatives to tp for best friend in Venezuela. Where they have almost dictator style govnt, are suffering today with 300% inflation and she stood in line for A WHOLE DAY for toilet paper.... call it for the good of your wallet, enviro, body, whatever. If you are faced with NEEDING something, you will put your pride down, and get over your qualms. Venezuela too, probably never thought they would consider needing certain items, but look... and we up here in North America are not that far from desperate days either. The list of reasons to just TRY IT, are building...
DeleteTo sanitize I add pine cleaner into the wash. It is antibacterial, or you could use a small amount of bleach, they just won't look as nice. We call them "butt wipers" and myself and my 5 year old daughter prefer them. The man of the house, and my 16 year old daughter don't want anything to do with them. He is Hispanic by the way, and in his country they shower after every bowel movement, I think because they're too poor for toilet paper, and the plumbing there cannot handle it. I'm considering moving there with him, but will be using cloth wipes instead.
ReplyDeleteI saw the bit about a lady who cloth wipes on extreme cheapskates. I was a little grossed out about it. But then I wondered will it actually save me any money? Did the calculations & figured out we use 352.00 in toilet paper annually. So I decided to use cloth with pees only, regular to for #2s which we do a lot less. I like it, I'm actually thinking about switching to cloth wipes for my babies too (#1s only) also we don't have a water bill. So it basically is free.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear that you can look past your initial "grossed out" reaction, "Anonymous." Plus, remember when you are watching those shows they are exploiting the people on them. They present these lifestyles as "shocking" or "weird". i'm sure the music, voiceover setup, and reaction shots of other people is not meant to show an interesting and unconventional lifestyle, they are all meant to shock and horrify. If that was not the case, the show would be called "New Lifestyles" or that episode would be called "Natural Living." but no, the title even is meant to shock and appeal to one's baser curiosity about the freakish and bizarre. That probably was not the best way to get introduced to this idea. But how awesome that despite that introduction, you are willing to try. After awhile, it will seem second nature.
DeleteIt's so funny when people ask if it is "sanitary" as if we as humans even had tp for the last several eons. Cloth diapers and no diapers have been around for as long as human history. I changed and washed so many cloth diapers, I can't imagine the count. My dad said it was paper from Sears Roebuck catalog and corn cobs that they used for toilet duty and cloth diapers for babies, wrung out by hand and washed by hand. We all survived somehow!
ReplyDeleteJust imagine, when the apocalypse comes (zombie, disease, whatever LOL), we'll be ready with our family cloth. Other people will be selling their last steak for a roll of TP. LOL!
ReplyDeleteSo true!!! LOL!
DeleteVery interesting. I'm thinking about it. I'm really looking for ways to cut down on waste. Also, it seems like it would do a much better job of cleaning one's bottom.
ReplyDeleteThey need a new name, I don't care who came up with it the name is stupid and does nothing to convey what it is unless that is the point.
ReplyDeleteI like the name! It sounds kind of charming, like country-cabin-living or something.
DeleteHmmmm....I'm not sure about using 'Family Cloth' but I just saw the show Exreme Cheapskates on TLC and have to say it grossed me the heck out when a mother of 6 who apparently has a good income entire family uses them. I can understand having it as a backup and then throwing the used cloth immediately into the wash but to do this routinely then leave it sitting around next to the toilet in a garbage can - it's just not sanitary. The bathroom must smell awful. That same Mom was involved in a babysitting co-op and part of that is preparing food for the extra kids, well she went out to a local park where animals pee and poo and snipped off 'edible' things for her salad she would be feeding them. Nothing against foraging but I don't think I'd like knowing my child might be being fed something that has been urinated on or possibly has a concentration of pesticide on it. She also made pizza that night with sauce that had expired in the package 2 years earlier. Having said all of this, I am looking for ways to save money in my food and household budget, so I'm open to ideas.
ReplyDeleteIn our house, bidet (water) first, then family cloth. The garbage can with the cloth has no smell...
DeleteI forage, but again, I do it for my family, not for others without their permission. But do you really think animals don't pee on the stuff you buy in the store? Even feild workers sometimes do! But guess what- pee is washable?
I can understand your "grossed" reaction, "Anonymous." However, remember when you are watching those shows they are exploiting the people on them. They present these lifestyles as "shocking" or "weird". i'm sure the music, voiceover setup, and reaction shots of other people is not meant to show an interesting and unconventional lifestyle, they are all meant to shock and horrify. If that was not the case, the show would be called "New Lifestyles" or that episode would be called "Natural Living." but no, the title even is meant to shock and appeal to one's baser curiosity about the freakish and bizarre. That probably was not the best way to get introduced to this idea.
