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Finding Fun in Everyday Things: Toilet Paper

© Kim Martin

Do you crumble or wad? Maybe you prefer to fold and stack.

My brother is a hand-wrapper. However you use it, the fact remains that Americans use a lot of it and we want it to be soft, absorbent, and strong. Before there was toilet paper on rolls,

• wealthy Romans used wool and rosewater and sponges soaked in salt water at the end of a stick.
• Wealthy French used lace, wool and hemp.
• In the Middle Ages they used hay balls and a scraper kept in a container in the privy.
• Early Americans used rags, newsprint, paper from catalogs, corncobs, and leaves.
• Vikings used lambs wool.
• Hawaiians used coconut shells.
• Eskimos used snow and tundra moss.
• A bidet is used in France.
• Defecating in the river is very common.
• Cleaning with the left hand and water is common in India.
• Sailors used the frayed end of an old anchor line.

(Source:Toilet Paper World's Encyclopedia)

According to Charmin's Official Toilet Paper website,

Americans use an average of 57 sheets of toilet paper a day (20,805 a year). The toilet paper market is worth about US$2.4 billion a year in America alone.

Charmin prides itself on being good for the family...not only by keeping the family clean and fresh after they use the toilet, but also good for the family in that they will help families through the often stressful process of toilet-training the youngest users of Charmin products.

Charmin is offering its help in the potty training arena! On their site, parents can sign up to receive a free "Potty Training Kit" The kit contains: a photo fridge magnet so parents can "capture the moment of achievement", a "roll ruler" a roll of toilet paper with pictures and spaces printed on it so children will learn to use just the right amount, stickers, poster, and even a storybook about potty training! Charmin is definitely good for your family.

There were many sites to choose from while researching toilet paper. Some sites were purely informational; others had articles about the history of toilet paper. Many were weblogs devoted to people's love of toilet paper and other ways they liked to use it. For example, ZFrank had a contest for fashion designers to see which one could come up with the best clothing item made from toilet paper!

Another interesting site we found that is dedicated to toilet paper was a site created by a husband and wife musician team:

The Whole World Toilet Paper Museum and Society

This husband and wife team, Flo and Rich Newman (AKA: TagYerit, the musical group), have created a very appealing site devoted to toilet paper (which is also affectionately referred to as TP) and it's usual and unusual uses.