Finding new ways to stretch the budget is important, with the cost of living rising and pensions not always covering bills, groceries, and other expenses.

But a mum who recently suggested ditching traditional toilet paper for reusable rags (which she dubbed as ‘family cloth’) has caused outrage online from people who think she’s taken penny-pinching a step too far.

Frith, who considers herself a 'reusable nappy expert', frequently makes online videos where she shares her eco-friendly family lifestyle.

And recently, her videos promoting her reusable toilet cloths have become popular. She claims that her switch has already saved her £77, or around $150, but the comments on her videos have been mainly negative.

A Scottish mum shared their family’s alternative to toilet paper. Image source: TikTok/@frithonlife.

'We’ve had a toilet roll subscription for the last three years so I can easily see how much less we’re using and how much we’re saving,' Frith captioned her video.

She also explained the cleaning process: 'They only need a quick rinse cycle and then they can go in your normal laundry wash.'

Despite the flurry of criticism, Frith claims that reusable cloths—when washed correctly—are far more hygienic than paper and better for sensitive skin in the area. They also don’t need to be touched once used as they are stored in a zip wetbag.

'Simply unzip the bag and pop it in the machine and it will do all the rest for you,' she explained.

However, many are unconvinced by this mum’s tip as she received a barrage of criticism for her wiping solution.

Despite this, the mum stood by her decision and said in a follow-up video that she does not understand people’s problem with using cloth instead of toilet paper.

'Somehow people are absolutely outraged that someone might want to use a reusable cloth to wipe their bottom when it's far more hygienic than using paper that doesn't really clean you and you're more likely to get poo on your hands,' the mum said.

'Washing machines are amazing things and they clean stuff way better than soap and water. So if anyone can explain to me what the issue is, that'd be great.'

Frith’s argument is valid according to colorectal surgeon Dr Bradley Morris. He also suggested shifting to toiler paper alternatives to avoid heath issues caused by excessive wiping.

'Most of the problems I see with the skin around the anus are due to excess attempts at hygiene, and it’s very rarely due to inadequate hygiene. It’s a very sensitive area,' Dr Morris said.

'I don't understand why we use toilet paper to wipe, if you imagine soiling your face or something else where you wouldn't smear it off with toilet paper.'

The doctor suggested Aussies to shift their mindsets and join the 70 per cent of the world’s population who don’t use toilet paper.

'I think we need to readdress culturally what we do, and maybe look at bidets, and using water to wash, but excess wiping can traumatise the skin,' he said.

And to add, the environmental benefits of leaving toilet paper behind are substantial as millions of trees are logged annually to meet the world’s demand for toilet paper.

The material in toilet paper also contains chemicals that have been linked to a range of human and environmental health problems.

You can watch her full video below:

Source: TikTok/@frithonlife. ​

Key Takeaways

• A mum named Frith has caused controversy by deciding to use rags instead of toilet paper as a part of her eco-friendly lifestyle.
  
• She has saved about £77 or around $150 since making the switch and she cleans the reusable wipes in the washing machine.
  
• The decision has received a lot of backlash, but Frith defends her decision and argues that the cloth is more hygienic and effective than paper.
  
• Colorectal surgeon Dr Bradley Morris supports alternatives to toilet paper due to health issues caused by excessive wiping.
  
• The environmental benefit of reduced toilet paper usage was also highlighted.
  

Members, what are your thoughts on this story? Would you be amenable to lessening your use of toilet paper? Let us know in the comments below!

 

[Royal Watcher]

What's wrong with a face-cloth as opposed to "wet wipes" whatever they are. Just wash the face-cloth very thoroughly before washing your face. Yes; I am uncivilised and disgusting, I know; it comes of having lived and worked in the bush in a developing nation where bog-rolls are a luxury flown in by helicopter and flush toilets and sewers are unknown.

