A mother who failed to score any toilet paper at the supermarket despite four trips resorted to making her own, and it just cost her $19.
The woman, who is from Australia, shared her experience on Facebook. She said she had to “find a solution” because her household was full of women.
“I found my solution at Bunnings. I made 80 of these microfiber cloths,” the woman wrote.
“After use, they go straight into a bucket of bleach with a lid on it, which sits beside the toilet.”
Once she fills the bucket with the microfiber cloths, she dumps them all in a washing machine with some added Napisan.
“A pack of 20 microfiber cloths costs about $11.95 from Bunnings,” she said.
She cut the cloths into quarters and “over-locked the raw edges.” This means that out of the 20 cloths, she was able to get 80 of these towels for 15 cents each.
“The small bucket with the lid is also from Bunnings and cost $6.50,” she added.
And while she admits the do-it-yourself toilet paper isn’t ideal, it does have its benefits in the form of it being environmentally friendly, reusable, and reduces the need for flushing so they can save on water.
“Our household alone saves about 25 flushes per day, so I can justify a small load to wash every couple of days,” she said.
She first thought of using old towels but microfiber was better because it is “softer for the feminine bits and dries quickly when washed.”
“If we could all do this, it would reduce the need for toilet paper, save us all money in the long run and be better for the environment,” she said.
As expected, people soon praised her for her creativity.
“Good on you for doing this, it’s an absolutely brilliant idea,” one person commented.
“About time someone got this situation in perspective and highlighted that there are lots of alternatives at our fingertips. Good work,” another posted.
A few compared the improvised towels to cloth diapers and others said they were doing the same with flannels.
“Took us two weeks to find a 12 roll pack… I will probably be doing this next pay to stretch the rolls out. Sad what we have to resort to but will be good in the long run for the environment,” one person posted.
Australian supermarkets have assured shoppers that toilet paper won’t run out although they don’t stay long on the shelves.
Replaced!