Goddammit, I always knew there were reasons why the overhand way was the right and correct way, but never before this have those reasons been illuminated with such blinding force -- the force of total and absolute truth.

When you put this into trifold form, with a doorknob hanger cutout on top, I would like to order 1000, please. I will take them with me and hang them wherever toilet paper is misloaded.

Yes, please reproduce this post as a PDF so it can be downloaded and printed on trifold with doorknob hanger cutout.

I have to disagree, if only on a technicality - the toilet paper dispenser thing in my mother's bathroom has been under-hung since its installation (it is inset into the wall) and it doesn't feel right the other way. This may be because it is slightly higher-set than a lot of dispensers, and thus the problems with under-hanging are somewhat negated.

Otherwise, the over-hanging technique has proven to be more widespread than the under, and often more useful. This is not to say I was not indoctrinated in the under-hanging method as a child; perhaps this explains my later difficulties in life.

Now, answer this: should the men of the household be required to lower the toilet seat after urination, or should the women of the household be required to raise the toilet after doing their thing?

See, my 'Toilet Paper Spool' is side-ways, i.e. it is set vertically. So, for me, it is a matter of clockwise or counter clockwise. Any suggestions? Otherwise, I am 100% for the 'over-hung method'. I remember years ago (probably 17 years or so ago) there was a national plumbers convention. At this convention they had a giant display with the over-hung and under-hung configuration. There was also a vote counter above them. The over-hang won.

Oh, and the question about who is responsible ofr the toilet set? I am big fan of 'just check the damn thing'. Everyone is responsible for the seat themselves, before they do the business.

Do you think it's possible to get t-shirt iron ons of that first picture ("this is right" "this is wrong")? I'd wear that thing everywhere!

As for toilet seat up/down, I was raised with 2 other women and no other guy in my house, so I actually feel a little uncomfortable when I walk into a bathroom and the toilet seat is up.

Oh, I also remember in college there was a label on the inside of those giant size, double roll toilet paper dispensers in the bathroom stalls. The label differentiated between the correct way to hang the toilet paper and the incorrect way (as you did above) and then titled the label "This is very important!" I don't think even those label makers realized quite how important.

I disagree with this analysis. I have always found the one handed tear to be facilitated by the slight hesitation the under hang method gives to the roll. Also, what happens when the toilet paper becomes overly friendly with itself and the end cannot be found? On the under hang this is never a problem due to our friend gravity, but with the overhang it requires one to spin the roll until the end becomes free. Depending on what grade of tp is available, the loose end of the paper may become stuck, necessitating quite a few turns of the roll before it is even noticeable. how is that more convienient? Besides with an underhanging roll, there is no need to see free tp, a small touch sending it backwards makes the location of the end more than visible.

As for the toilet seat, it's every person for themselves. Alisa and I take equal responsibility.

In light of the requests, I'll see if I can put together some 'Over is Right, Under is Wrong' downloads for everybody.

Another consideration -- for men who desire a little extra cleanliness when standing, the under-hang makes it extremely difficult to reach the free end. Over-hung paper is easily reached and removed from a standing position.

This posting is very cool. I agree wholeheartedly. I work for a book publisher and think there would be a hilarious book in this. Would be great if the writer of this posting would contact me at lmp1001@hotmail.com

The toilet. Serious business!
As far as men and women and the toilet seat argument goes, there is a very simple solution. The men should lower not only the seat, but the cover as well... forcing anyone who wishes to use the toilet to lift something first.

Dear Chris,
I've always felt that the under-hung method was the only way that worked, at least for me. With one casual twirl, I can release the exact amount that I need, while with over-hung tp, well, the amounts were just not controllable. Now, you've been to my house enough times to know how much I like to control EVERYTHING, so you can imagine my reaction when the amount released does not seem to be in my control. I might actually tear the damn thing out of the wall. So, dear son-in-law, when in your mother-in-law's house (true, dad-in-law lives there, but - whatever), please apply the under-hung method if you ever have to replace the tp in our powder room. After all, if you don't - I KNOW WHERE TO FIND YOU!!!!
Love, Your loving Mother-In-Law

P.S. It's great having a genius (and a funny one, too) as a son-in-law!

No wonder I'm confused!

This is just scraping the tip of the iceberg. now one HAS to ponder the depth and sincerity of the thought process that goes into the placement of the tp dispencer. Here in South Africa, the self-tought "masters" of the fine art of D.I.Y (note the deliberate omition of "home IMPROVEMENT") tend not to conform to a single universal yoga-like possition one has to settle into in order to even reach the when sitting down. what do these gus think? do these home engineers just wipelessly take a leap of faith accross their bathrooms for one grasp at sanitary bliss? one favoured tp dispencer placement i've grown acustomed to over the last 27 years is the infamous blindsided-slow-pull-quick-tear dispencer mounted on the wall NEXT to the toilet facing the same way as you do!

I've re-opened the comments, due to some increased interest. Also, my apologies to the person whose comment was eaten during the upgrade-then-downgrade mess earlier this week.

