Knowing the homemade alternatives to toilet paper can make a very significant difference when things go haywire & you can’t go to the mall anymore. However, few people pay attention to this aspect of prepping, as discussions on food, water & other popular gear are the norm today.
While I dare not condemn this, as they are the essentials of survival, topics like the above deserve your attention too.
Why Know the Homemade Alternatives to Toilet Paper?
Imagine if toilet papers were miraculously sold out in stores across the nation before you woke up this morning. The clips of people fighting for toiletries before the lockdown are still fresh in our minds.
While it was heartbreaking to see people hurt one another for toilet papers, it must have been much more difficult for those involved in it. No matter how you cringe, you’re not as hurt as the person who caught a punch in his jaw. This means that these people wouldn’t have fought for toiletries if they didn’t have grave reasons.
If you were into prepping before this time, I’m assuming you didn’t need to struggle for emergency foods & gear since you’re expected to have a stockpile of such items beforehand. However, what if we are still under lockdown & you’ve run out of the wipes in your storage kit?
The uses of toilet paper are well-known to everyone; this item’s unavailability can cause a problem with cleanliness & the environment. As you read, consider the various purposes these pillow-square rolls fulfill for you daily.
It is most necessary to know the alternatives to toilet papers, and you’ll do so below — but first…
To Flush or Not to?
The typical toilet paper is designed to crumble into nothingness after flushing, thereby significantly reducing the possibility of clogged pipes. The same can’t be said for the substitutes highlighted below. They won’t dissolve or flush down a toilet so easily.
Forcing them down the toilet is a very sure way to clog the pipes — and you honestly don’t want that when the chips are down or any other time. Sanitary wipes are hardly flushable, too, although some brands claim that theirs can be flushed.
The ideal way to dispose of the toilet paper alternatives shortlisted below is to bag them up to dump in the trash, burnt in a safe place, or to wash & reuse.
Common Off-the-shelf Substitutes for Toilet Paper
These are items that can be bought at stores in the absence of toilet paper. Usually, these are products that preppers have agreed upon & would recommend due to the versatility of purpose of these items.
The following items are basic alternatives to toilet paper that you can buy from stores:
- Coffee filters: These are very cheap, so you can buy tons of them. A single filter can serve the normal purpose of toilet paper.
- Paper Towels: These are easily absorbent & durable, and you can cut them to any size you deem fit.
- Adult diapers: Rolling your eyes at this does not mean these items can’t work fine for the purpose they are meant to serve.
- Baby Wipes: These are made specifically to fulfill what toilet paper can do.
- Facial Tissues: These are soft options & may even offer you soothing lotions.
Toilet Paper Alternatives Found at Home
Various items can serve the purpose of toilet paper at home without visiting the store. These materials work best when you have access to soap & clean water since they can be reused after washing. I recommend items made with 100% cotton since it is a very soft fabric that is also easily washed.
Some of these items are:
- Hand towels;
- Kitchen towels;
- Socks;
- T-shirts; &
- Washcloths.
- Your hands — which should be the last resort except there’s clean water & soap to wash them clean.
- Newspaper: A normal newspaper page works fine, although it works best if crumpled & stretched out.
All the items above (except your hands) can be cut into a smaller size to make them easier to use. For example, you can cut a t-shirt into 4” x 4” squares & stack the squares neatly for use in the bathroom. Suppose there’s no immediate method of disposal. In that case, you have to keep a container or bucket that can be tightly sealed in the bathroom, so your toilet paper alternatives can be kept there until you’re able to dispose or wash them (remember they can’t be flushed).
Toilet Paper Substitutes in the Great Outdoors
If you find yourself out of the alternatives we’ve discussed above or happen to run out of toilet paper in the great outdoors, there’s no need to panic. There are several natural substitutes for toilet paper to be found in the wild, although what you find depends on where you live.
Note that we have different body systems & our body may react poorly to some materials found in the wilderness. Therefore, you are advised to test vegetation on a small part of your firearm & wait for at least 15 minutes. If your skin does not start reddening, itching, swelling, or become numb in this period, then you should go-ahead to use it for general purposes.
Common alternatives to toilet paper that you can find in the wild across a wide environmental range include:
- Cattails (which can also be eaten);
- Inner tree bark;
- Leaves (larger ones will work best);
- A bundle of long grasses;
- Lily pads;
- Moss;
- A handful of snow, although it can be freezing;
- A large shell or rock which has to be very smooth;
- Seaweed;
- Pinecones;
- Your hands, which should again only be a last resort & should be used ONLY if there’s clean water & soap.
Concluding the Homemade Alternatives to Toilet Paper
There’s a long list of homemade alternatives to toilet paper, out of which we’ve covered a lot. And with such a vast range of options to pick from, it may be safe to suggest that fighting for toilet paper isn’t worth it. This does not mean that you stop stockpiling, though. Gather essential items now that they are readily available, so you don’t fall into a rush when trouble comes.