It's still Saturday, and I am exhausted. We left the house about 1 pm and arrived home at 5 pm. We needed to return things and decided to do it now instead of putting it off. I really wanted to go earlier, but that did not happen. Gunsmoke was on.
Tommy did the returns while I shopped...lol. But, customer service computers or something was down for 20 minutes. An hour or more later, Tommy was going home, nothing else would do. I convinced him to go to another store for the returns. We did and he was out in a few minutes. Neither of the dresses fit and they were too hot. The stainless steel was 18/0 instead of 18/10, so that went back.
I bought a set of reusable snack and storage bags. Hopefully, these work for me. And, I bought a bag of panties. The returns more than offset the purchases.
Sue asked why I am going "no tp." (1) Toilet paper leaves residue, unseen stuff, that makes my lady bits itch! So, there you have it. (2) Canada's old growth forests are being leveled so we can wipe our butts. Using a wad of leaves would exacerbate first problem. Using washable possibilities would still not erase our impact on the earth's resources. However, no tree would have to be cut for my use in the bathroom. And, I do reuse the washables. They add no more loads of washes to my life and are not an additional burden to the environment.
What will I do? I use wash cloths. Tommy has many yellowed tshirts that do not fit him and that were given to him by a cousin. He is not attached to them and they are too small. I may wash them and cut them up. If I had my serger set up, I would serge the washcloths in half.
The washcloths work for liquid. As for solids I need to wipe, I rarely have much to wipe. If there are occasions where there is a lot of residue, I can throw away pieces of t-shirt. Or, I can use tp. I have many packages of disposable wipes, some flushable. NO, we will not flush them. But, we have options for all occasions.
At one point, there was no tp in my house. When my son came to visit, I asked Tommy to bring a roll. He did and took it back home with him when my son and his family left. He said I could keep the roll, but I didn't want it. This time, I will keep tp in the house and probably on the roll.
Too icky for you? Well, I washed gross diapers for three children. It does not faze me at all. I hung the washcloths in the sun and felt they were well-washed and good for reuse. After cloth diapers, washcloths are a breeze!
Tommy won't give up tp. He would need a whole t-shirt every day. So, he won't go there. TMI. I know.
I am still well, although the returns problems have made me very tired, exhausted, in fact. That's ok because I am not feeling ill in the least.
Have you given up tp? What do you use instead? No, I will never use a bidet! Anything under the level of the seat is liable to get peed on or splashed, so not sanitary water. So, bidets are disgusting to me. But, you may use them...lol. I have enough problems with UTIs, but you can use them. Do not try to convince me.
I still use tp, I know it's probably not a great choice but I don't really want to be laundering cloths.
ReplyDeleteIf I lived alone I might consider it!
Kylie,
DeleteI understand. I don't blame you at all.
I order t.p. from a company called, "Who Gives a Crap" and it is made from bamboo, which is a renewable resource. The company uses part of the money it makes, to provide sanitary toilets etc. in areas of the world, who are not as fortunate as we are. The t.p. is a bit thinner than some people would like if they purchase the 3 ply or more, but I have always purchased the thinner (ie; cheaper) because it is easier on the pipes and less likely to cause backups. (ugh!) Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteRae,
DeleteBamboo is not good to buy. I will write a post on why I refuse to use bamboo. I think what I use is three-ply. But, it is not for the thickness, but for the fact it does not make itchy fuzz. I no longer put tp in the commode. Tommy does. He has a tree with roots causing the pipe to clog. But, he refuses to remove the tree. He says not to use salt in the commode, either. But, I do.
I commend you for giving it up but that probably won't be happening at our house. We have been trying to use less paper towels. I feel like we use a million a day. I now have a huge stack of old wash cloths, dish cloths, etc. under the sink. We just have to remember to reach for those first.
ReplyDeleteLisa,
DeletePut the raggedy cloths on the counter, maybe in something cannister-shaped so they are not just a pile of visible rags. That will make it easier to grab one and see them. We have paper towels that tear in a strip about 4" wide. I might use a strip once a week. I have lots of dishtowels and dishcloths to use and most of those are in a tub on the counter. If I can reach it, I will use it. Maybe you will use less papertowels as time goes on.
I work as a custodian, we use huge rolls, solid tp rolls. When they get a certain size I change them. I save the ' garbage ' and use that. Sometimes get asked to change them when there is 4" left!! I have a comforter bag cover, the kind with a zipper filled. Ive only been saving for 2 years...😥
ReplyDeleteIrene,
DeleteThat is a great perk of the job. You are certainly doing your part to save the forests. I hope other custodians do their part, too. Good job! Interesting story.
I would never try to convince you to use a bidet, Linda. Because studies have proven that the incidence of UTI's in women increases significantly when bidets are used--especially in those that spray from the back of the toilet. Yep, that water is flooding fecal germs right into Hoo-Hah City.
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand the plus side of bidets, anyway. How do you dry off your nether regions after you've hosed them down? Also, I hope I am not to graphic here but water does not wash everything away. Sometimes you have to scrub. Just like dishes--there are bits that cling and must be wiped off with the dishrag. So how can a bidet get you 100% clean after #2?
We use 1-ply (Scott's brand) in our house, due to having a septic tank instead of a sewer hookup. I've used 3-ply before; it's kinda like wiping your butt with marshmallows. Too cushy. I prefer the fine-grade, sandpaper qualities of 1-ply :^) :^) LOL
Considering we use washcloths on babies without thinking twice, I don't see a problem with them for adults. You do what works!
Also I don't know if your doctor ever told you, but itchy girlie bits can be caused by consistently too-high blood sugar. Just something to consider...
Sue,
DeleteThanks. I never knew there was research on the bidet problems for uti. It just seemed logical to me. Maybe high blook sugar is a problem but not with Northern with purple packaging.
That is what I thought about somethings have to be wiped off, not rinsed. I think that is funny about the marshmallow wipe. We used Scott at home because that is what Daddy preferred. I never then and still don't think it is too scratchy. Thanks for the info on uti and bidets. I feel vindicated.
I tried a bidet and this worked amazingly well. I wish I had one here. It doesn't replace TP but it sure cuts down on the amount
ReplyDeleteYou can purchase a portable hand held bidet that never touches the toilet so you would not have to be worried about cross contamination. I also used cloth diapers and did wash them, but there were several steps, flushing, soaking, rinsing, then washing and bleaching to keep them clean and sanitary for the next use.
ReplyDeleteAnne,
DeleteI have heard of those, also a plastic bottle to squirt. I never get washcloths saturated or with anything stuck on. That's why this is not a problem to clean what I use for tp. So, this is not gross at all. It was an ordeal to properly care for cloth diapers. Fun times!
Well, I like the bidet. I have one that is an add on and sits high under the seat. It has a cover so the stream of water is protected. It is not difficult to position one's self to avoid water that may have been contaminated by "matter". I simply use a small amount of TP to gently blot the area dry. I am not trying to change your mind ......I am just sharing my experience and mentioning my happiness with the add on bidet.
ReplyDeleteJanet,
DeleteI never heard of a cover on a bidet. That might make all the difference in how I consider it unsanitary. Thanks for sharing.
This is the model I have. Until you turn the dial to use the bidet it's nozzle is behind a little cover. When under pressure it drops down and sprays. The second dial is there to clean the nozzle.
Deletehttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JG2DETM/ref=dp_iou_view_item?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Janet,
DeleteThanks. I have never known how one worked, just that it squirted the bottom.