I also like the overhung method but one good argument against it is that cats or kids that play with it will most likely unravel it when using the overhung method. The underhung way will wind it up.

Thank you SO MUCH for giving me visualizations on the proper ettiqutte (spell that?) of hanging toilet paper. I agree with a comment above that says we need to have this printable in PDF format and also printed on a door hanger for our bathroom door handles. What a concept... The world may not be ready for this though. I know I am, but you never know -- it may cause such a stir that men may even consider putting the seat down when done peeing in my toilet. Which brings to mind this catchy little verse: "If you sprinkle when you tinkle, Please be a sweetie and wipe the seatie"...

This is completely wrong if you are a pet owner. If the animal gets going with the over the top method the paper will be all over the floor, however if one goes under the pet can bat at the paper all they want it will just keep rolling up. Much neater.

Overhung method is not sensitive to the child rearing community. If the overhang is visible, your 18 month old, (or my child anyway)will have half the roll on the floor in a tangled cluttered mess and have already commenced to tear the floor pile into little pieces in the only second in the #2 bathroom ritual which both the thronemaster's hands are occupied. Bread before you concede.

Way to rock. It's about time somebody actually documented this. I've always done it the right way and my wife always does it the wrong way.

I never told her about it because I figured she'd just think I was a nut case. Now that I know I'm not alone, I'll tell her the next time she does it the "wrong way".

Later...

Omg too funny. This totally reminds me of that old Mama's Family episode when they talked about the right way to put on a roll of toilet paper...

Thelma 'Mama' Harper: He even put on a new roll of toilet paper... and the right way too - from the bottom out!
Iola Lucille Boyland: I always thought it was supposed to roll over the top...
Thelma 'Mama' Harper: WHAT THE HELL DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

I prefer the roll over the top way and I agree that it is less wasteful. Great blog post, thanks!

Now we just need a lesson on wiping

Some things are not up for debate, and this is one of them. No doubt, over is right! I've argued this point many a time. But one thing you've overlooked, that I think is worth consideration: a female (I think) uses the TP while she is standing or sitting (not to be confused with...), a male is likely standing every time. This make reaching for the under that much more frustrating. Having said that, I actually know some guy - claiming to be a man - that's on the wrong side of this issue.

I have always wanted this answer........

OMG, glad to know I've been right all along :D

While I completely and unreservedly agree with over hanging paper on a simple, uncovered dispenser, in pretty much all dispensers which in anyway encapsulate the roll, under hanging is better.

The additional surface friction offered by toilet roll covers/dispensers, often leads to an unsatisfactory separation of the paper into its component squares when the operator intends simply to draw the required length of paper.

That said, I am immediately forwarding this webpage to my little sister, who like most of their ilk, desperately needs to be told.

Forget all that krap just written. There are two ways to setup the roll and why.

[1] paper outside: best if you have kids. Its easier for them to access paper.

[2] paper inside: best if you have pets (dogs or cats). They love to pull DOWN on the roll and you don't want to find 30 feet of paper on the floor.

That's it end of story.

If you have cats, it becomes necessary to hang the TP the "wrong" way. The cats can then paw at the spool all they want, and can't unroll it. With the overhand method, it only takes one misplaced paw to start the whole roll unwinding.

To the gentleman discussing toilet seats" if you have pets, seat and lid go down, all the time.

No no no.... Underhand is best.

Why?

So a cat standing on the toilet won't unroll the whole roll as it plays with roll! If its underhand, it just goes around and around....

It's also about the tension the overhand method delivers. You maintain better tension as pulling it forward is tangential to the delivery of the roll. If you try that from underneath, the tangent comes right at your face, and you pull off more than you need.

As a cat owner I must agree, under is better.

But to me the alternate way is best-not even mounting the TP, keeping the roll free and easy so you can twirl and rip. No fuss with adding/removing with the little speciality bar created just for the TP purpose.

Ah Beevis said it best...I need TP for my bunghole".

I totally agree with Sparrowhawk. I grew up in a female dominates house hold where the tp roll usually sat on the back of toilet and all was well in the world. My fiancé would have none of this, insists a tp holder would be used and further argues the proper way the roll is to be hung. Who would have thought a roll of tp would cause so many issues. This is my side of the argument(to my fiancé). Being the female, I use way more tp and statistically because I usually finish the roll I should be the one to decide how the next roll is hung (if at all). I personally prefer the jumbo fluffy brands, which does not even fit into the damn apartment wall mounted tp holder to begin with. This is solved by not using the tp holder or buying me a house so I can install a tp holder that will accommodate my needs. Now, is this issue worth a mortgage to you? Hopefully you see it my way and if you choose to have the last word, it better be “I’m sorry dear, you’re right”. And if you decide to pursue this issue I am sure I can come up with an arm length list of nitpicky items to 'discuss' with you and you can sleep on the couch until you see it my way. Your choice.

