Reduce, reuse, recycle … even when it comes to toilet paper, apparently.
One Pennsylvania TikToker revealed that she makes reusable toilet paper out of old pajamas as she attempts to have a “low-waste” home.
Ali Hall, who goes by @tiny_waste on the social media site, replied to a comment asking her to explain more about her “family cloth,” which is what she calls the toilet paper, after she shared a video about how her family members act when they stay at her home.
In the explainer, she showed off the toilet in her upstairs bathroom, which is used mostly by her and her husband. Above the toilet and the attached bidet, there is a small basket filled with squares of the reusable toilet paper — all in a flannel pattern.
Hall, 36, admitted that she does think “family cloth” is an “unfortunate” name for the reusable paper, but nonetheless, she still abides by it.
TikToker Ali Hall revealed that she uses pieces of her old pajamas as reusable toilet paper. tiny_waste/TikTok
After the cloth toilet paper is used, it’s tossed into a basket and then taken to the washing machine. tiny_waste/TikTok“This is a basket of clean wipes, mostly flannel cut from old Christmas pajamas,” Hall said, as she panned the camera to a small wastebasket next to the toilet.
“When I use the bathroom, I let the bidet do all the heavy lifting, pat dry with a clean wipe, and then put the used wipe in this bin which will eventually go into the laundry,” she explained.
Hall, who lives in suburban Philadelphia, emphasized that no wipes are used twice without being put in the laundry machine.
“I personally love cloth toilet paper because it’s sturdier and softer on my bum,” she admitted.
However, the kicker is that her husband does not share the same love for cloth toilet paper as his wife, so she also keeps a regular, paper roll in the bathroom for him.
The Post reached out to Hall for comment. In an e-mail Friday to The Post, she noted her family has switched to reusable, plastic-free and secondhand products “anywhere we can for the sake of the environment.”
“Cloth toilet paper is just one of many ways my household has reduced waste, in this case, paper waste. (But don’t worry, we still have an abundance of toilet paper made from recycled material for guests!),” Hall wrote in the message.
“It may seem outlandish to some, but as a parent, aunt, and optimistic adult, I was and am willing to make drastic lifestyle changes for the sake of future generations.”
Hall explained that she washes with a bidet and then takes the cloth to her bum. tiny_waste/TikTok
Hall admitted she’s not a fan of the term “family cloth” for reusable toilet paper. tiny_waste/TikTokIn the comments section of her video, some users were extremely put off by the way she wipes her behind.
One user snarked, “You’ll never convince me to do this.”
Another agreed, writing, “Nooooooooooooo. all those germs are going into your washer, living there, spreading to ALL laundered items.”
“Very cool to lessen your waste but I def couldn’t use cloth with my IBS it would be far too much of a mess 😬,” someone else typed.
Others praised her for the idea, with some viewers even revealing that they do the same in their own house.
“This is amazing,” a TikToker wrote. “I’ve been thinking of how to lower my paper waste & I love the idea!”
A second confessed, “This is how our house does it too. Most the time the dryer on my bidet is too cool on my parts.”
There are pros and cons to using reusable toilet paper, according to Healthline. On one hand, there are concerns when it comes to handling the cloth after it’s used, as E. coli, a bacteria that can cause diarrhea and fever, can be a worry. It’s important to make sure you wash it with high heat and bleach to avoid this, Healthline notes.
But, according to the outlet, benefits include reducing pollution and being gentler on the skin — not to mention, it’s easy to make.
