Toilet paper

Toilet paper is soft paper.

It comes in a roll. We use it to stay clean.

Many rolls have patterns on them. Some are even colored. You can find apricot colored paper.

Some paper has one layer. Other paper has many layers. More layers make the paper strong. This helps it soak up water.

People have used paper for a long time. It was used in China long ago. Now we use it every day.

It is a very useful thing to have.

Toilet paper is a soft paper product. We use it to stay clean.

It often comes in a long strip. This strip wraps around a cardboard core. The roll sits in a holder.

Paper has been used for cleaning for a long time. People in China used it as far back as the 6th century. In the 14th century, factories made millions of paper packages. Some special paper for kings was even soft and perfumed. In the past, other people used different things. They used leaves, stones, or even water to clean themselves.

Today, toilet paper comes in many ways. You can find different layers in one sheet. We call these layers plies. One-ply paper is thin. More plies make the paper stronger and better at soaking up water. Some paper has patterns or colors. You might see paper with leaf designs.

Some paper even has pictures of money on it!

Most paper is made from wood pulp. It is made to break down easily in water.

Toilet paper is a very important tool for staying clean.

We use it to wipe ourselves after using the bathroom. It usually comes as a long strip of paper. This strip is wrapped around a round cardboard core. Most people keep the roll in a holder near the toilet.

People in Britain sometimes call it a loo roll or a bog roll. It is a helpful item found in almost every home. Some people even use it to wipe their eyes or noses.

Making toilet paper involves many careful steps. Most paper comes from pulpwood trees. Some makers use bamboo or leftovers from sugar cane instead. To make the paper better, companies often use embossing. This means they press a pattern into the paper. These patterns make the surface larger so it can soak up more liquid. You can also choose how many layers you want. These layers are called plies. A sheet can have one ply or even up to six plies. More plies make the paper feel stronger and softer.

People have used paper for hygiene for a very long time. Records show that people in China used paper in the 6th century. By the 14th century, huge amounts were being made. In the area called Zhejiang, factories made ten million packages every year. In 1393, the imperial court in Nanjing used 720,000 sheets every year. The Hongwu Emperor even had 15,000 sheets of special soft paper. This special paper was even perfumed to smell nice. Long ago, other people used many different things like leaves, stones, or water.

Modern toilet paper as we know it started in the 1800s. Joseph Gayetty is credited with inventing it in the United States. He first sold his medicated paper in 1857. Later, Seth Wheeler got patents for rolls and dispensers in 1883. The Scott Paper Company helped make rolls very popular in 1890. In Britain, a man named St Andrew Mills introduced soft two-ply paper in 1942. This became the famous brand known as Andrex. Some paper even comes in bright colors like apricot.

Today, toilet paper is a huge part of our lives. In the United States alone, people sell over seven billion rolls every year. Most modern paper is designed to break down quickly in water. This helps it go safely through septic tanks. However, some wet wipes are not as easy to flush. Using too many can cause big clogs in the pipes. Sometimes, people worry about having enough paper during hard times. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people bought extra rolls because they were worried. This shows just how much we rely on this simple paper product.

Toilet paper is a specialized tissue paper product designed for personal hygiene.

Its primary function is to clean the anus and surrounding regions after defecation. It also cleans the external genitalia and perineal area after urination. Most people recognize it as a long, perforated strip of paper. This strip is wrapped around a cylindrical paperboard core. The bundle is commonly called a toilet roll, loo roll, or bog roll.

It is typically stored in a dispenser within arm's reach of the toilet.

Manufacturing toilet paper involves several technical processes to ensure quality and function. Most modern paper is made from pulpwood trees. Some manufacturers also use bamboo or byproducts from sugar cane. To improve effectiveness, companies use a process called embossing. This creates a pattern on the surface of the paper. Embossing increases the total surface area of the sheet. A larger surface area helps the paper absorb waste more effectively. Manufacturers also vary the number of layers, known as plies. A sheet can range from one-ply to as many as six-ply. More plies provide greater strength and absorbency for the user.

Toilet paper comes in many different physical formats and qualities. The "ply" refers to the number of layers stacked together. Single-ply paper is often described as "hard" or institutional grade. It is typically coarse and may contain small amounts of unpulped paper. Mid-grade paper is usually two-ply and has more texture for softness. Premium or "luxury" paper may include extra features. These can include being quilted, rippled, or even perfumed. Some high-end brands add a light coating of aloe, lotion, or wax. This helps to reduce roughness on the skin.

The size of a single sheet varies significantly depending on the country. In many European nations like France or Germany, sheets are about postcard size. This is often referred to as the DIN A6 format. In England, the standard format is slightly wider. Thailand uses a very wide landscape format for its sheets. In the United States, sheet sizes have actually been shrinking since 1999. For example, Kimberly-Clark reduced the length of its sheets. Scott also reduced its product length in 2006. These changes resulted in a general sheet size that is both shorter and narrower.

History shows that humans have sought ways to stay clean for centuries. Records from China show the use of paper for hygiene as early as the 6th century AD. By the 14th century, mass production was already occurring. In the Zhejiang region, factories produced ten million packages annually. These packages contained between 1,000 and 10,000 sheets each. During the Ming dynasty, the imperial court in Nanjing used 720,000 sheets per year. The Hongwu Emperor’s family used 15,000 sheets of special, soft, perfumed paper. Before modern paper, people used many different materials. These included wool, leaves, stones, or even sponges on sticks.

Modern commercial toilet paper emerged during the 19th century. Joseph Gayetty is credited with inventing it in the United States. He introduced his "Medicated Paper" in 1857. This product was sold in flat, watermarked packages. Later, Seth Wheeler obtained patents for rolls and dispensers in 1883. The Scott Paper Company helped popularize the use of rolls in 1890. In 1942, St Andrew Mills introduced soft two-ply paper in Britain. This product eventually became the famous brand known as Andrex.

In the 1990s, Andrex also introduced moist toilet paper, known as wet wipes.

Today, toilet paper is a massive global commodity with significant economic impact. In the United States, more than seven billion rolls are sold every year. The average American uses approximately 23.6 rolls per person annually. Because it is so essential, shortages can cause significant social concern. In 1973, a joke about a shortage caused people to buy abnormal amounts. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many countries experienced panic buying. This led to widespread shortages as suppliers struggled to meet high demand.

Understanding how toilet paper interacts with plumbing is vital for modern systems. Most modern toilet paper is designed to decompose in septic tanks. This ensures it breaks down quickly in the environment. However, some products like wet wipes do not decompose as easily. These products have been linked to the creation of "fatbergs" in sewer systems. Because of this, some cities now run education campaigns about what not to flush. The use of paper also relates to broader global habits. In many parts of the world, people prefer using water via a bidet or a lota. This is often considered a cleaner or more sanitary practice than using paper.