No, it’s not uncivilised & disgusting; I did it in a developed nation called Australia! It’s called living in the country on a sheep station with every mod con we could have, except sometimes the Aga stove went out - no hot water until re-heated, Freelite didn’t have wind, had to put huge engine on to get electricity (only had 32 volt not 2.40Volt like city dwellers!)
Did have chain pull toilet & the big pit where all that went had to be sucked out regularly & taken away (all the effluent was treated with lime so it wasn’t quite as pongy as it would have otherwise been!! But we did have toilet paper, except if you went out on property & got caught short, or you went to a country dance where the ‘long drop’ was outside the hall & the squares of newspaper hung on a string!!!

 

[Ricki]

Makes a lot of sense from a cost and environmental standpoint but I suspect most people are too precious to go along with it.
That's what us baby-boomers used for the first year or so of our lives. In her memoires my Mother wrote that she was quite proud of the 'white flags' she hung out on the line each day as a symbol of her motherhood (in 1944). Dunked and rinsed in a bucket, washed by hand with a bar of sunlight soap (and rubber gloves), boiled in another big pot, put through the mangle then hung out to dry. I must admit that toilet paper is more convenient.

I remember those days. I made my own monthly pads when I started working and my daughters continued but were lucky as you can buy them at many health food stores.
Not sure about pads as replacement dunny paper. Soaking in a bucket reminds me of nappies years ago. Been there no thanks

 

[Kellettw]

OK so poop is going through your washing machine, first rinse cycle! That alone is unhygienic. Soiled rags left lying waiting to be 'washed', be it in a bucket of water or not, is disgusting AND again unhygienic. But storing the soiled cloths in a zip it bag, ugh please! This whole thing reeks (excuse the pun) of vomit inducing bad hygiene. Worms anyone? Gastro? Really just STOP this ridiculousness. Bidets are probably the best alternative, indeed many countries have them in all toilets now. UNTIL we catch up & catch on let's NOT catch vile bacteria spreading from ditching the good old loo paper!

You obviously never used cloth nappies! What’s the difference? & No, I am not changing to cloth!

 

[Chris]

You obviously never used cloth nappies! What’s the difference? & No, I am not changing to cloth!

Oh but I did! What I did not do is leave them to fester bacteria in a zip lock bag then run them through my washing machine! Do you really want your clothes put in the machine after those rags? UGH!

 

[Leoniey]

Makes a lot of sense from a cost and environmental standpoint but I suspect most people are too precious to go along with it.
That's what us baby-boomers used for the first year or so of our lives. In her memoires my Mother wrote that she was quite proud of the 'white flags' she hung out on the line each day as a symbol of her motherhood (in 1944). Dunked and rinsed in a bucket, washed by hand with a bar of sunlight soap (and rubber gloves), boiled in another big pot, put through the mangle then hung out to dry. I must admit that toilet paper is more convenient.

I agree - we used to use cloth nappies on our babies and wash them in the machine all the time. Not sure how this is so different, soak them in a bucket of napisan first and hot wash. great idea!

 

[Isis]

Finding new ways to stretch the budget is important, with the cost of living rising and pensions not always covering bills, groceries, and other expenses.

But a mum who recently suggested ditching traditional toilet paper for reusable rags (which she dubbed as ‘family cloth’) has caused outrage online from people who think she’s taken penny-pinching a step too far.

Frith, who considers herself a 'reusable nappy expert', frequently makes online videos where she shares her eco-friendly family lifestyle.

And recently, her videos promoting her reusable toilet cloths have become popular. She claims that her switch has already saved her £77, or around $150, but the comments on her videos have been mainly negative.

View attachment 32918

A Scottish mum shared their family’s alternative to toilet paper. Image source: TikTok/@frithonlife.

'We’ve had a toilet roll subscription for the last three years so I can easily see how much less we’re using and how much we’re saving,' Frith captioned her video.

She also explained the cleaning process: 'They only need a quick rinse cycle and then they can go in your normal laundry wash.'

Despite the flurry of criticism, Frith claims that reusable cloths—when washed correctly—are far more hygienic than paper and better for sensitive skin in the area. They also don’t need to be touched once used as they are stored in a zip wetbag.

'Simply unzip the bag and pop it in the machine and it will do all the rest for you,' she explained.