DeleteHi Penny,
ReplyDeleteThis is actually the second time I've heard of this type of "tissue", although it was called something different before. Anyway, I actually think its a great idea. I mean, I'm seriously considering it. We use water first also (astinjah), for religious reasons. I don't actually spend that much on tp but every lil bit helps right? lol. Anyway, LOOOVE the blog and your lifestyle!
Very Good point!! we are saving a butt-wad of money (yeah I know, cheap shot), and the comfort is second to none. Each week I mix a spray bottle of water with baby wash solution to spray the dry cloths with before use. It's heaven.
ReplyDeleteInfoeminent Technology
If you are into saving money, or avoiding spending money, then why not. Human waste is not radio active, just smells.
ReplyDeleteBesides, could it be worse than washing underwear? Same type of exposure.
On a final note I have noticed the tp rolls out there are getting fluffier, bigger centre cardboard roll and more expensive.
Some people have to choose if they are going to eat or spend on TP, so they need to do what they need to do.
We have been brainwashed that anything "poo" is to be feared and disgusted, how profitable for the tp companies.
I could never convince my husband to use this, but I'm going to start reusing cloth when I go #1. I have to pee too many times a day. I do my laundry by hand and then in a mini washer/spin dryer, I think dried urine will be alright if I pre-soak the load a bit. I always wash cold and soak in very little water, not sure if I'm ready to use these for #2 yet (until we have a baby and do cloth diapers anyway).
ReplyDeleteLove your blog!!!
Yeah...so I'm the only person on the planet who refuses to believe that an *entire household* doing this doesn't add even one load of laundry per month to the total? And is the electricity/water/soap used to clean that load month after month *actually* less damaging to the environment than the process of making toilet paper? Has anyone run those numbers? And what of the sanitary considerations? The average residential washer doesn't even get hot enough to properly *sterilize* cloth diapers. Now the whole family is putting poop in the washing machine....really?
ReplyDeleteI don't use family cloth; my husband is still holding out. We do use handkerchiefs, and pretty much only use paper towels to clean up hairballs.
DeleteToilet paper and the like is much bigger problem than people think. Americans like soft and fluffy, which requires virgin fiber. Most toilet paper uses little or no recycled content. The disposable paper industry takes a big toll on our forests and Canada's.
http://www.nrdc.org/land/forests/tissue.asp
The impact of every product goes beyond what you see, though. When you factor in the materials used throughout the production and packaging process, there's seventy times as much stuff consumed as you end up with. It may be be less for a product like toilet paper, but it's still considerable.
I do not think two extra loads of laundry a week will compare, even with hot water. (And I probably would wash my cloth separately.) As for hygiene, if you don't believe that the washer will get it clean, then you need to accept that your underwear is not clean, either. Even wiping with tp, you're transferring traces of urine and feces after every bathroom visit. As a side note, everyone who has tried it agrees that cloth leaves you cleaner.
It takes 37 gallons of water to make one roll of toilet paper. Add in the trees chopped down for wood and the energy used and you're way ahead of the game using cloth instead of T.P.
DeleteIt takes about a cup of water to wash your bum, which now clean you wipe with a cloth. Personally I just use washcloths since we don't use them for bathing and somehow have accumulated 25 - 30 of them over the years. Wiping your clean behind with a cloth is likely cleaner then wiping your dirty bum with dry paper and then pulling up your underwear which then goes in the washer and dryer. It doesn't even make a full extra load of you just throw the cloths in with your towels and put the water level at large instead of medium.
If you're worried about it being unsanitary to out in the washer somehow then put the cloths in first, boil water on the stove, and pour the boiling water over them. Then add your towels and soap and start the washer. Add vinegar if you're still worried but the cloths are cleaner than the average toilet paper using persons underwear.
I did the calculations, you can check it above. For our 3 person household with a 11kg washer (sorry, European units), we'd probably have 1-2 loads a month. Dry paper is actually really bad at cleaning, so you use way more paper than you do wet/ damp cloth. (Washing is actually best, but no one really wants to hear that in western cultures, as demonstrated above.) We wash with standard store bought detergent containing enough oxygen bleach that the laundry is mostly sanitized at 60°C. This is the same routine we use for similar laundry like cloth diapers, cotton underwear or cleaning rags. No dryer. The cost including detergent is about $10-20 a year. Paper (the cheap recycled kind) costs about $50-75 a year.
DeleteYou could possibly start realistically comparing water/ electricity/ chemicals usage if people were buying new cotton wipes, compared to recycled TP (didn't calculate), as cotton production is incredibly high in water usage, and recycled paper uses fewer resources. As it is, sorry, nope ;)
Oh, also we will keep tp for number 2, and are also converting to hand washing and air drying, if that matters.
ReplyDeletedo you need to sew the edges of washcloths and what not? T Shirts? Worried about shedded threads.
