Problem with toilet paper? Toilet Paper Poll

[Jamie Love]

Has anyone else noticed that some toilet paper can cause plugging and poor flushing performance from even the top models.

In my many years of toilet repair and installation I have noticed that the thicker cotton like material i.e. Charmin just doesn't compress as much as the other brands of toilet paper causing blockage in the bowl and trap way.

Maybe Charmin should change their slogan to "Can't squeeze the Charmin"

interseted to hear what y'all think.
-J

Good Housekeeping Institute report on toilets

 

[Jimbo]

Well, I plead guilty to a tendency to use too much paper; and I definitely notice that there is less trouble with the cheap stuff from Costco than with the 'name' brand' wife gets at the grocery.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Snowman]

I love those 400 sheet double rolls sold by Sam's Club with the name "Member's Mark". Sometimes I think I'm the only person in the house who knows how to put on a new roll of TP.

Anyway, that stuff is soft and strong. Plus, at 400 sheets per roll, it lasts a long time. I put lots of extra "wads" in my new Dalton this morning, (first time for this particular type use) and buddy everything went down in a "flash"!!!
see ya, Tom

 

[Terry]

Brand Dissolvency Time in Seconds

Dissolvency Time in Seconds


"Thick, plush toilet papers make you feel pampered, but if your plumbing is prone to clogging, they can aggravate the problem. The Good Housekeeping Institute tested all the leading brands and found that Charmin, Charmin Ultra, Quilted Northern and Cottonelle were particularly slow to dissolve. So if you have a low-flow toilet, or old, sticky plumbing that often acts up, those toilet papers may not be your best bet."
Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles Lab


Brand Dissolvency Time in Seconds
(lowest is best)
MD 2-Ply, 9
Coronet 2-Ply, 12
Angel Soft 2-Ply, 12
Scott 1-Ply, 17
Soft 'N Gentle 1-Ply, 18
Soft Weve 1-Ply, 20
Marcal 1-Ply, 20
Soft 'N Gentle 2-Ply, 21
Seventh Generation 2-Ply, 21
Quilted Northern Super 2-Ply, 69
Charmin Ultra 2-Ply, 77
Cottonelle 1-Ply, 96
Charmin 2-Ply, 180

 

[hj]

tp

If someone were using any of these brands and it seemed to be plugging the toilet, whether it did or not, I would hope they were now using one of them that did not do it. In which case you should be asking which brand are they not having a problem with.

 

[Snowman]

If someone were using any of these brands and it seemed to be plugging the toilet, whether it did or not, I would hope they were now using one of them that did not do it. In which case you should be asking which brand are they not having a problem with.

I like that approach!!

 

[Terry]

I don't have a "problem" with paper that doesn't plug, it's the stuff that does plug that bothers me.

Some of the new papers use cotton, which does not break down and can stick in the trapways.

Some paper just zips right through.
So yes, post those that work too.
For paper that works, go here!

Or you can use less paper by using a bidet or Washlet on your toilet.
It's called, Washing with Water"
What a concept.
80% of homes in Japan wash with water.
Americans rub dry paper on their butts.

 

[Susan H]

It has been many years since we've used it, but we found that Coronet was causing our toilet to stop up. My husband didn't like to give it up, but I was glad to not use it any more. It was strong, but not at all soft.

 

[RioHyde]

I've gotta say....I've got a 17 year old boy who could look at a toilet and clog it. Quite frustrating. However, he has yet to clog our Drake, but given his experience with clogging our old 3.5 gallon Mansfields he is now quite proficient in the use of a closet auger and plunger.

 

[mrjetskey]

Increase the kids intake of fiber that should help immensely!!! PS. you left out my favorite brand flushable cottonelle wet wipes!!!!!

 

[Mikey]

To dissolve or not to dissolve, that is the question...

"Thick, plush toilet papers make you feel pampered, but if your plumbing is prone to clogging, they can aggravate the problem. The Good Housekeeping Institute tested all the leading brands and found that Charmin, Charmin Ultra, Quilted Northern and Cottonelle were particularly slow to dissolve. So if you have a low-flow toilet, or old, sticky plumbing that often acts up, those toilet papers may not be your best bet."
Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles Lab

OTOH, I read recently that TP that "dissolves" is terrible for the septic system, since the cellulose matter winds up in the leach field. That article/post/whatever argued that a TP that just fell to the sludge layer in the septic tank was better for the system as a whole. Periodic pumping (3 years recommended here) removes the sludge without impacting the leach field.

