Alternative TP's?

Because of the delicate plumbing in Mexico, people NEVER flush their toilet paper and there is a trash can next to the toilet to collect "used" toilet paper. It's funny, but in Texas, you will often see notices in the bathroom that says, (In Spanish, of course), Please flush the toilet paper. LOL

donsgal

__________________
Life is what happens while you are making other plans. (John Lennon)

Donsgal, in Texas don't you first have to show them what a toilet is?

__________________
I am me. I like me. Please don't try to change me.

From - http://survival.com/IVB/index.php?sh...95&hl=butt+rag

The Ass rag is an art form.

There are some important first principles when using one;

Preparations:
Carry two rags. One is for your ass the other for your head.
Never interchange the rags.
Mark the rags with a knot. The one with the knot is for your butt "do KNOT use this one". You can write on the rags but the writing might smear. Some folks confuse ASS and FACE.
Use a dark color like brown or green
Bring a container of water (warm if wanted) to site.
Wet one corner of rag.

Procedure:
Use a delivery positon that "spreads and lifts" to minimize contact with Steaming unitary discharge.
At a high speed, crank grogan into appropriate area for disposal or concealment.
Maintain S&L position for "the wipe"

Depending on the virtues of the substance ejected, the ejection port, your position (S&L) and the speed of the delivery your smudge may be minimized, localized or general.

The wipe:
A smooth stick can be used to remove clinging particulates. I prefer willow. Do NOT use pine cones, nettle, thistle or any plant that can cause dermatitus. Using one dry corner, perform a wipe. Use both sides of the corner. If more is needed use another corner. You have 6 dry wipes.
To close your communion use the wet corner as a cleaning stroke. You can rinse the corner with warm water and re-stroke if needed. Never dip the corner, pour the water onto the rag.

Fast Cleanup:
Pour water onto the smudge corners to wash them. A practiced ARM (Ass Rag Man) will have minimal deposition of substance on the corners.
Allow the rag to dry. If hiking, tie it to your pack in the back. When dry, snap the rag and any material will pulverize and blow away. Face downwind. Don not do this over a cooking fire.

Slow Cleanup:
Wash rag with soap and water. Not in a stream. Or you can boil the rag. Dry as above.

Note: The rag can be used as a way to save your campsite. No one will move it.

That is the substance of the UAWS (Unitary Anal Wash System)

Ron Hood

The mullein, Verbascum bombyciferum has soft fuzzy leaves that stay soft even when dry. It's an annual here in northcentral Montana.

Just what I was thinking! We called it "toilet paper plant" when I was a kid...and of course, that meant we had to try it! Better than dried leaves any day, I'm sure.

OMG, if the SHTF, I'm going to be filthy! :baby04: Or be seen scooting, dog-like. I hardly think so. There are plenty of alternatives. Cloth, the phone book, newspaper, etc. But I sure as HECK ain't using my hand.

You folks make light of the subject but the majority of the world does not use toilet paper. Obviously you have never been to India or to the Orient. These people have been addressing the needs far longer than we have given it consideration and they have thrived. You do what you have to and with what is available! When we get there we will conclude what works best. : )

__________________
Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

Best idea I've ever seen is from the ancient Romans. Sponge on a stick. Rinse sponge after use.

I suppose you could put a tad of bleach in the wash water if you wanted to, but there ya go. That's what we'd do here. In fact, we may do it sooner than later.

anntann

newspaper,sale papers,catalog's.....may have to crinkle up for best results....if your thinking hard times but these aren't good in flush systems.

I have now come to the conclusion that TP is a great part of what makes us civilised as a western culture. I am amazed that anyone would want an alternative as a matter of course. I can see the debates over dishwashers on this forum, but as to look for a substitute for TP is taking the whole homesteading lifestyle to a whole new perverse level. Homesteading should be about living a better life, not a third-world deprived (and depraved) one. I should say that I have used leaves and such as a stop gap necessity, but I wouldn't ever make a habit of it.

I suspect that the original poster was trying to get a rise out of us all, and a good laugh is welcome and the responses have been funny. Does anyone else see the irony in someone wanting to rid him/herself of the modern comforts of toilet paper, yet uses a 21st Century technology to express that desire? (TP is not in the homesteading spirit, but my computer and DSL is....)

__________________
-Paul

"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." -Red Green

You can't beat washing it. Wiping it with something dry may be convenient but never did get it clean.

I had a friend who tried vegetarianism for a while and she said the biggest plus was she almost didn't need toilet paper anymore. This may be unique to her own disposition, I've never heard the claim before or since. There again it's not something you go around bragging about.

She enjoyed meat too much to stay vegetarian.

Summer is best for leaves.But I have used dry leaves.Bad thing is the stems get stuck

I remember one time was checking were a brush fire went through.I had to go bad.Thing is there wasn't any leaves around because of the fire.Sent my DS over on the next ridge to get me some leaves.In the moonlight.

Free Sales Papers work good.You just have to work with them while your going to soften them up.

big rockpile

__________________
I love being married.Its so great to find that one person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.



If I need a Shelter
If I need a Friend
I go to the Rock!

You beat me to it, LOL.
I've head of the cigarette paper T.P. (Adults only)

Take one piece of cigarette paper, fold in 4th's, ( once length ways and then once, in half again width ways.)
Tear out the folded corner, save this!

Poke left finger through hole of left hand, use finger to do the dead, then wipe off finger with the sides of the paper and discard.
Use folded corner to clean out finger nail.

P.S. remember I said I heard this, so this is a disclaimer!

Truthfully I am not trying to get a rise out of anyone. I use a sawdust toilet and would like to take it a step further if I find something suitable. Toilet paper, styrofoam cups, plastic utensils, all the same to me.

Well, if you have tons of time on your hands you could always take the junk mail, newspapers etc... and pulp them and make your own nice, soft homemade paper for your tp. I guess it wouldn't take too long to just blend it up and pour onto screen to dry. Cut to size of job needed. I think it would feel a bit better than using the junk mail as is.

LOL-----I remember those days----I always used a red cob---then used a white cob----to see if I needed to use another red one-------------LOL. This thread got me rolling!! Good Wiping!! Randy

I just realized something else, too.... what about all the thousands of square miles of paper company land here in Texas alone... PAPER company land, for making PAPER products out of trees. They manage the land as a renewable resource. Lots of deer hunting leases on paper co. land.

Lots of people use cloth TP (including my family). We use old washcloths, pieces of flannel, cloth baby wipes, etc. Keep a stack of wipes on the back of the toilet. When we're done using the wipes, we place them in a small covered wastebasket. I wash them once or twice a week. You can use bleach if you're worried about germs, but I've never found this to be neccesary.

I started doing this when I had babies and was cloth diapering them. We've continued because it gets us much cleaner than paper TP.

I am not sure if it has been mentioned yet or not - but, in the southwest you can still find bushels of corn cobs out by the outhouses - a bushel of white and a bushel of red. For solid waste you use the red first, then the white to make sure you got it all.

__________________
"Behold this Heart, which has so loved men, and is so little loved in return. Do you at least console Me”
Our Lord to St Margaret Mary

I know this is silly but
once i seen a cartoon where the fellow was sitting on the toilet and had tp run from the roll to another roll that was hooked to bicycle wheel with pedals.. the caption said after using one side turn it over..

that way you could use both sides of the tp.. you know double your use.

i not even going to sign this one.. should have signed out should i..duh

__________________
I Thess. 5:18 "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."