Although used every day by almost everybody in the world. Many people don’t know the basic facts about toilet papers, like where it originated from, why it is made the was it is etc, and that is about to end.
Here are 7 very interesting facts about toilet paper.
1. The Chinese were the first to use it
Although paper had been known as a wrapping and padding material in China since the 2nd century BC, the first documented use of toilet paper in human history dates back to the 6th century AD, in early medieval China.
2. Foreigners hated the idea
Yes, to the other countries of the ancient world, using toilet paper was the most disgusting act of all. Even, An Arabic traveler who visited China saw them use it firsthand. He wrote about it in disgust, saying,
“ They are not careful about cleanliness, and they do not wash themselves with water when they have done their necessities; but they only wipe themselves with paper.”
3. Countries of the Ancient world preferred Using
Before the tissue became widely accepted, people (wealthy people) wiped themselves with wool , lace etc while less wealthy people cleaned themselves with various materials such as rags, wood shavings, leaves, hay, stone, water, fruit skins etc (Thank Goodness i wasn’t around then).
4. The use of toilet paper contributes to deforestation
It takes about 384 trees to make the toilet paper that just one individual would use within his lifetime.
Global toilet paper demand uses nearly 30,000 trees every day, that’s almost 10 million trees a year are cut down so you can continue using tissue papers in your various homes.
5. Not everyone likes it
60-75% of Africans still doesn’t use toilet paper not solely because they can’t affird it or anything, but because they think it is not nearly as effective as water.
6. How do you hang your toilet paper
According to maxim, If you hang your toilet paper so you can pull it from the bottom, you’re considered more intelligent than someone who pulls it from the top.
7. Ever wondered Why it is built the way it is built
I used to think toilet papers were made soft just so we can wipe ourselves without sustaining any form of injury. But apparently i was wrong, you see in order to advance decomposition of the paper in septic tanks or drainage, the paper used has shorter fibres than facial tissue or writing paper.
The manufacturer tries to reach an optimal balance between rapid decomposition and firmness so as to prevent the toilet from clogging.