using loo rolls in craft projects - urban myth?

[southeastastra]

or is it actually written anywhere that they cannot be used?

Not used at our school or nursery.

nonsense IMO

No they are generally not recommended for use. People do touch them after wiping their arses and before washing their hands. It's not the greatest thing for children to play with, really.

we've been told we cannot use them or egg boxes because of salmonella

Has there been a case of illness due to loo roll inner??

but they're dry - germs won't survive on them for very long. I've always thought this was silly.

I don't know, Soupy. Probably not. I agree the salmonella thing is bonkers. But playing with things that have come from the toilet and been touched by people who have just done a big poo is just Not Nice.

they spray poo on fields in some areas, but you still do potato printing don't you? it's more likely that you'll miss some germs in washing the potatoes than any will survive on a dry loo roll.

we used them all the time when we were little - where would these guidelines come from anyone know?

Ok, go and lick the flush on your toilet then

But then I'd get bleach on my tongue. Now I think we all agree that bleach is dangerous!

We had a health an safety update and it was all bought to our attention again.
It think it is really really stupid!
Quite frankly my class mouth/ lick / bite everything anyway its a wonder we are not all ill all the time!

Yep I think it's obvious children are going to put things in their mouths and that this is a good thing as far as building up immunities goes. However I think avoiding objects that will obviously have been contaminated or in a very germy atmosphere is common sense. I don't use toilet roll tubes in my baby treasure baskets for this reason.

what are baby treasure baskets

f&z - you're not reading my posts. a toilet flush lever has germs on it because it's wet most of the time. germs do not survive without water, therefore they do not survive on loo rolls.

This "rule" has been made up by a squamish person and is not based on evidence - I am fairly sure of that. However if someone can find a scientific study where they analysed germs on old loo rolls and found them to be more likely to make children ill than children's paintbrushes etc then i will concede. I will be very surprised, but I will concede.

Sorry Senora - can't reply, I am not reading your posts

I guess you're right. It does feel wrong to me though. How is your toilet flush wet, by the way? Mine isn't.

Treasure baskets here

Agree - far more nasties when collecting items for nature tables for example than on an old loo roll

We can't use them at our Pre-school unless they have been zapped in the microwave - I kid ye not! I have spent many a tea break putting in loo roll inners for a 10 sec microwaving.

pinotmum who asked you to zap them ? the head?

Yes, the Manager said we should do it but the Asst Manager said it was nonsence (I agree with the Asst Mgr). I am sure the Manager said Ofsted had told her or maybe it was the Pre-school Learning Alliance but some bigwig anyway,

thanks pinotmum

Would a 10 second zapping kill bacteria?

DOn't know really but I didn't want to start a fire in the microwave - next time I'll go for 20 secs

paper products are easily contaminated with bacteria because the pores are larrge and absorbent.

Other common items for excessive contamination with bacteria are shopping cart handles, hand hold straps on public transport, computer mouse and telephones

...but strangely we don't disinfect our telephone handsets or our mice. and yes, dd has eaten the phone on many an occasion.