 

[Mike50]

Non-dissolving TP would be a disaster for those of us on septic.
Eventually over time you would have a wad of wet paper that weighed many hundreds of pounds.
I'd be curious to read where you originally read that Mikey.

We are getting into the land of urban legend with many of these "Recommendations" imo.

Just because my toilet hasn't clogged in 5 years using Brand X sure isn't
empirical evidence that it will work well for you. Too many variables.

 

[Mikey]

I was surprised as well, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense, as far as the cellulose-in-the-leach-field argument goes. OTOH, I'm with you wrt the big soggy mass of TP to deal with. I, of course, can get by with 2 or 3 rolls a year, but since I'm married, it's Thank God for Sam's Club.

I'll try to find the reference, but I'm not optimistic.

 

[Mikey]

There were several claims that soluble TP wasn't necessarily a good thing; here's a few. The last link takes the opposite view, which seems to be the more popular. I liked the "80 grit" descriptor.

http://www.builderswebsource.com/_discBT/00000d5d.htm

Specifically, there is indication that the cellulose fiber in toilet paper may not fully biodegrade, which tends to clog the percolation field.

http://www.wsg.washington.edu/outreach/mas/water_quality/septicsense/2_bathroom.html

Did you know that the quantity and quality of toilet paper you use could affect your septic system? When toilet paper breaks down it turns into its components, cellulose and lignin. If the toilet paper dissolves in your tank, it can travel into the drainfield and block the soil spaces needed for effluent treatment.

By using toilet paper that is more durable, the paper will float to the top of the tank and add to the scum layer. The scum layer, like the rest of the septic tank contents, can quickly and efficiently be removed by septic tank pumping as needed. The more toilet paper you use, the more quickly your scum layers will build.

If your toilet paper dissolves too well, it won't settle into the bottom of your septic tank, where it becomes part of the sludge layer. Instead, it goes into your drain field and can clog it up.


http://www.laundry-alternative.com/septic_system_safe_toilet_paper.html

To be on the safe side, it is best to use the cheaper, white, 80 grit, septic safe toilet paper- because it will break down easier. The more people in your household, the more important this is. There is no proof of this, but the dyes in colored toilet paper MAY cause problems.

 

[Mike50]

OK. Thanks. I'll read all that material time permitting. There we go again with the water softener controversy (brine discharge) too.

 

[Mikey]

Yeah, you'd think with the percentage of American homes on septic systems, there'd be some good, definitive science out there advising us what's OK and Not OK to flush. I noticed in the references I cited that they can't even agree on whether non-soluble TP winds up in the scum or the sludge. Maybe outhouses are the answer after all.

 

[Terry]

Scott Tissue Clog Clinic

Scott paper has been doing some testing.
Reading the Seattle Times this morning, I see that they have rated cities according to how clog free they are.

Of course since I sell so many toilets in the Seattle area, you know, the really good ones. I was curious as to which city came out on top.

Cities with the lowest clog rating (least likely to have clogs)
1) Seattle/Tacoma (cities I've been selling to)
2) Denver
3) Minneapolis/St. Paul
4) Orlando area
5) Baltimore

The worst cites for clogging are:
1) New York
2) Miami/Fort Lauderdale
3) Los Angeles
4) Philadelphia
5) Houston
6) Atlanta
7) Chicago
8) Portland
9) Indianapolis
10) San Francisco

 

[TPA]

Where's the option for "none of the above"? I have Toto toilets at all of my homes... and no problems because of it. I proudly use the 2-ply Cottenelle Ultra without problems, and I do tend to use too much TP.

 

[Abikerboy]

Ive always had the most problems with "Angel Soft". Seems to plug up a 45 degree, 3" wye under the house every time. I use the Scott brand 1000 sheet rolls. Seems to work the best.

 

[Cass]

I'm with abikerboy. We use the Scott 1000 sheet rolls. It's more of a $$$ thing to me.

I can't stand paying $$$ for something that gets flushed. My 4 kids just look at a roll of TP and it is gone. I did an experiment and with the Scott 1000 we go through 12 rolls a week (12,000) sheets. Cost about $168.00 / year. When I switch to 2 ply my cost triples.