@ Sparrowhawk – I have another solution to the free range tp roll in the bathroom. A Kleenex box on the back of the toilet. It stays put, you can put in a decorative holder, negates the germ transfer argument and you can pull out as many pre cut squares as you wish. Sure it’s more expensive but as I stated above the alternative is much much more painful.

Excellent! I hope you address the other great TP debate -- scrunch vs fold -- with the same scientific rigor.

Whyy!? xD

I also have an upright dispenser and use the equivalent of the "underhang" method (I think! Meaning the roll dispenses from the far side of the toilet). The reasoning behind this is that the dispenser is very close to the toilet so the underhang method places the grabbing/ripping point at a comfortable distance. Otherwise, I would have to lean back or reach through my armpit to grab tp -- no way!

I think the upright dispenser also makes it easier to perform a one-hand tear. The tp roll rests on the bottom of the dispenser arm so it has more rolling resistance than a flat dispenser. For example, one could pull down really hard on EITHER an overhang or underhang dispenser and immediately release yards of tp; not so with an upright unit. Of course, there is a downside, in that the increased friction caused by an upright dispenser may cause premature tearing if cheap, single-ply paper is used. This shouldn't be a problem for any enlightened pooper who wouldn't dare use anything thinner than a discount double roll.

One more problem with the under-hung method for wall-mount dispensers. It places the free sheets against the wall.

By the way, both lids should be closed on the seat. Otherwise flushing splashes water out of the bowl.

I don't use toilet paper anyway. Ishit in a cardboard box and I wipe myass with the flap.

The author of this article is forgetting two basic realities, and should consider a third:

1. Cats. Love to bat at TP. If the roll is over-hung, when batted, it will unfurl onto the floor. Which, to a cat, is wonderful!!
2. Small children.
3. He should revisit his tearing technique. The spool of the TP is no looser one way than the other.
With proper technique, the one-handed tear is just as effective either way.

Back on February 24, 2005 Chris said he'll see if he can put together an "over is right, under is wrong" PDF download for those of us who are neurotic about TP rolls. Did he ever create one? Can't find it if he did. Would he try again? Please, please, pretty please?

Actually, you have neglected to list the one reason why the 'Under' configuration is best. That is that the natural inclination for a person to get the roll 'rolling' so to speak, is to slap it downwards with the hand. If the paper is on top it will, by all known laws of TP physics, spin uncontrollably in a forward rotation and thus, in the case of an 'Over' hung configuration, end up piled uselessly in a crumpled mess on the floor.

OMG YOU FRICKING ROCK! YES finally someone shows the truth. I am crazy about this issue. As for the others that ask about the toilet seat well there is a very easy solution. neither man or woman should lift or put down the seat alone. Everyone in the house hold man woman and child alike should put both seat and lid down. The reasons are this! everyone is expected to do somthing so it is everyones job equally so there is no sexest issues there plus it is the most sanitary way. Cats and dogs cant get in unless they are smart and can lift the lid. Also it detors young children though not always which leads to getting toilet locking devises which also ends in putting the lid down as well. If I can train my 4 year old to do it then everyone else can too. I got her doing it at 2 years old. What I cant stand is the fact that for some damn reason I am still the one cleaning pee off the floor when the grown men miss the toilet. Now that is not fair in anyway!

I completely disagree, and so does the law.

According to the simpsons, CYS has determined that overhanding hanging of the TP roll is not proper.

I have a spool, but I never leave it there. I leave out two rolls, one on the spool, one on the back of the can. Back of the can comes first, leaving the spooled roll as back up until the can roll is used up. Also good for just reaching over easily and grabbing off a couple of sheets if I gotta blow my nose.

I find the spool, in general, utterly useless except for keeping the roll in place. I much prefer running the roll over my hand to collect the needed length as a full roll often jam in the spool tearing the paper prematurely. I feel like I lack control with the spool. Using my hand in running the roll, I feel a greater degree of control in obtaining the amount of paper I desire with fewer hassles. I believe it also results in slightly greater efficiency as no quick movements are required for tearing, except for a quick flick of the wrist. There is the issue of setting it down on a surface, usually the floor, but it's never been a problem for me.

For the record, when left on the spool, the sheet is left hanging under, not over.

All over the floor is best, so please hang it over. Meow.

Damn! i know people who devorced over this...

Finally it's in print! I've been trying for years to get my husband to hang toilet paper AND paper towels the under hang way. He says if I can give him a good reason, he will. LOL..I have 3 years worth!

Besides, if you overhang, it's too easy for those people of Hispanic decent to put it all over the toilet seat in 3 or 4 layers to sit on...then they pee on it and leave it on the seat for the next person to remove! Yuck, Yuck, Yuck. And I do not say Hispanic not because I have anything against any race or creed. This was a carefully designed, single person study of airport toilets in the SE Florida area.

That would be because people like you (miamisoozeq) have been their before us and whizzed all over the toilet, and then touched everything before leaving without washing your hands. It's called a butt gasket. And since we are the ones cleaning those bathrooms after the fact, we have every right. Get over it.