However, many are unconvinced by this mum’s tip as she received a barrage of criticism for her wiping solution.

Despite this, the mum stood by her decision and said in a follow-up video that she does not understand people’s problem with using cloth instead of toilet paper.

'Somehow people are absolutely outraged that someone might want to use a reusable cloth to wipe their bottom when it's far more hygienic than using paper that doesn't really clean you and you're more likely to get poo on your hands,' the mum said.

'Washing machines are amazing things and they clean stuff way better than soap and water. So if anyone can explain to me what the issue is, that'd be great.'

Frith’s argument is valid according to colorectal surgeon Dr Bradley Morris. He also suggested shifting to toiler paper alternatives to avoid heath issues caused by excessive wiping.

'Most of the problems I see with the skin around the anus are due to excess attempts at hygiene, and it’s very rarely due to inadequate hygiene. It’s a very sensitive area,' Dr Morris said.

'I don't understand why we use toilet paper to wipe, if you imagine soiling your face or something else where you wouldn't smear it off with toilet paper.'

The doctor suggested Aussies to shift their mindsets and join the 70 per cent of the world’s population who don’t use toilet paper.

'I think we need to readdress culturally what we do, and maybe look at bidets, and using water to wash, but excess wiping can traumatise the skin,' he said.

And to add, the environmental benefits of leaving toilet paper behind are substantial as millions of trees are logged annually to meet the world’s demand for toilet paper.

The material in toilet paper also contains chemicals that have been linked to a range of human and environmental health problems.

You can watch her full video below:

Source: TikTok/@frithonlife. ​

Key Takeaways

• A mum named Frith has caused controversy by deciding to use rags instead of toilet paper as a part of her eco-friendly lifestyle.
• She has saved about £77 or around $150 since making the switch and she cleans the reusable wipes in the washing machine.
• The decision has received a lot of backlash, but Frith defends her decision and argues that the cloth is more hygienic and effective than paper.
• Colorectal surgeon Dr Bradley Morris supports alternatives to toilet paper due to health issues caused by excessive wiping.
• The environmental benefit of reduced toilet paper usage was also highlighted.

Members, what are your thoughts on this story? Would you be amenable to lessening your use of toilet paper? Let us know in the comments below!

Not a problem, how long has toilet paper been around? There was a time when we cut up newspapers to use. Way back when toilet rags were used, or so my nan said . Put in a big bin and in those days boiled in a copper . I would like to see the comparison cost of electricity to the cost of loo rolls though. Something like bleach might be added as well I would think. Think if I were a visitor I would be holding it though

 

[Isis]

TOTALLY GROSS!!!!! EW YEUCK!! FILTH! DISGUSTING!
Then to just rinse and put in with everything else OMG HOW DISPICABLE!
There is no way it is clean for the rags or the other washing.
i don't care if some quack @$$ doctor thinks it is good. IT IS DISGUSTING! For F's sake! Go get some loo paper from the supermarket; discount or department store! Subscription places can be expensive, surely there are places they can get some crapper rolls cheaper than they were and be actual humans not weird barbarian cave people! if the enviro impact worries them they could always try the panda food loo paper woolies sells. Gosh knows they try and make everything outta panda food these days it's a wonder there's any left for the pandas. You'd have to think cloth would irritate the @$$ more than paper designed for that purpose.
Will NOT be changing from the $h%t rolls to 'other' alternatives - next thing these wierdo types will be having us all gather the garden leaves to use in the dunny.

Perhaps lose less paper. During Covid lockdown we couldn’t get much so our usage became much smaller with the same result

 

[Francesl]

Finding new ways to stretch the budget is important, with the cost of living rising and pensions not always covering bills, groceries, and other expenses.

But a mum who recently suggested ditching traditional toilet paper for reusable rags (which she dubbed as ‘family cloth’) has caused outrage online from people who think she’s taken penny-pinching a step too far.

Frith, who considers herself a 'reusable nappy expert', frequently makes online videos where she shares her eco-friendly family lifestyle.

