10 Different Types of Toilet Paper
In America, we freak out when there is a toilet paper shortage. According to the Toilet Paper History website, we are part of only 25-30% of the world who even uses toilet paper. I don’t know about you, but I can hardly imagine being without it. Say, though, that you’re not happy with the toilet paper you’ve been using but don’t know much about the types of toilet paper there are out there. Let’s examine the 10 different types of toilet paper so you can get the type you need to have a better bathroom experience.
Here are 10 different types of toilet paper
1. Any 1-Ply Toilet Paper Is Considered Low-Grade Toilet Paper
You will find 1-ply toilet paper in many businesses across the nation, and with good reason. First, 1-ply is the least expensive type of toilet paper you can buy according to thickness. Also, this type of toilet paper tends to break down in the sewer or septic tank quicker than its counterparts. This reduces the risk of clogs.
It can be textured or untextured. While you tend to have less total waste with 1-ply toilet paper, it doesn’t tend to be as strong as 2-ply or higher toilet paper. Be aware, though, that each layer has a thickness of its own, so 2-ply toilet paper that uses 2 very thin layers can be just as strong or even stronger than a 1-ply toilet paper that uses a thick layer.
What’s important is getting what you need out of the toilet paper. Is it strong enough for you?
2. A 2-Ply Toilet Paper Can Be Considered Low-Grade to Premium-Grade Toilet Paper
With 2-ply toilet paper, you can have anything from low-grade to premium-grade toilet paper. There are factors to consider, one being the thickness of each layer, and another being whether the layers are textured. These types of toilet paper cost more than 1-ply toilet paper, plus the risk of a clogged sewage system is greater.
Assuming the layers are thick enough, 2-ply toilet paper can be stronger than 1-ply toilet paper because of its thickness, and it tends to be a little softer and more comfortable on your delicate bottom. A 2-ply toilet paper is more absorbent but more costly, as well. It may be best to stick to 1-ply toilet paper in homes and buildings with older plumbing and in businesses where the volume of flushes is high.
3. Most 3-Ply (and 4-Ply) Toilet Paper Is Considered Premium-Grade Toilet Paper
Most 3-ply and 4-ply toilet paper are quite thick and absorbent, much more so than 1-ply or 2-ply toilet paper. They are quite soft, and that shows when you go to check out.
These types of toilet paper put you at great risk of a clogged sewage system, and they are very expensive compared to 1-ply and 2-ply toilet paper. Because of their thickness, 3-ply and 4-ply toilet paper are quite strong and durable. Also, toilet paper this thick is not eco-friendly.
4. Bamboo Toilet Paper Is Made From Bamboo Grass
Bamboo toilet paper is made of bamboo grass. It saves trees, so it is eco-friendly. However, bamboo toilet paper tends to be stronger and more durable than normal toilet paper. It’s soft too, as it is unbleached. It is considerably more expensive, though, than other toilet paper.
Bamboo grass grows rapidly, from seed to maturity in a matter of around 3 months. Thus, it is a great resource to use instead of trees, which take years to fully mature. Bamboo pulp is super absorbent and can hold up to 3 times its weight in water. This type of toilet paper would be more expensive if the cost wasn’t so high.
5. Luxury Offers Extra Durability and Softness
Luxury toilet paper, it goes without saying, is more costly than other types of toilet paper. It can be 2-ply to 4-ply, and you can count on it to be both thick and soft, as well as durable. These multi-ply versions are much more comfortable to use than 1-ply versions and most 2-ply versions.
Luxury toilet paper is usually textured or quilted, and some of it is even lotioned or scented. Americans among the scant 25-30% of people worldwide that use toilet paper. A huge number of American households choose luxury toilet paper for their bathrooms.
This type of toilet paper is marketed as both premium and either extra-strong or extra-soft, and both kinds are supple and strong, especially compared to 1-ply and 2-ply toilet paper. I use premium, or luxury, extra-soft toilet paper. I stress a bit if my vendor is out-of-stock. Many non-luxury toilet papers are simply too rough and not absorbent enough for my liking.