Thank you for the excellent SCIENCE, sir. There is however a mistake:

In Free Sheetage Viewing, the difference is actually even more dramatic than depicted in the image. When the roll is under-hung, one can only see a part of the free sheet from below. When it's over-hung however, one can usually see more than one free sheet, especially if the roll is partly unwound the way it is in the image. The mistake is then that the visible ready t.p., the darker blue area of the image, should be even wider, as usually a single sheet is about the same length as the diameter of the roll.

This is an important observation, because some rolls may not have standard size sheets. In an under-hung orientation a non-standard sheet size may lead to an even more disastrous catastrophe, when the perforation is not where expected, and trying to rip from the middle either destroys the perfectly good sheet or creates an even worse calamitous tendency in the roll. With the top-hung method the perforation is in clear sight and there is no such risk.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

In the southern hemisphere is "over" over, or is "over" under?

Ah. We are forgetting the new TP stand. Where the TP sits vertical. So should the TP scroll from the left or the right?

This is is getting complicated.

I still agree with all the free roll players. I think we have it right. Full control of the roll.

Yes. There is the question of sanitary conditions of the roll, but I look at that issue this way. If your not washing your hands when you leave the bathroom there is something flawed in your upbringing and this debate is useless to you.

Sparrowhawk

I told her this is the way it should be. over is good under is bad as soon as I saw the title I said that's the way the TP rolls. it was good enough for Archie Bunker its good for America

nice useful information.

ha this is awesome, pure genius.

Who gives a crap?!

Ha-ha

Who the fuck cares, just wipe ur ass and flush!

I have to disagree completely. Here's why:

Because of the fact that most toilet paper dispensers are designed with two fundamental design flaws: 1, the capture rod is typically smaller than the inner diameter of the TP's cardboard tube, and 2, the fact that most are not designed for today's larger format rolls.

Pulling down on an overhung roll causes the inner cardboard TP tube to rotate asymmetrically around the smaller carrier rod. This produces a camming action that pushes to bottom of the roll away from the user. With today's extra large rolls of toilet paper (or even with just any particularly voluminous roll), recessed toilet paper holders may not give adequate clearance for a fully cammed toilet paper roll. This can cause a large TP roll to bind against the back of the dispenser, and cause the paper to tear prematurely. I can't tell you how often I've had the misfortune to attempt to pull down on a fully-loaded roll of toilet paper, only to have it cam away, bind, and rip immediately, leaving me with a tiny scrap of TP.

When toilet paper is underhung, pulling on the paper causes the camming action to move the bottom of the roll -away- from the TP dispenser, and no bind can occur.

Secondly, your line-of-sight rationale is completely flawed because it's not just surface area that makes the edge of the TP easier to find, it's contrast between the edge and the surrounding material. Often, you can look right at an overhung roll and not see the edge because there is no contrast, no line, no shadow, between the edge and the rest of the roll. This is not so with an underhung roll. A mere sliver of the roll exposed underneath is more than enough to cue you into what to grab.

As for the wasted material because of over-rolling. Hogwash. I've seen lots of overhand rolls do the same thing.

i think underhand is the best
jasmine celion
cool-hotstuff.blogspot.com

I have two very important questions that often cross my mind.

1. During an outdoor adventure like fishing or hunting with other people and I am the only one who has brought toilet paper, at what price should I sell the toilet paper....(cost per sheet)?

2. I find that toilet paper is better than that tissue stuff they sell in boxes. I often pull a good length of toilet paper off the roll in the bathroom before going out on the town. When I need to blow my nose, I just pull out the bum wad from my hip pocket and unwind the length I need for the nose job. My wife says that doing this is quite uncouth. I am positive that I am very couth because when I pick my nose in public, I always use 1 or 2 sheets of bum wad. Who is right....me or my wife?

For the record, this is a lot of B.S. These idiots have obviously never used a modern toilet and paper dispenser.

The fact is, when using either method the edge of the tissue does not naturally disengage itself from the roll. It clings to the roll. The TP user of an overhung roll must study the roll carefully to determine where the edge of the tissue is, differentiating the true edge from a simple perforation line. Then, the hapless person must hold the roll in place with one hand while reaching around his/her person with the other hand to attempt to scrape the edge of the paper off of the roll in order to access the quantity desired. All this, while keeping one’s buttocks attached to the commode, and, in the case of male toilet paper users, keeping the knees sufficiently separated so as to prevent the trousers from dropping all the way to the floor; a contortionist’s endeavor, to be sure.

The under roll method is simpler. The user rotates the paper (in either direction); when the edge of the paper (now easily observed due to the fact that the edge is facing UP), the user blows a gentle gust of air on the tissue to separate the edge from the roll. The rest of the business is easily completed.

Chris,
Regarding you article on corporate logos and unusual interpretations, I kindly submit the A-Style fashion company's logo. Now I realize it's an Italian company and all, but I don't believe that that letter exists in the Italian alphabet. How did this logo make it past the censors?
All I see are two people having sex doggie style.
Maybe A-Style is Italian slang for doggie style?

