The Bottom Line on Toilet Paper Etiquette

Justin Badger
Feb. 27, 2008
The Bottom Line on Toilet Paper Etiquette

It is strange that something so essential and common place as toilet paper is so misunderstood across the board. It is time to set the record straight on proper toilet paper etiquette.
There are few times during the day that one has precious time to oneself. The toilet is the throne of he who sits upon it. Only on this throne does one have complete control of what is happening. Only on this throne is one able to leave aside the cares of life and the stress of time and deadlines. Few things in this world are so upsetting as being in a state of complete tranquility and then having the moment ruined by someone’s stupidity, laziness or incompetence.
Approximately 100 people were polled, mostly on the Utah State University campus, of the responses received 86 percent of people surveyed prefer their toilet paper to be loaded overthe top. Similar data is found on surveycentral.org where 78 percent of respondents also prefer the toilet paper to be loaded over the top. It seems to be a common opinion that if the toilet paper is loaded over the top it is easier to find the end, easier to see exactly how much you are getting, and easier to rip. Also in toilet paper ads and commercials it is always loaded over the top, suggesting that is the way it is to be done.
Interestingly enough the preference is not gender specific, however, female respondents seemed to be much more passionate about the subject and the few that did not have a preference were male. Also it seems that the final small percentile of those that preferred it under had little children and having the toilet paper role under made it more difficult for the children to make a mess. Kathy Badger a mother of eight said, “Little children’s hands naturally pull down, and so having the toilet paper load under helps prevent a mess.” Even still, the overwhelming majority prefers it to role over the top, as put by Aimee Hale a student at Utah State said, “It’s just the right thing to do.”
However in some situations it may be safer to break away from the norm an do what your significant other prefers as suggested by the International Center for Bathroom Etiquette. Although toilet paper etiquette is important it is not worth ruining a marriage over.
From information gathered from the poll done at Utah State it seems that the common train of thought is that the obvious, easy way to do it is to load the paper over the top, however, there seem to be a disturbing amount out there that, despite the fact that they prefer the toilet paper to roll from the top, continue to load it rolling out from the bottom. What it all boils down to is that the bottom line on toilet paper etiquette is the golden rule, do unto others as you would have others do unto you. While you are on the toilet you don’t want to find yourself spinning the toilet paper to find the end because someone loaded it wrong, or even worse, find yourself without any toilet paper at all.
Here are three simple rules to follow next time nature calls. 1. If you use the last of the toilet paper, replace the role. 2. If you do replace the role, do not set it on the toilet tank or on the counter. Take the extra two seconds and place the role on the dispenser. Lucas Garcia a Utah State Student said, “I hate it when people put the new role on the counter. A dispenser isn’t that difficult to figure out.” 3. When you do load it on the dispenser, please, please, please load it so it roles over the top, unless otherwise specified by your wife. You will make life easier for everyone; consider it your good dead for the day. Remember, “it’s just the right thing to do.”