Toilet paper

For other uses, see Toilet paper (disambiguation).

A full roll of toilet paper
Toilet roll and toilet roll holder; the paperboard center of a spent roll is visible on the holder.

Toilet paper (sometimes called toilet/bath/bathroom tissue, or toilet roll)[1] is a tissue paper product primarily used to clean the anus and surrounding region of feces (after defecation), and—primarily for those with vulvas—to clean the external genitalia and perineal area of urine (after urination).[2]

It is commonly supplied as a long strip of perforated paper wrapped around a cylindrical paperboard core, for storage in a dispenser within arm's reach of a toilet. The bundle, or roll of toilet paper, is specifically known as a toilet roll,[3] loo roll,[4] or bog roll (in Britain).[5]

There are other uses for toilet paper, as it is a readily available household product. It can be used for blowing the nose or wiping the eyes (or other uses of facial tissue). It can be used to wipe off sweat or absorb it. Some people may use the paper to absorb the bloody discharge that comes out of the vagina during menstruation. Toilet paper can be used in cleaning (like a less abrasive paper towel). As a teenage prank, "toilet papering" is a form of temporary vandalism.

Most modern toilet paper in the developed world is designed to decompose in septic tanks, whereas some other bathroom and facial tissues are not. Wet toilet paper rapidly decomposes in the environment. Toilet paper comes in various numbers of plies (layers of thickness), from one- to six-ply, with more back-to-back plies providing greater strength and absorbency. Most modern domestic toilet paper is white, and patterned or textured. Some people have a preference for whether the orientation of the roll on a dispenser should be over or under.

The use of paper for hygiene has been recorded in China in the 6th century AD, with specifically manufactured toilet paper being mass-produced in the 14th century.[6] Modern commercial toilet paper originated in the 19th century, with a patent for roll-based dispensers being made in 1883.

  1. ^ "toilet tissue". Cambridge English Dictionary. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  2. ^ "Definition of bathroom tissue". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Toilet Roll". Cambridge English Dictionary. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Loo Roll | Meaning of Loo Roll by Lexico". Lexico Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Bog roll definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference needham volume 5 part 1 123 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).