Chris,
Regarding you article on corporate logos and unusual interpretations, I kindly submit the A-Style fashion company's logo.
http://www.brandsoftheworld.com/download/brand/110070.html
Now I realize it's an Italian company and all, but I don't believe that that letter exists in the Italian alphabet. How did this logo make it past the censors?
All I see are two people having sex doggie style.
Maybe A-Style is Italian slang for doggie style?

Our dispenser is vertical.

This is PERFECT! I have been fighting this battle alone for so with every roommate, and now my husband. Thank you!! hahaha..

Now how about the correct configurations of which way blinds should be? Light pointing up or down?

I understand what your trying to say but....
Does it really matter?
The job gets done either way.

I have 6 cats and I've never found any of them swatting at the toilet paper.
Maybe you ought to buy your cat a toy.

right on right on

This is indeed the correct way of dispensing toilet paper. If you're in doubt, check into a 5 star hotel and see how they do it. They're paid to be correct, and if their toilet paper was loaded wrong, you can bet they'd lose a star over it.

When there are cats in the household who enjoy unrolling the toilet paper, one must use the "under" method of installing paper. If they paw the paper roll, and it spins downward, the paper won't unroll if it's loaded "under" like it will when it's loaded "over". Load the paper "over" and any self respecting cat will have the paper all over the floor in minutes.

As far as buying cats toys, there *is* no better toy to a cat than a roll of toilet paper.

This is all well and good... I myself much prefer over instead of under...

HOWEVER...

If you've ever had a rambunctious kitty, you might want to consider either

1. Making SURE SURE SURE the bathroom door is closed, or

2. Hanging your toilet paper in the "under" position, thus making it far less likely that you'll come home to TP'd living room.

When kitty grows out of it or learns it's a no-no, go back to the over position.

typical bigotry from a right-handed persion.

haha

butter side up!!

And there was light...

THIS IS MY PET PEEVE!

.

.. also ::

(depending on how you fold)

.. With the overhand method .. you end up wiping with the inside of the paper.

.. While the underhand (if you fold up once) will give you the softer side of the paper.

.

HELLOO MY NAME IS MURAT I am FROM TURKEY.İS GOOD

HELLOO MY NAME IS MURAT I am FROM TURKEY.BİLER COK GUZSELDİİ THANKS AND YOU GOOD BYE

I refuse to believe this. Under is better.

Being a non-conformist in a world of mindless sheep, I would just like to take this opportunity to say fuckyou. Not only Fuckyou! but how dare you, you bunchy little ass scrunch!! There IS NO right way or wrong way to do any such thing and if you and your fellow micro-managing toilet Nazis are too much a group of MORONS to be able to deal with which way the TP faces then you should get off of your computer; give it to a local elementary school so that someone with a brain bigger than yours can actually make some use of it; and while we are at it you should probably stay away from sharp objects all together as the likelyhood of you injuring your self or others is extrodinarily high!! Further, it astounds me that you have SO much time on your hands to even address such an "issue". Go get a life, or at the very least a job.

Actually, I've had more tp in the floor accidents with the under method. You yank on the roll to tear off your paper and the roll begins to spin and gravity takes over and the roll just unrolls all over the floor. I prefet the over method, that is when the tp get hung on the holder.

You guys got this all wrong. The proper procedure is to eliminate the need for a roll holder to begin with.

Here's what you do.

Grasp toilet roll in hand, unwind the needed amount paper, tear off portion and replace on lid of toilet reservoir. Wipe as needed. Done? If not, repeat as necessary.

Everyone, please say hello to one of our newest commenters, MyNameIsRob (see a few posts up). Hi, Rob. Feeling a little stressed?

If someone could please take the time to explain to him what humor is, we'd all really appreciate it. Also, while you're at it, if you could explain irony as well, that'd be great. Unfortunately, I don't have time to, what with my job and all.

öööööööööööööö

this was the best. my coworker called a meeting to discuss this, no kidding.

oh always|

I disagree with this analysis, and here's why...

My toilet roll is on the right. When the toilet paper is in the under position, all I need to do is use my right hand (which is my dominant hand) to spin the toilet roll from the top of the roll.

With a quick and short spin of the roll, the toilet paper unrolls from under the roll. Due to the curvature of the toilet paper from being rolled up, the toilet paper glides out away from the wall and into the awaiting left hand's grasp.

Once the desired length is unrolled, the right hand presses down and stops the spinning roll and keeps it stable for the left hand to tear off the toilet paper.

-- This all happens within a split second --

Works for me and is very easy. If the roll were in the over position, I would have to reach up to position my right hand over the roll before spinning the roll towards me. When the roll is in the under position, I can spin the roll away from me as I am reaching up, all in one movement!

Speed is key people!

That is all... Thank you.

Nope, you're wrong. Just wrong. I don't agree at all. Pictures, descriptions or otherwise!
Under is better than over.... period!!!!

You are the definition of idiot. Its the complete opposite of what you have here. People who do it the way you are saying are trash.