ReplyDeleteI am starting to do this now as I am chemically sensitive and I started getting a burning sensation in that area. I did research and discovered that TP is bleached to get whiter and has formeldyhyde for strength. Both cause reactions for me and can't figure out why TP reaction is occurring now other than menopause hormone changes. I literally am using cut up tshirts and underwear right now but will start looking for other material. Can't buy new as it takes 3-4 washes to get the formeldyhyde chemical out. I wash researching how to clean. I have started spraying each cloth with peroxide before putting in my container after use than plan on boiling water and soaking in vinegar before throwing in the washer. I did wash them with my towels in hot water figuring I wipe my self after I shower so should be no different. I do wash after each use of bathroom with a squirt bottle filled with water.
ReplyDeleteHi, you might be interested to learn that in some eastern cultures, for religious and hygiene purposes, they would use a little bucket that resembles a watering can for the garden, without the spout. The left hand is used to wipe poo and pee, and the right hand holds the jug to pour in water. A cup or water bottle may also be used. This eliminates any need for toilet paper whatsoever. And of course wash hands thoroughly afterwards. That's why eating is done with the right hand only. :)
ReplyDeleteI have started doing this. My children are out of diapers now, but when I was cloth diapering, I sprayed off the diapers with a sprayer before washing. That sprayer is still in my bathroom and is now getting a 2nd life as a bidet.
ReplyDeleteBidets are cheap and easy to install and make family cloth super easy to use. Just wash off well and use the cloth to dry with.
Love this idea, just not sure its actually better for the environment - all the extra water and detergent...
ReplyDeleteEach roll of toilet paper takes about 37 gallons of water to produce. I wash with a bidet before using the family cloths and then wash the family cloths in with a load of other things. So it doesn't increase my laundry or detergent, since I wash it with towels or sheets. The amount of water used to wash after #2 is pretty minimal with a bidet.
ReplyDeleteI would say that 1 cup of cold water versus 37 gallons of water is a pretty big environmental improvement.
Financially, family cloth is nearly free, since we run off a well and not city water. (We don't even have to pay to fix the well, since we live in a rental house)
It's definitely a learning curve. I've found that smaller is better, but don't cut them too small because they will shrink in the wash. 8 x 8 inches is a good start. Wash them before use, because I find that brand new unwashed cloth is too slick and doesn't "pick up" well, at the risk of TMI. It gets slightly coarser in the wash, but not rough. I live by myself, so no need to worry about sharing. I wash them out in the sink in hot water after use, before washing them in the washing machine.
ReplyDeleteI live alone. I am researching reusable toilet paper for urine only. I prefer to use tp for no. 2. I have been using strips of napkins about an inch wide and wrap around my index finger in a cone shape. Perfectly adequate for drying. I am now doing same with J cloth and pop into pretty little pottery jug with water and a few drops of t tree oil. When I need to wash I pour all into a container with squint if soap free soap, pop on lid and shake shake shake. Rinse and squeeze dry before putting over towel rail bars. Working well but I'm going to replace with more eco friendly material. Thanks all for making me feel better about my strange practice.
ReplyDeleteYears later.. still getting comments.. great post. i have been doing some reading up on this. mainly when i backpack i just have a cloth and use wet naps for #2.
ReplyDeletethats one reason. and to try to bring some natural stuff and not being so dependent on outside sources for basic things. I sort of forgot about doing this and ran into something some might find grosser. reusable pads for women. i'm giving both a go. How has it been working for you? you still don't go back to normal TP.. have you thought of a carrying case when your out in public.
I've been using Family Cloth for at least 1 year. I didn't have old sheets to cut up so I cut facecloths in half. I tried using pinking shears, but they still unraveled, so I zig-zagged a hem. Since I am only 1 person, I just toss them in with the regular wash [costs $1.75/load]. I usually spray with hydrogen peroxide any debris on the cloths and I put vinegar in all my laundry. I have a small swing-top waste basket labeled: NOT TRASH to put the used ones into.
ReplyDeleteSome facecloths are too thick, some are very thin; but I will NOT go back to flushing money down the toilet. If you are a bit squeamish on the idea, think of it like this: say you are out and you pass gas. When you get home and use the toilet, you find out that it wasn't just gas. Well you're not going to toss the underwear away, are you? Nope, you'll just toss it into the laundry. Well that is Family Cloth.
Never had a smell, never had an issue "down there". WIN - WIN as far as I am concerned. Oh, I'm 71 and senior skin is thin they tell me. Also, saves a TON of money.
If you see warping or waviness of the flat rubber piece then replace it. If you use chlorine tablets in the tank this would be the cause of the warping. Remove the tablet as it damages parts in the tank. toilet flapper on amazon
ReplyDelete