I've thought of this, the sometimes frantic search for TP now, and ironically saw an article on it this morning: Bidets.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/bidet-sales-soar-as-toilet-paper-sells-out-amid-coronavirus-fears/ar-BB11izAn?ocid=msedgdhp
The retrofit cost is nominal. And think how many trees would be saved, to live another day and help cool the earth: about 54 million trees are processed and eventually sacrificed in the porcelain throne.
This just seems like such a natural upgrade, cleaner, less environmentally damaging through the loss of trees, and easier, especially for older folks.
Lowe’s also has Lysol and Clorox wipes at good prices. Great suggestion about Lowe’s.
I think about when I was in the Girl Scouts on a camping trip. We decided to roll the troop leader’s cabins, cars, we rolled everything! LOL
The troop leaders got us back! They didn’t replace our toilet paper. We had to use paper towels or napkins from the kitchen.
We were silly 12 year olds!
Do you have a Lowe's there or near by? We do and they sell paper towels and toilet paper, maybe look there.
Also, if you have a Family Dollar you could try there. The last time I was in a Family Dollar they were fulling supply, while the big store shelves were empty!
Good luck!
I live in an apartment with two roommates, I buy the paper supplies as part of the rental agreements. If I get a bidet seat, it would only be maybe 6 months before it would pay for itself, and that's taking into consideration that some TP would still be used.
I think it's a great solution beyond the TP shortage.
Do you have a Gordon Food Store? They also sell in bulk, but I don't know if they're in your area.
i have not been able to buy a single paper product for 2 weeks. Everyone here is hoarding toilet paper, napkins, paper towels and Kleenex! I had to have my husband steal a box of Kleenex from work today because I’ve been using toilet paper!
And now it seems people are hoarding thermometers too? Just saw an angry post from someone in my parents towns local FB group, this person doesn’t have a thermometer and went to the dollar general to buy one but couldn’t because someone else had just grabbed the last 6 the store had!
I’m still surprised at the empty shelves here. I went to Nob Hill for a few necessities last night & because I was hoping to finally find toilet paper. No toilet paper. We needed sugar....I got the last one on the shelf. I was expecting there to be none left since no store here has had sugar or flour in the last 2 weeks either.
Now if I could just find some damn toilet paper!
I've bumped into a former co-worker who was just wandering around with her lightly loaded cart. We waved and shouted hi from a distance so we could do the social distancing routine.
I'm so glad I routinely buy the bare necessities since it gave me some lead time. In the meantime, my neighbors and I have been keeping up with each other's inventories and doing a few front door trades as needed. It decreases having to share the public space in the grocery isle.
I do have a neighbor scared to go into CVS to get her prescription since she can not use the drive through. She was told she has to come in because it's a controlled drug that requires her signature. Face-to-face is the only way to sign and take possession of the script. (I wonder how a POA would accomplish this task, especially if the pharmacist did not know the POA.
The stores weren't entirely thinking either until one day they started rationing. It was quite interesting to see what items each store was rationing. Toilet paper, Kleenex, paper towels, and wipes of all types just not to be found. Even still it's hard to find these items. People are mostly polite and social distancing encourages reasonable behavior.
On one treasure hunt ,there was 2 three-packs of Kleenex on the shelf. The couple in front of me grabbed the first 3-pack and said "this is all there is". I told them if they were desperate, there was another 3-pack at the back of the shelf, but they let me claim the other pack. At least I scored my box of Kleenex on that trip. Felt like the kid who won the top prize.
This really reminds me of the oil embargo back in the 70s. Cars lined up and people speeding to be first in front to get to the gas pump. Of course that really was an oil shortage, and pumps ran empty quite often. But we don't have the TP etc. shortages. I'm sure some shortages will be felt by all of us soon because everything is so out of balance now. Supply chains and transportation are really challenged.
In the meantime, driving all over to find what is needed has become a treasure hunt of sorts. At least gas is reasonable right now. But we discovered it's really a lot easier to compare neighbor's inventories and handle much that way. Not all neighborhoods can cooperate or trust those nearby so we are lucky.
I'm so glad I'm not a senior having to navigate this mess. Of course injury at that requires medical attention is not a comforting thought either.
Some stores have altered their policies to help with this potential issue, among others. The thought of having to visit any ER department right now is not comforting.
and in that short period of time he missed out on the toilet paper being put out. Experiencing this over and over obviously creates a fear of supply. Every day things change so one never knows if what is barely available today will disappear not to mention the ability to be in a store at the right time. I am starting to think there should be appointments made for purchasing but I know that won't happen so we continue on this carousel of disparity.
Yes I presently have more toilet paper than I normally would have but I want a break from leaving the house at dark and being amongst a crowd when a store opens. I am on toilet paper hiatus for the time being.
Maybe only in Australia...
My DH warned the neighbours if they heard screaming from the backyard, it would just be us with the hose. It has a trigger gun with spray or jet options (men & their hose connections 😜). But after using it to shower when the gas hot water service broke a few years back I can assure you COLD water is not that much fun.
The bum gun sounds ok, too, but may depend on whose hands it's in and how nimble one was in dexterity and minds ~ or if one was sick. How much practice would that take before getting it just right? Could wind up having to clean and paint all, including the ceiling!
If the water was shut off during an emergency though (seems to be happening now, too!), then we'd be up that creek we all know the name of.
I always suggest people get a bidet with an adjustable nozzle. That way you don't have to do the bidet dance. You can just move the nozzle around. You don't have to pay a lot for that. Some $20 range bidets have that feature.
I've had Asian bidets for over 10 years. I can't go back to TP. I only buy some TP once a year. For this event, I didn't even think about buy any. The little stack I bought over a year ago is still pretty big.
You'll need something to dry your bum with a cheap $20 bidet. That can be a bit of TP or some people put a fan over the toilet tank. A better Asian bidet comes with drying built in. No TP needed. You will need a power outlet next to the toilet for the drying bidets. That's why modern houses have power outlets right next to the toilet.
Something else you can use instead of a bidet is what they have in Thailand. Known to tourists as a bum gun. It's basically that sprayer most people have on their kitchen sinks attached to the toilet. That works as well. It does take some skill to use properly and not spray water all over the bathroom. Once you get it down though it's easy. Something like that would save you from having to move to the shower.
But let’s get real.
Based on my nearly 27 years of
dealing with Rainmans poop - maybe Rainman has super hardy poo - but to really clean - I have to say that the force of the water would have to be such that it would blow one off the seat.
At times - certainly not every time - but there are times when after a poo I’ve had to have Rainman hop into the shower - and I give him a power rinse with the hand held shower head option and it STILL doesn’t fully do the job. So back to more baby wipes. If the Rain Forests are dependent on me using less wipes on his poopy bottom - I’d have to admit I wouldn’t bet on the Rain Forest.
I mean, I try. I really do. Really. But a ineffective butt cleaning leads to itching, burning “discomfort” and that only leads to busy fingers. And - that just can’t happen.
I would buy a bidet - I would - if I had more space in my bathroom and all my other more pressing bills were magically taken care of. But, to depend on just a bidet to do the job? Nope.
(this is why I think we need to have a display bathroom facility, they could put a different model in each stall 🤣)
Enquiring minds need to know. 🤔