One huge drawback to luxury toilet paper, as any plumber will gladly tell you, is that, though the package says it is safe for your septic tank or sewage system, it is much more likely to clog your sewage system than a lesser-ply toilet paper.
6. Unbleached Toilet Paper May Be a Healthier Choice
Unbleached toilet paper looks and feels different from normal toilet paper. The average toilet paper is white with at least somewhat of a smooth feel. Even most 1-ply toilet paper is fairly smooth. The reason most toilet paper on the market is white and smooth is that it is treated with chlorine bleach.
The chlorine in this treatment can produce multiple cancer-producing pollutants, including dioxins, which are also bad for the environment. The long-term effects of being exposed to these cancer-causing agents can take years to reveal themselves.
7. Recycled Toilet Paper Saves Trees
Recycled toilet paper is made from the leftovers of products we have already used, so it is one of the most environmentally friendly choices of toilet paper. Using recycled products to make toilet paper is one way that we can keep from cutting down trees that can take many years to grow once they are replanted.
This type of toilet paper doesn’t get treated with chlorine bleach but hydrogen peroxide, again helping the environment. The main issue with recycled toilet paper is that it is not the softest option around; plus, it is very thin. Many conservationists, though, swear by recycled toilet paper.
8. Colored Toilet Paper May Be Harmful to Your Skin
Colored toilet paper was quite popular when I was a child, but that was a few decades ago. It has since been proven that the dyes used to create the soft pastel colors were damaging to the skin. Sales of this type of toilet paper dropped off long ago.
The proverbial “they” say that colored toilet paper is on its way back to the scene. However, this time it’s all been tested for safety by dermatologists and gynecologists.
Colored toilet paper is pretty and can match most bathrooms, at least it did back then. It came in pastels of blue, green, lavender, and pink. Because of the cost of dyeing, though, colored toilet paper costs more than average toilet paper.
9. Brown Toilet Paper Is Just Unbleached Toilet Paper
Brown toilet paper is simply unbleached or barely bleached. This makes it eco-friendly, but it doesn’t necessarily make it recycled or biodegradable. It only means it is unbleached. It can have quite a rough feel to it.
Oftentimes, though, brown toilet paper is recycled toilet paper. One company is working on a hybrid method using virgin pulp and recycled cardboard pulp to make its toilet paper softer.
10. Biodegradable Toilet Paper Is Eco-Friendly
While all toilet paper is biodegradable, not all toilet paper in the class gets an A+. Because all toilet paper is made from the same family of organic materials, such as wood from trees, it’s all considered biodegradable. However, true biodegradable toilet paper costs more than normal toilet paper, but it breaks down at 4 times the speed, using much less water to do so.
The best thing about toilet paper that’s truly considered biodegradable is that, while the average toilet tissue is made from trees – hardwood and softwood at a 7:3 ratio. Real biodegradable toilet paper is made from sources that can be more easily sustained, such as sugar cane, hemp, and kenaf.
What Is the Safest Type of Toilet Paper?
As far as safety goes, it doesn’t really matter how many plies a toilet paper has or whether it is textured, though textured toilet paper may be more apt to leave residue behind. Also, it doesn’t really matter much whether your toilet paper is recycled or not; well, in one sense, that is.
In another, because most toilet paper that isn’t recycled is bleached with chlorine bleach, there is a chance that you’d be better off with recycled toilet paper. Chlorine and other agents in chlorine bleach can cause cancer. Formaldehyde is another carcinogen that can be found in many types of standard toilet paper. It often leads to vulvar irritation in females.
It’s always best to avoid chemical residues. That’s why you should also avoid colored toilet paper. The dyes can cause irritation and allergic reactions. Some luxury toilet tissues also add lotions, aloe, wax, and perfumes to their toilet paper.
The bottom line is, I suppose, that it seems a safe choice would be unscented, unbleached, maybe even recycled toilet paper.
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