The Great Toilet Paper Debate!

Episode 30.

 

Ray

We’re back and we’re talking about one of the great debates in households and restaurants and anywhere that you have a restroom. Toilet paper, over or under? Let the war begin.

 

Joel

I’ve never heard that argument. If I had only had a dollar, because of inflation. If I had a dollar, I’d be retired by now, and I’m only 55. That question is asked all the time. And actually last week, my sister text messaged me from her place of employment because they had questions about over or under? But before she asked me, they conducted their own in-house experiment.

 

Ray

They had a toilet paper experiment.

 

Joel

They had a toilet paper.

 

Ray

That should be great. Let’s hear it.

 

Joel

So, what they did is they have a double roll dispenser. They sit side by side, and they’re open. And it’s general, like household toilet paper, like you have in your home. So, they put one roll having it go over, which is closest to the toilet, and then a roll going under, further away.

 

Ray

Now, for those who are not clear, over means it’s going to be over the top, under. It’s going to be down the back.

 

Joel

Along the back, along the dirty wall. I mean, along the wall. So, they did that experiment for a little over a week. And about three to one, they had to change the overall three times more often than the under roll. So, they said, well, it’s probably because of the placement. Because it was the closest one to the bowl. So they switched it to the overall further away from the toilet, and the under roll closer to the toilet, and it was still about three to one. (Okay) So, that helps enforce what the actual rule is. The rule is, is let the paper come over the top.

 

Why do I know that? Because there’s two patents. Who’s looked up the patent for toilet paper? (Oh, me. Pick me. Pick me.) So, in 1891, US patent 465,588. On December 22 of 1891, by Seth Wheeler, the Seth Wheeler (Oh, that close) out of Albany, New York.

 

Ray

Oh, really? That close. So, blame New York for one other thing. And on the patent, it shows the direction of the tear-able sheets that we use today.

 

Ray

By that it means, they can be torn and not that they’re terrible.

 

Joel

Right. So that they separate properly. And it shows the roll being attached on a device, that the roll is coming over the top. And he’s actually the second person, but he’s the one with the tear-able sheets. (Okay). The first US patent happened in 1857. And that was by The Joseph Gayetty. Yes, that Joseph  Geyetty. (That Joseph Gayetty)

 

Joel

And it was listed on the us patent as medicated paper with a water closet, and his name was actually written on every sheet so that people wouldn’t forget that Mister Gayetty was the inventor of toilet paper, (Or that he got crapped on a lot, too.) It was a dirty business and he made sure to make a profit on it. But yes, toilet paper was first invented back in 1857, but how it goes on a roll, that patent was designed in 1891.

 

Ray

Okay, now I am curious. Are there other than “mechanical reasons” for over as the proper installation?

 

Joel

Well, and I kind of joked about that earlier in the podcast. And the reason why is, when you have the paper go under, the direction of the paper is along the wall. Usually people, when it goes under that roll tends to have a little bit longer lead on it. So, it’s dragging down the wall and sometimes all the way to the floor.

 

Ray

And do you really want to put that on you?

 

Joel

That’s exactly right, because we all have heard about the toilet sneeze. Oh, maybe not. It’ll be a great podcast, coming up.

 

Ray

Toilet sneeze. We’re going to need visuals for that one.

 

Joel

The toilet sneeze. Every time you flush, that toilet stuff adheres to everything, the walls, the doors, or whatever. So as that toilet paper is going down the wall, it’s picking off all of the materials that have been flushed into the air over the course of however long that paper’s been exposed. We know that when there’s topical issues on surfaces that create a food source for germs and bacteria, that that paper touching, that you have transference from that (surface) to the paper and then to you.

 

Ray

Okay, ooh. This is a very personal topic.

 

Joel

It’s a little touchy.

 

Ray

Joel, can I also assume that as far as simply the space that’s caused. With the roller coil over the top. Just give you a place to put your hand in there and get a better grip on paper.

 

Joel

A little bit better. Yes. And it also depends on the type of toilet paper dispenser that’s in there, because there are also ones that have side jumbo junior or much larger, like the toilet paper that’s in there. But again, when you put those in there, they’re supposed to be rolling over the top. Also to help make it so it tears on the perforations that are generated by the dispenser itself.

 

Ray

These are just crappy topics. I’m sorry. I cannot wait to see the comments on this one. This should be fun. So, Joel, thank you for clarifying the correct way to install a toilet paper roll and why?

 

Joel

And Stacy, thank you for reaching out to me. I told you I’d bring this up on my next podcast.

Ray

Thank you, Stacy.