We from Hospitality School, are also trying to educate people to fight against this deadly Coronavirus disease. We have decided to publish 2 articles on how to prepare own toilet paper and hand sanitizer at home. Today is the first one:
YES! SHORTAGE HAPPENS BUT DON’T PANIC
The demand for a commodity like a toilet paper always soar in pandemic or any emergency situations. This situation may be caused by an unprecedented surge in the consumer need for the product. Very recently, the whole world is witnessing the panic purchase of such products such as serviettes, wet wipes, etc. due to the outbreak of the global pandemic of the coronavirus causing the covid-19. When there is such an outbreak, the stores fail to keep up with the demand of the customers. This may lead to two pertinent issues; that is, hiking in prices or a complete shortage. Of course, one leads to the other. However bad the situation gets, there are a few solutions in the store that you can exploit for your own survival.
In this DIY How to Guide you will learn why you should stop hoarding toilet paper and make your own.
Why people are panic buying?
General people are panic buying and stockpiling toilet paper to survive against coronavirus and when they see videos and photos of empty shelves in superstores, got panic news from friends and families then very naturally they don’t think in most rational way and their mind triggers them toward panic buying.
On the recent attack, disease control bodies such as the WHO and the CDC have continued to give instructions on how to best cub the situation. Toilet papers have been extensively mentioned as accessories when sneezing or coughing. You are supposed to cover your mouth and nose when yawning, sneezing, or coughing. So, the necessity of toilet paper is real but the question is how to get it? The solution may be to use toilet paper alternatives or to make your own at home. In this guide, we are going to look at both solutions on how to best survive situations like pandemics.
Best toilet paper alternatives
Below are some of the standard alternatives to toilet papers.
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Paper: any kind of paper here can do. Be it a printer paper, or a newspaper, as long as you scramble and rub it against itself to make it soft, it can be used just as well. After usage, you can dump them safely or burn them all the same.
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Water: well, water can be used with toilet papers or independent of the papers. It can be used to wash away all the dirt as well as keeping yourself hygienic. In fact, water is preferred for a thorough clean than toilet paper.
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Sponge: one can use a damp sponge to wipe away dirt. However, sponges are not entirely clean and free from pathogens. Therefore, before using a sponge, ensure you insert into bleach or a disinfectant since it may harbor bacteria or viruses.
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Cloth: this may be the best alternative for toilet paper. However, as the user, you need to exercise caution. Clothes can be great wipes when you make them damp or wet; in fact, most folks prefer fabrics to the toilet paper itself. But, you should ensure that hygiene is strictly considered.
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Leaves: as unorthodox as this may sound, leaves are a great alternative to toilet papers. The leaves that you may be looking at should be broad, flexible, and fresh. Also, avoid recycling leaves. There are many types of leaves that you can use in place of tissue paper. They include; cottonwood, maple, grape leaves, moss, hazelnut, fuzzy lamp, etc. While picking leaves to use, ensure you keep away poisonous leaves. These kinds of leaves mostly occur in groups of three leaves per stalk (trifoliate)
It gets even much weirder when you realize that some types are also used for toilet paper purposes as well; however, this is just as it can get since stones cannot be used to cover your mouth or nose. Furthermore, they cannot be destroyed. Making stones one of the worst alternatives.
How to Make your Own Toilet Paper – the Recipe
The following is a detailed process on how to prepare your own toilet paper at home, in this written tutorial, we shall look at the requirements, ingredients, and finally the step by step process itself.
Requirements:
- A pot
- Spoon or ladle
- Mallet or a hammer
- Towel
- Rolling pin
- A large cutting board
- Source of fire
- Weights
- Bucket or tab
Ingredients
- Water
- Aloe Vera or baby oil or any oil which is not scented
- Grass and leaves
- Large non-glossy papers
Toilet Paper Making Process
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Put the paper in a container with water to soak out any ink on the paper. Pull out the paper from water only when a significant amount of inked has seeped out.
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Put water in a pot and place it on a source of the fire. Place the soaked paper inside the pot, cover it with the leaves and grass then proceed to boil. Ensure the temperatures are controlled lowly for at least one hour.
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You can put to water to the rolling boil for a period of thirty minutes. At this time, you can add water as you please but ensure you rid the pot of the foam regularly whenever it forms.
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After the setup has completely boiled, you will then need to remove it from heat to cool. However, you also need to do away with the excess water in the pot. You can scoop it out with a container, or you can pour it out. However, ensure you cause no or the minimal disturbance to the pulp formed as possible. The boiled paper turned into pulp, and it should not be allowed to dry up. Therefore, it would be best if it remained in the pot during the cooling process.
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The next step aims at softening the pulp. Here, you will use the oil, either the baby oil or aloe Vera oil. The unscented oil is poured but dropwise into a pot containing the pulp. You can use a spoon, and if so, measure four spoons of the oil.
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Take the mixture of oil and the pulp, remove it from the pot and spread it nicely on a towel or a sheet of cloth. Or, you can use the rolling pin to roll it out, ensuring that the layer remains thin. Use a hammer or a mallet to align the lumps that may have formed, making the rolls as thin as possible.
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Roll out the pulp and place a board on top of it. Increase its weight with extra loads or heavy objects in the house.
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Wait at least 30 minutes with the load on top of the rolled out pulp, then remove them with the towel or sheet as well by flipping them upside down.
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The resulting foil is the homemade toilet paper. You can then remove it out on the sun to dry.
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Use a sharp razor or a pair of scissors to cut into pieces or small strips the dried toilet paper.
Advantages and Disadvantages of homemade toilet papers
Since people will not waste their time trying to make their own toilet papers from home, it is, therefore, safe to say that it is much convenient to purchase commercially availed papers than having to make them by themselves. There has been a lot of debate on whether people should throw away toilet papers and adopt alternatives (which have been discussed above). Whichever side you are, toilet papers are important in maintaining hygiene both at home and outdoors. Below are some of the benefits one can derive from homemade toilet papers and their demerits as well.
Advantages
- The process of making is not that completed. One can do it without directions.
- The ingredients are naturally available; therefore, one does not need to purchase them.
- A large number of papers can be produced in one go.
- It can be cost-saving if the maker prepares it more than once.
- Drying is dependent on the sun which is natural and readily available
Disadvantages
- Some of the materials that are used in the preparation are derived from the environment. Hence, if they are making these toilet papers for more people, then there is a likely chance that the environment is going to be affected.
- The process is tedious
- It is time-wasting
- The paper one gets is not standard as that one purchase.
- Depending on the sun can be detrimental, especially during winter, when there is no sun.
The Bottom Line
Whether you are in it because of the shortage caused by escalated demand, curiosity pushed you, or you are genuinely into using natural compounds to make products for yourself, homemade toilet papers can be a lifesaver. Besides, you can use them just the way the commercial toilet papers are used. Furthermore, you can produce more than you can use, hence you can make a sale to make a few coins for yourself. The first process seems costly; however, the subsequent preparations are very economical. You may never regret getting employment here!
