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Well, I'm not exactly sure how to approach this one, so I'm just gonna go ahead and dive right in. Reusable toilet paper is a thing that exists out there [3], and needless to say, people are getting pretty darn riled up about it. Here's how it works: instead of regular ol' TP, you use cloth wipes — or "family cloths," as some refer to them — to wipe your nether region before dropping the used and abused rags in a bucket next to the john, laundering them, then reusing them.
My first reaction to hearing about this system was that it's taking the whole "reduce, reuse, recycle" mentality a bit too far for my liking. I mean, how on earth could people enjoy their sacred trip to the bathroom when there's a collection of soiled, poo-covered wipes just chillin' in a container next to the toilet? Sounds like a pretty smelly situation to me, and the internet seems to agree.
People are making reusable toilet paper, that is just fucking wrong
— LaurenMcCarthy (@MarnieLuna96) March 14, 2018 [4]
I cloth diapered two babies and family cloth is going way too crunchy for me. Nope nope nope.
— Heather Norrgard (@ladyheatherlee) March 9, 2018 [5]
The idea of reusable toilet paper makes me want to die https://t.co/bZ0EPMBAFz [6]
— eve peyser (@evepeyser) March 9, 2018 [7]
But on second thought, Lysol does exist, and I will admit that using a soft towel to wipe my derriere sounds way more pleasant than that cardboard-like, one-ply TP I resort to buying when my finances are strapped. And speaking of finances, family cloth is touted for its cost-efficient nature, as stocking up on a wad of wipes one time and then reusing them over and over is clearly way easier on the wallet than purchasing a 10-roll pack of toilet paper every few weeks. That sh*t adds up, man.
Now, would I realistically ditch my beloved Angel Soft in favor of reusable butt cloths? Probably not — because I live in a tiny New York City apartment, and my bathroom has zero room for a family cloth pail. But alas, there are some pretty strong proponents of the eco-friendly tushy wipes, exhibited by the fact that Etsy is flooded with various iterations [9], including patterned family cloths galore [10] and some that even come in roll form [11] with nifty snaps to connect each square.
If you're one of those parents who used cloth diapers on their babies, family cloth just might be up your alley. We'll leave it up to you, dear reader . . .