I disagree completely and I will give 3 reasons why.

1: The ability to see the toilet paper is not important because pulling for the paper becomes a muscle memory tactic.

2: The sideways swipe to pull the sheet off is as much of a Russian Roulette for the over-hung as it is for the under-hung. In fact, I would argue that the over-hung method will more likely allow for over-spin that lets the roll unravel onto the floor.
By pulling an under-hung roll, your arm is up against the roll itself to keep it from spinning _at all_ so the likeliness of over-spin is zero. To keep the roll static in an over-hung method, you need to use both hands to rip the sheet off!

3: Finally, in the occurrence of over-spin, it is indeed impossible to re-roll... if you're using the over-hung method! If it ever occurred while using the under-hung method, all you do is push down on the front of the roll! Easy, simple, and probably never necessary since under-hung is more likely to keep the roll static when going for the pull!

In the end, if you don't purposefully pull a specific number of tiles from the roll, you're being too shoddy with your bathroom habits. It's incredibly simple with either method to say "I want 2, 3, or 4 tiles" and pull exactly what you want. Going to the bathroom shouldn't be a race, it should be a relaxing experience taken slowly and ended slowly as well.

Why is there a flippin' post about toilet paper?
The sad thing is, it's really detailed.
Who the fuck cares if it's over or under? I can't believe people waste time over BS like this.

So, I guess, the age old debate of over v. under wages on. I think both sides could present convincing evidence. The question remains; what is the correct way to hang the roll?

The thing that amazes me (other than a detailed post with illustrations) are all of the argumentative comments over toilet paper roll position.

For the record, I prefer the under-hung method for various, logical reasons already stated here.

Is there diagram of the proper way to place a toilet seat cover on. There has been an ongoing debate amongst some friends of mine. If you have it, could you e-mail me the pictures or the answer. Thanks.

The spool is properly called a "Too-too-doo". The name comes from the sound you can make with it when you hold it up to your mouth.

LOL, I love you guys.

Toilet paper on the roll is a thing of the past. Today people leave the roll independently placed anywhere it's easy to reach (but not on the back of the toilet dammit!) Plus you don't have to take the three seconds to change it!

i hear a lot of comments about the fact that you can tear easier from the under-roll position and that it is therefore desired. I disagree with this notion. I'd Much rather have too MUSH than to little... I don't think many people would disagree with that.

The proper way (over the top or off the bottom)truly depends on the position of the roll in relation to the sitter. If the holder is mounted low on the wall, over the top works much better as explained in the article. If the holder is high on the wall (above the sitter), one must install the roll "Off the bottom" otherwise the paper tears too soon and you are trying to clean up your act with too few segments. This is especially true in an RV where single ply must be used to prevent clogs in the holding tank (Single ply tears way too easy).
Any one remember the TV show where this same question was asked? The result was 50/50.
egad

who gives a fuck?

I'll continue to put the tp on the "wrong" way. Gravity is the issue for me. When you put the roll on you "right" way gravity holds the roll down and the tp rips prematurely although when put on the "wrong" way gravity helps for a smooth roll. I guess if you lack coordination it could be a problem for you.

I just always want to beat people that use the under way.

Thank you for going to all the trouble that I didn't want to in order for me to prove to my spouse I am right... again.

Wow... you commenters are really getting into this debate aren't you?

FINALLY!!!

i KNEW i wasn't crazy when i told people this was the proper toilet etiquette

Who gives a damn which way it's on there, AS LONG AS ITS THERE. Wold you rather it be on the wrong way or not be there at all after taking a deuce. Pick your poison.

*posts this by the toilet so her husband will finally see the light*

I'm so glad to have found this post, and to see that there are others in this world who care about the loo roll etiquette, or even protocol.

Note, there are other things that enfuriate. Those stupid 'encased' toilet paper holders you get in public loos. You know, the ones you can never find the end of in a kind of maddening "celotape end" moment.

And the fact that a plush hotel will still sometimes use cheap economy paper, the kind that tears in use - you would expect quilted of course.

Any one know if "MyNameIsRob" has got out of the right side of bed yet?!

Excuse me, but this debate is summarised here:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A961760

it's overhung all the time, what needs to be determined is whether to overhang to the left or right, facing what side of the toilet...........

Oh, man. That's perfect. Well done! Keep up the good work.

FINALLY! OTHER INTELLIGENT HUMANS! This has got to be my biggest gripe in life. This bothers me so greatly, that it has even caused me to not talk to other household members who deliberately change the direction of toilet paper, paper towels, saran wrap, etc. You may call it OCD...I call it COMMON SENSE! Have a wonderful day, fellow "Uppers and Overs"!

Get. A. Life. People. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to hang toilet paper. You are all insane in the membrane. Get help for your obsessive compulsive disorder!

@ neurotic: Yeah. There IS a "right" and "wrong" way. Overhung is clearly correct for the reasons posted here and more! Obviously, you have no grasp of simple mechanics, and have no ability to reason. You are pathetic and weak, and you smell funny. Not "ha ha" funny either. More like "how long has that been in the fridge?" funny. Die. I'd like the suffering you would endure from a slow death, but prefer that you just get out as quickly as possible, so make it a fast death please.