And recently, her videos promoting her reusable toilet cloths have become popular. She claims that her switch has already saved her £77, or around $150, but the comments on her videos have been mainly negative.

View attachment 32918

A Scottish mum shared their family’s alternative to toilet paper. Image source: TikTok/@frithonlife.

'We’ve had a toilet roll subscription for the last three years so I can easily see how much less we’re using and how much we’re saving,' Frith captioned her video.

She also explained the cleaning process: 'They only need a quick rinse cycle and then they can go in your normal laundry wash.'

Despite the flurry of criticism, Frith claims that reusable cloths—when washed correctly—are far more hygienic than paper and better for sensitive skin in the area. They also don’t need to be touched once used as they are stored in a zip wetbag.

'Simply unzip the bag and pop it in the machine and it will do all the rest for you,' she explained.

However, many are unconvinced by this mum’s tip as she received a barrage of criticism for her wiping solution.

Despite this, the mum stood by her decision and said in a follow-up video that she does not understand people’s problem with using cloth instead of toilet paper.

'Somehow people are absolutely outraged that someone might want to use a reusable cloth to wipe their bottom when it's far more hygienic than using paper that doesn't really clean you and you're more likely to get poo on your hands,' the mum said.

'Washing machines are amazing things and they clean stuff way better than soap and water. So if anyone can explain to me what the issue is, that'd be great.'

Frith’s argument is valid according to colorectal surgeon Dr Bradley Morris. He also suggested shifting to toiler paper alternatives to avoid heath issues caused by excessive wiping.

'Most of the problems I see with the skin around the anus are due to excess attempts at hygiene, and it’s very rarely due to inadequate hygiene. It’s a very sensitive area,' Dr Morris said.

'I don't understand why we use toilet paper to wipe, if you imagine soiling your face or something else where you wouldn't smear it off with toilet paper.'

The doctor suggested Aussies to shift their mindsets and join the 70 per cent of the world’s population who don’t use toilet paper.

'I think we need to readdress culturally what we do, and maybe look at bidets, and using water to wash, but excess wiping can traumatise the skin,' he said.

And to add, the environmental benefits of leaving toilet paper behind are substantial as millions of trees are logged annually to meet the world’s demand for toilet paper.

The material in toilet paper also contains chemicals that have been linked to a range of human and environmental health problems.

You can watch her full video below:

Source: TikTok/@frithonlife. ​

Key Takeaways

• A mum named Frith has caused controversy by deciding to use rags instead of toilet paper as a part of her eco-friendly lifestyle.
• She has saved about £77 or around $150 since making the switch and she cleans the reusable wipes in the washing machine.
• The decision has received a lot of backlash, but Frith defends her decision and argues that the cloth is more hygienic and effective than paper.
• Colorectal surgeon Dr Bradley Morris supports alternatives to toilet paper due to health issues caused by excessive wiping.
• The environmental benefit of reduced toilet paper usage was also highlighted.

Members, what are your thoughts on this story? Would you be amenable to lessening your use of toilet paper? Let us know in the comments below!

I see nothing wrong with that. It would certainly be more environmentally friendly. Fewer trees cut down, less waste to be processed and, as the doctor said, better for the anal area. I use a bidet which would make cleaning the cloths easier. I’ll probably switch to this but would have to test different materials. Maybe just buying face washers for that purpose?

 

[Francesl]

Not a problem, how long has toilet paper been around? There was a time when we cut up newspapers to use. Way back when toilet rags were used, or so my nan said . Put in a big bin and in those days boiled in a copper . I would like to see the comparison cost of electricity to the cost of loo rolls though. Something like bleach might be added as well I would think. Think if I were a visitor I would be holding it though

Always easy to keep a few toilet rolls around for visitors..

 

[marni]

So all these people saying yuk etc. are from the "disposable nappy" generation. Remember when we had beautiful white nappies flowing in the wind on the washing line? These were washed in the family's washing machine after a soak. I so despise the overflow of rubbish disposable nappies make. No different to the OP's suggestion to use reusable cloth.