Your Toilet Paper Might Be Scary

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After last week’s article all about why we don’t use Kleenex I had several requests to investigate that other tissue that we use in the bathroom, toilet paper. My initial thought was that toilet paper or “TP” as it’s known around my house, wasn’t going to be as bad. Was I wrong?

Here is the ingredient list for Charmin Sensitive TP:

First ingredient: Mineral Oil. We went over that one in the Kleenex post. Mineral Oil actually traps dirt and bacteria…not something I’d really care for in my toilet paper….

Cetearyl Alcohol(basically a moisturizer), Beeswax, Steareth 2

Not only is Steareth 2 made from scary chemicals I also found that it’s an environmental toxin and a violation of industry reccommendations.

And then the rest of the ingredients: Aloe Vera  Extract, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), all appear to be “ok”.

I also looked into the latest invention in TP, Moist Wipes. And I won’t pick on Charmin for the whole post so we will look at the ingredients in Cottonelle Moist Wipes…

Oh for the love of all that’s sweet and good. That is not a pretty list! Here we go…

Water/Aqua, Sodium Chloride, Propylene Glycol:

Sodium Benzoate (preservative also used in firework production), Polysorbate 20 (Detergent), Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Lauryl Glucoside, Malic Acid, Methylisothiazolinone (Proved to be LETHAL in tissue neurons), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance/Parfum.

My conclusion from this investigation? Stick with either plain old toilet paper or go for the recycled brands. I was not able to find ingredients on the brands of toilet paper with no added ingredients but of course that doesn’t mean their aren’t any. Try for plain tissue (non-chlorine whitened if possible) with no added fragrance, dyes, or scents.

Oh and steer clear of any “moist wipes”. If the list of ingredients above doesn’t scare you I’m not sure what will….

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27 Comments

  1. That’s interesting about the moist wipes. I wonder what one could use as an alternative that’s non-toxic?

    Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 🙂

    1. I just wanted to throw this out there,,,,,, did you realize the reason why the toilet paper has a ingredient that would trap bacteria like mineral oil??? So that it grabs it off your behind when you wipe!!!! So go ahead stop using toilet paper I dare ya!!! Let me just add that toilet paper used to brush over your pets will also take some of the fleas and mites away. Also your hair on your head and one more thing those who suffer from a little acne or black heads try rubbing toilet paper over it in a circular motion a few times a day. You might be surprisingly impressed!! All said in that of my own opinion thanks have a great day!!!

  2. a friend of mine makes her own pads and tampons…not the most exciting conversation to have…but worth looking into if you have female issues 🙂

  3. Cloth wipes are much better than TP, I make them myself and I know what is in them! I also make my own laundry soap so I know what they are being washed in, I also use cloth pads as well! Over all this post make me even more confident that I am making the right choice!

  4. Thank you!..for years, I have used certain brands of TP & I will get a burning sensation & then a bladder infection, afterwards..I wondered if it was caused by the TP..I am thinking..Maybe it is! 🙁

    1. Thank you…..I was beaginning to think I was crazy. I have the very same problem. Was looking to see what TP ingredients are. Have you found any TP that works

    2. Possibly,or laundry degenerate could be the culprit as well (or a combo like I had). I hate that so many products are now evil things I have to avoid that NEVER caused a problem years ago.Puffs Klennex are now banned as they make my lips swell and most brands of TP and Laundry detergent irritate me as well. I’ve even had some determined to be good for people with allergies set me off too. What the heck am I suppose to do? Ugh.

  5. for moist wipes cheap from the dollar store wash rags and a small rubbermade container with water and whatever cleaner you wish to mix in with it. Use then wash just like you would with diapers. Used this when I had babies instead of the diaper wipes

  6. Did you happen to do the research on the BPA in our paper products as well? Especially recycled paper? Curious to hear what you found.

  7. wow, who knew. i recently had a patch skin test and it came back with two things, but those two things have allllll kinds of names. beeswax falls into the colophony chemical list. i swear its in everything. hair care, skin care, and now TP???? ugh. thank you for the info. will be following your stories as you get your info. 🙂

  8. I am very sensitive so for the past 6 years I just get the plain cheap toilet paper. The other gives me rashes. I don’t have that problem anymore. But if I did I might think about family cloth….I too use cloth panty liners and we don’t buy paper towels or facial tissues.

  9. We now use “personal hygiene wipes” for the most part! We’ve even taught our young daughter about the 3 P’s (“Paper is for poop, periods, and public”). I KNOW a lot of people use them exclusively but…I just couldn’t QUITE do that. :\ Just using them for urinating (for 2 females) has cut our toilet paper usage DRASTICALLY!!!

    1. Oh yeah…I felt pretty wasteful using so much Kleenex (well…Puffs, actually) a few years ago.
      Now, we use tissues for a cold/flu and handkerchieves for everyday and allergies!
      We went from about a box a month to MAYBE 2 boxes a year!!!

  10. Good old warm water rinse is best. You can get a $5,000.00 Toto automatic toilet seat or a QLav Personal Hygiene system that works fantastic about $38.00

  11. I have just discovered that Charmin Ultra Soft TP is responsible for my horrible rash I have had for 2 years, My 33 year old daughter experienced the same thing using Ultra Soft.

  12. A lot of this allergic reaction stems from the GMO corn that is being
    widely used across the marketplace. Yes, it is in TP. Ever smell
    cottonelle? smells like popcorn. Ever think of the dangerous pesticides
    in GMO corn, the onels that shred the ecoskeleton of insects if they bite the plant, not to mention what is being geo engineered into these crops?
    I would never use recycled paper, BPA from register receipts at high
    dangerous levels. I think something like good ole fashioned Scotties
    is as close to safe as we are going to get these days.
    Even organic cotton has harsh additives
    It’s a crazy bio engineered modified world! Buyer beware!

    1. You are exactly right Priscilla!! Maybe more and more people are finally waking up to the fact that we are being poisoned to death.

  13. We buy cottonnelle; every time I unwrap it – I air it out for a week – the rolls smell like packing cartons Today, I unwrapped a new package – and it smelled SO incredibly strong – like ammonia, my eyes watered. Don’t want to use it, even after airing out.

    Is there nothing consumers can do about all of these toxins – everywhere!! Love your site; thank you. Am not familiar with Marcal – will research it.