To ration the toilet paper

[Notjustmesurely]

4 of us in this house. And we are getting through a minimum of 3 rolls a day. Bearing in mind I’m out at work and kids are at school. The final straw was me getting a fresh roll out at 7pm and going to the toilet just now and finding the roll empty. WTAF are they doing with it?! I’ve lost the plot and given them a roll each and told them they best make it last til the next delivery comes on Tuesday. Guess I’ll work out who the culprit is based on who comes asking for more first. Seriously tho, a whole roll in less than 4 hours!! And I’ve been for one wee in that time. I never thought I’d be the type of loon to impose toilet roll restrictions but it’s getting ridiculous. Sometimes I’ll go the the bathroom and find 2 brand new empty rolls on the floor over the course of half a day! Out of nowhere. Am I being unreasonable to impose rations until i can work what the hell is going on with it?

There is a good reason not to use excessive amounts of toilet paper.

If you flush masses of the stuff down the toilet eventually it will block the drains. And then it will cost you to unblock them.

I don't know how much "masses of the stuff" is, but I would guess flushing a roll a day down would qualify for that.

Especially on downstairs toilets.

I'm guessing you've thought of this, but girls & periods? Has your diet changed?

TMI: when I low carb my diet is VERY different & so is my 💩 when I eat carb it requires much more 🧻 .

if they've all started eating more like teenagers, it could just be that.

@Busephalus

NO WIPES ARE FLUSHABLE

no matter what they say. But there are these things called 'bins' one liner & wet wipes can all go in there, emptied as appropriate.

Totally agree.
I read the OP this morning. Since then I have counted how many times U have used toilet paper. It is a lot. We are out of tissues and it is that time of year when I have a sniffle (not a cold).
Are the kids taking some to school because there are no supplies there?

Another one coming on to say please don't ration it.

I have IBS, I didn't realise it wasn't normal until my teenage years.

It can be associated with eating disorders...not wanting to alarm you but we had a similar issue at a school i worked in and this was the cause.

That is a lot.

Having said that I use a lot of toilet paper. I tend to wipe the flushed and seat, i chuck some down the loo if I'm having a poo as I've got poo fear, also have IBS. So I don't like the idea of rationing.

Possible explanations for excessive use. Teen boy - obvious, not going to say it.

Girls could be stuffing down bra,, could be using as sanitary wear. Using for make up.

Excessive nose wiping/blowing.

Eating disorder - eating tissue paper.

Same. I can use a roll in one go on the toilet if I'm having a flare up.

I'd have been mortified as a teen to be restricted on toilet roll.

Don’t be daft. Why is it bad thing for them to ask for more? I don’t mind if they are using it for what’s for but clearly someone is taking the piss and using it for something else. At least we’ll get to the bottom of it and I’ll only have to have words with the one wasting it rather than all three. We are all pretty open, all three kids like to declare when they are going to the toilet and what for… No one is diagnosed with IBS or anything no one has complained of symptoms, if I suspected that they’d have been at the doctors by now. The girls are open about their periods, they have the right products for their flows. 24 toilet rolls in a week is a lot. I have already started buying cheap shampoo conditioner body wash bubble bath etc as that is all used up in a week as well. Is that also unreasonable?

Well if one of them has a problem, I will find out which one now won’t I? and be able to seek medical help for them.

I have OCD and IBS, at my worst i was a 6-8 roll per visit.
Severely germphobic, didn't want to get anything on my hands so would use it doubled over several times and long enough it covered from fingertips to elbow crease, think 18 sheets long, doubled over twice so the end result was 4 squares long, and 4 layers thick. That was per wipe, no folding over and reusing. Times that by however many wipes to be completely clean paper (not easy with IBS-D). Then i'd dry wipe everything that would be covered by a pair of knickers, so entire bum cheeks, and then all the backs of my thighs that touched the toilet seat. Then use loads of antibacterial liquid handwash on paper to do the whole area again. Then wet wads of paper to "rinse" the handwash off, and finally the dry wads again to dry myself. I needed to be germ free clean, it took 2 hours, and i severely limited my liquid intake to dehydrate myself so i only had to go once a day. Then i'd scrub my hands and arms to my elbows in neat bleach with a nail brush.

I am a LOT better with my germ phobia now, moist toilet wipes have been a huge game changer, and i wear disposeable nitrile gloves when i go to the toilet. Box of 100 for £3 in B and M or home bargains, one good thing that came out of the pandemic for me instead of £10 a box from specialist mobility care shops. I use costco 3ply, and in a 2 person shared bathroom its rare to go over a roll a day between us now.

What you say about your eldest and her previous toilet paper use and the handwash excess, my money would be on her having OCD similar to mine.

So what do you think is happening?

That they’re just taking it off the roll and putting it straight in the bin?

Or do you think they’re actually using it?

You’ve said you’ve told them several times about not wasting it but they’re still using lots, so obviously at least one of them feel they need that amount.

I do understand your frustration, especially if you’re struggling for money but toilet roll and things like period products, should not be rationed.

What about your partner?
Will he also be asked to ration it and have to ask you for more toilet roll if he runs out?

I agree. As an economy measure, I recently bought a pack of Aldi quilted toilet roll and it's so thin you need 3 or 4 sheets for a pee to avoid getting pissy fingers.

A roll of that lasted about 3-4 days as opposed to a week or more of the decent stuff. (I live alone and WFH, so bog roll usage is pretty consistent.)

Don't ration it. The use is the tip of the iceberg - finding out what lies beneath is important. Lots of possibilities suggested on the thread.

Giving them their own supplies would be more helpful.

That is absolutely ridiculous. There are 2 of us (me and DH) and 1 roll lasts us 5 days and I am home just about every day

Yup, just cos they're aliens doesn't mean they don't have to visit the little boys room... although they probably do something weird and alienesque like it comes out the top of their heads or something...

Shampoo, conditioner, body wash etc used in a week! How much are they using?

Me and DH shower every day and I wash and condition my hair every day. Shower gel lasts about 2 months and my shampoo and conditioner lasts longer than that. Admittedly I have pretty short hair but you only need a small amount of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel etc.

I don’t ration period products. Why would I? They aren’t using more toilet roll during their periods either as this is daily overuse. They aren’t banned from using it, but by giving them a roll each I can see which one is over using whether for a valid reason or not. If one of them has a genuine problem that requires more toilet roll then I need to know but while they are all denying it I’m getting nowhere. Partner thinks it’s a good idea, he’s as exasperated and confused as me. The toilet roll is just one of several things that seem to get through at an alarming rate without considering other people need to use it and someone else has to pay for it.

Of course period products should not be rationed but OP's children are using ridiculous amounts of loo roll. I think she does need to find out which of them is using so much and why.

In one of her recent posts it seems they also use tons of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel etc which is also unnecessary and wasteful

Could the girls be using it instead of sanitary products?

by giving them a roll each I can see which one is over using whether for a valid reason or not.

Please don't do this to your family

Teenage boys ? My friend switched to Tesco Value at that time.

I have OCD and I'm ND

I went through tons of wipes and hand wash as a child. Rationing it only made my anxiety worse.

I still go through tons of wipes now as an adult, we don't use toilet roll at all.

So I wouldn't ration it but there's clearly an issue going on as it's recent.