Now, @ all of you redundant "cat" people. Duh! Underhanging encourages the "cat" to grab the end of the paper and pull whereas a proper overhang results in a "cat"-hidden (thus, "cat"-proof) seam. If your "cat" is the type that randomly attacks cylinders, then your "cat" is defective. Kill it. I'd like the suffering your "cat" would endure from a slow death, but prefer that you just get rid of it as quickly as possible, so make it a fast death please.

Finally, @ anyone who actually takes any of this seriously, please refer to the portion of the first paragraph following, and including, the word "Die."

Overhand is better for 2 reasons. 1, like the post shows, it wastes less. More importantly, on those occassions where you have a stray drip, a tear and slip through the paper, or just a bloody nose, it is much easier to get the paper rolled over without touching the rest of the roll.

If you're worried about your pets, train them. I have had a cat in the house my whole life, and they never got into the paper. Saying it's easier with kids makes as much sense as saying that you don't want to teach them to feed themselves because they will make a mess. It's what kids do, and how they learn.

It must be noted that, when babies or cats are present, the over-hung method can result in an unraveled toilet paper roll. Babies and cats will always spin the roll downwards, in which case an over-hung roll will perish and an under-hung roll will live to wipe another ass.

Under, not over.

Under is easier to break off, it also looks better.

Obviously "MyNameisRob" has no appreciation for the finer points of mechanical engineering. Each to his own, of course, but what could possibly be more fascinating than a complex engineering problem? Obvious as well is that the "over hang" advocates have clearly not subjected their theory to the proper amount of field tests under realistic conditions.
It can be determined through the judicious application of physics that the underhang method is clearly superior. The "one-hand" tear has failed to produce anything but unspooled paper in 4 out of 5 tests when using the "over hang" method (clearly inferior). I urge any of the more curious among you to secure a test roll for yourselves and experiment with several "test tears" from a variety of different angles. It will become clearly evident that the "under-hung" method is vastly superior for one-handed tearing.

Personally, I really don't think it matters to Me. Either way is just fine with Me. Because in the end it accomplishes what it is actually intended for- cleaning off after doing a Number One or a Number Two, or just wiping up the over fly. But, of course to some it may make a difference !! That reminds Me of the same old question of is the glass half empty or is the glass half full?

WTF

I once saw an article about a couple who divorced over this (t)issue.
Toilet seats - I have never known a man to complain about lifting a seat (often the most exercise I get in a day), and it takes less effort to drop a seat than to lift it, therefore seats should be left as is. This blinding logic has finally made my wife give up on the seat issue...

I agree with the over the top method.
As for seat up or down. I say seat and lid down (keeps the cats out of the toilet).

Yes! Finally. As i always said. There is only one way to hang the toilet paper! i like the scientific approach. now i can prove it´s wrong harhar. an end al those dicussions i had and i will have. thanks a lot.
and to those with cats and children. close the damn door as it should be....

WOW! So many pictures and advanced calculations for just one simple thing!

Iuse the underhand. You can always see the toiet paper and do not have to fight to find it. With the over hand method the toiet paper becomes "one" with the roll and most of the time you have to try and find where it starts.

IN regard to the issue of what to do after "doing your thing" in the toilet, In order to be both sanitary and fair, this is the solution. You should both have to do something with the toilet seat before doing your thing. EVERYONE should lower the seat as well as the lid to the toilet after your done doing your thing. If a man has to lift the seat, then a woman should have to lower the lid.

Oh for cryin' out loud, I am so SICK of having to explain this to you people.

The correct way to place a toilet paper roll is so that when pulled it rotates counter-clockwise with respect to the user's viewpoint. But only in the Northern Hemisphere. You Aussies of course, will want clockwise rotation.

GOT IT?

I agree that someone should make a t-shirt!

As for the toilet seat issue, EVERYONE should put the seat down before flushing. Otherwise you are aerosolizing the toilet water!

Ahh Life is soo good. Look at those sheep frolicking in the meadow below. They don't care which way the toilet paper is loaded into the toilet paper dispenser. No, not for them the everyday worries of humankind. Their lives are natural, just .... being.
Wait what's that truck doing pulling into this sylvian meadow. why are those men and dogs herding the sheep into that nasty smelly truck.

Ahhh who cares. Who gives a shit so long as the toilet paper is the right way round.

I like it the wrong way. It looks way neater in the bathroom. SORRY, but i like it my way!!

IM JUST COMMENTING ON HOW MANY DAMN COMMENTS THERE ARE IVE NEVER SO MANY EXCEPT FOR WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT USING THE TOILET BUT THE WAY I FEEL IS BE A MAN USE YOU HAND

MY GOD. I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO WRITE THIS. THANK YOU.

Yes! Detailed diagrams explaining why I have NOT been hanging my toilet roll improperly all these years.

