Selfsufficientish.com

I don't know if this has been covered here before, so apologies if it has.

I heard about this on another forum and was instantly converted. It really applies only to women, but who knows maybe men might find it useful, too.

Wee wipes - why use toilet paper for mopping up after a wee? Just cut up squares of absorbent towelling material and use them instead - they can just go in the ordinary wash. You'll be surprised how little there actually is to mop up as the toilet paper always seems so wet ... but then toilet paper companies have an interest in getting you to use as much as possible, don't they. *wink* Towelling barely gets damp.

Wee wipes are just for wee, nothing else (although, if you want ...) but they have cut down on 90% of my toilet paper usage, and they are incredibly luxurious to use.

I bought a bunch of 20 facewashers on ebay for less than a week's supply of toilet paper cost me, and I use those. I did cut up some old towels at first to use, but I couldn't be bothered hemming them (lazy me) so they tended to disintegrate in the wash.

I wash my wee wipes in with the ordinary wash - just like popping your underpants in with everything else when it comes down to it. They are barely even damp once used, urine is sterile anyway, and they don't smell.

by golly, I'm glad I'm a bloke!

its not a bad idea...for when i have my own house. I can't see mum washing wee wipes!

We just converted to cloths instead of loo roll, we´re never going back!

We also use a water bottle to rinse before using cloth to dry after la caca.

Its so much softer and no hassle, we just throw the cloths in the washer (which is in the bathroom) straight away.

Seeing as we have to bag and bin our loo roll, and along with all our other rubbish and recycling that has to be carried 1km to the bin, it makes perfect sense for us. Also saves the cost of loo roll, which not only has to be carried here but recycled is unavailable unless we take a 2 hour round trip.

I´d urge anyone to drop your hang ups about it and give it a go - and that includes the men!

I'll give the wee wipes a go when i move, but i'm not sure about 'la caca'!! I used to suffer really badly with threadworm as a child, so i get a bit iffy about wiping til i'm clean there.

isn't it amazing what you'll share with people on t'internet...

to Fee.

I'm trying to figure out how you rinse your bum with a water bottle before wiping it dry....... do you do this standing over the loo, or what? Is it a squirty bottle? Do you use your hands? Does poo actually come off with water or do you need soap to break it down?

noooooooo it's too much for me, I'll keep using the bog roll!

I used to do some work in Malaysia and the toilet in the hotel there had a little jet that came out and washed you down. So there you go.....

Nev

Nev, that was the bidet!

Millymollymandy wrote: to Fee.

I'm trying to figure out how you rinse your bum with a water bottle before wiping it dry....... do you do this standing over the loo, or what? Is it a squirty bottle? Do you use your hands? Does poo actually come off with water or do you need soap to break it down?

noooooooo it's too much for me, I'll keep using the bog roll!

At the risk of sharing too much.....

We keep a bottle by the loo which we fill up from the bath tap next to the loo. When you´ve finished, stay sitting and pour the water over the area, using hand. I´m sure everyone has there own exact method but its worth remembering that most of the world cleans their butt like this.

Why are people so squeamish about their own poo? If its that disgusting change your diet......watchit ´ere comes Gillian McKeith.

Martin wrote:Nev, that was the bidet!

No, no no, Martin! I know a bidet when I see one! this was the toot!

Nev

Oh, i'm not squeamish about it - i just get a bit paranoid about being clean in case those little worms come back!!

Clara wrote:When you´ve finished, stay sitting and pour the water over the area, using hand.

Now I'm getting really confused. How can you pour water over 'The Area' if you stay sitting?

Maybe someone could post full instructions on the instructables site.

Anyway, I'm not aware that there is a sustainability issue with toilet paper, and I plan to remain a user of it. After all, a job's not finished until the paperwork is done.

Nev wrote:in the hotel there had a little jet that came out and washed you down.

Nev, are you sure you weren't using the drinking fountain?

Muddypause wrote:

Nev wrote:in the hotel there had a little jet that came out and washed you down.

Nev, are you sure you weren't using the drinking fountain?

Well Stew,

That would explain why the water was always so cold..............and the black looks from the cleaning staff.

Nev

Yeah, I use wee wipes. I just cut up some old cloth nappies and overlocked the edges. Simple and soft!! I hate scratchy old bog roll!

Muddypause wrote:

Clara wrote:When you´ve finished, stay sitting and pour the water over the area, using hand.

Now I'm getting really confused. How can you pour water over 'The Area' if you stay sitting?

Maybe someone could post full instructions on the instructables site.

Anyway, I'm not aware that there is a sustainability issue with toilet paper, and I plan to remain a user of it. After all, a job's not finished until the paperwork is done.

First of all, sit forward and reach back - I´m not gonna post photos! Like I said most of the world manages to clean their bums this way.

Secondly, no product which is disposable after one use is as eco friendly as one which gets many uses, especially considering that many people make their cloths from items that have already gone beyond their initial use (old teashirts, towelling etc). Recycled loo roll is of course the best option, but much of this is still bleached, which releases dioxins into the eco system when disposed. Perhaps most importantly the vast majority of loo roll is still made from trees cut for that purpose - can anyone justify deforestation for the sake of wiping one´s arse?

Please see http://www.greenpeace.org/international ... erly-clark for an example.