I am absolutely stunned at the number of rather passionate comments on the issue. I had no idea that people felt so strongly about the direction of their toilet rolls! Now I know ...

Let's try to remember not to shake hands with Derrick, shall we?

Unless you have a toddler, then you will want to put it the wrong way. Otherwise you get the whole roll spun off.

I have to respectfully disagree. Overhung method creates too much tension in the roll, resulting in random tears and breakage. This in turn leads to wads of paper too small to complete their "mission". This in turn leads to wasted paper. This is especially true when the roll is at its fullest, increasing tension further.

Men leaving the toilet seat in a down position is simply an extended form of chivalry. In today's equal opportunity world, it should be not only accepted, but mandatory for men to leave the seat up when they are finished from the standing position. If the toilet seat is always left down. Men must expend energy 50% of the time they use the toilet. Women on the other hand never expend energy. To be fair to both men and women, men should have to lift the toilet seat when they follow a woman and woman should have to lower the toilet seat when they follow a man. THAT IS A TRULY EQUAL SOCIETY!

Bless your delightfully twisted, intelligent mind(s). I still don't care which way the toilet paper is hung but I thank you for the superbly crafted humor and the belly laugh that ensued.

It is interesting how many comments are made about such a mundane question is spawned by this simple thing. I guess I should get a life like all of the other responders to tp.

I have always lowered the seat out of respect, consideration, and love of my wives. My current wife goes way beyond this battle of the sexes. She always lowers the lid after use. One night having to up chuck I almost didn’t make it due to the delay. I have convinced her to leave the lid up at night.

One other completely useless question – with a full double roll of tp how many times does the first perforation fall exactly on another on the roll? Lets see how many comment on that?

in the house i grew up in as a girl, if you dispensed the toilette paper "over" then it would tear on the back of the dispenser. If you did under there was less pressure on the toilette paper rubbing on the back of the dispenser so you did not have to worry about it tearing to shreds before you got what you needed.

What do you do with this 'toilet paper'? Don't you guys know how to use the three shells?

oh crap

funny! i still prefer under... i can grab it without looking!

Wonderful article, I must show it to a friend, who insists on under hanging toilet paper.

Also, my boyfriend uses a plastic cup in the kitchen for 'number one' that he has so-named ".1 bath" and so the seat being left up has never been an issue. I have found it to be an excellent solution, except for there being a pee cup next to the sink, which is disturbing.

you know that if you have a cat, the cat could attack the roll from the out side and make it all come down if you have it the "good" way, just throwing that out there.

No doubt over is right, but when you have cats and toddlers, forget it!

Many german toilets are designed so that it is impossible to flush the toilet with the seat up. This is because the button is behind the seat when it and its lid are up. The idea is to prevent the flush from acting as an aerosol dispenser and spraying faecal material all around the bathroom. Although with modern British and United States toilets with low capacity tanks there's not much chance of their doing anything, even acting as a proper flush. I read that people in the US often import "illegal" toilets from Canada, and I am looking for a similar solution for here in the UK.

Take that girlfriend-who-hangs-the-toilet-paper-the-wrong-way!@!!

Ahhhh, (take that for what is worth in this subject), the beauty of the internet. Nearly a MILLION hits are posted on GOOGLE under, "What is the proper way to hang toilet tissue?" What else bore my curiosity? MY WIFE. She thinks the under method is best, and well, "frankly Scarlet......" But seriously, having been to a few hotels, the role is usually dispensed from the outside. Folded with a nice triangle atop. Hence, I say to my wife, "honey, most hotels have it on the outside and it just seems easier". She says, "that is WRONG." Well thank you. Another "domestic dispute" put to rest. So which way will it hang? As my wife rarely replaces the roll and my kids NEVER replace the roll, depending on my "rush" to replace the roll, its gonna probably be 90% over 10% under.

too much free time perhaps.......?

This is extremely delayed, but I hope it helps...

Wiping lesson: front to back. Some areas are just less irritated by a change in bacteria than others.

@ MyNameIsRob: First off, "fuck" and "you" are two separate words and should be used as such. Second, you spelled likelihood wrong. That's about all I read, since I don't take people who misuse grammar or vocabulary incorrectly.

My fiance and I both are over-the-toppers. Nice to know we're right!

Wonderful discussions. Yes always flush with the seat down - aerosol problem. Cats aside, and ours has not expressed an interest in the TR, the higher your eyeline is above the roll the more the advantage of over to under. Maybe the unders dispense from a sitting position and the overs from standing. Is this a female / male thing I wonder?

This debate has been going on in my family for 3 generations. Well, not really a debate. We've always agreed that over is right and can't understand why other people do it the wrong way.

I recently published this list:

http://www.apaulodesign.com/blog/2008/08/things-that-grind-my-gears.html

Wish Sinfeld was still around. This would be a great episode. Lonna

This is the best article mankind has ever produced.

i always hang the toilet paper over.
and if i see it's been hung wrong,
i take it out and flip it so it's over.

you guys are all stupid, just get a bidet.