Loo Paper - Part the second

[cliffb]

For anyone who's remotely interested.... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I've just completed a test of the dissolving qualities of various types of loo paper.
(how sad is that???)
And here are the results

Thetford Marine 3 ply (87p/roll) - 2mins
Tesco's Value 2 ply (10.5p/roll) - 2 mins
Some dodgy stuff bought buy the case 3 ply (30p/roll) - 2 mins

So.....
onto tensile strength. (not scientifically conducted)
In order of merit with highest strength first
1/ Thetford
2/ Bulk Dodgy stuff
3/ Tesco's Value

Given that one would need to use a higher quantity of the Tesco's product at each 'sitting' - as it were. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif The Bulk Dodgy stuff comes out on top.
Which is great for me, as I still have about 100 rolls; but not so good for anyone else.
What it does show is that the Thetford stuff isn't really worth the money...IMO.

Thought I'd share that with a waiting nation.

Cheers /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Anonymous]

Chris, How enterprising of you - very interesting! But how, errr, 'nice' are they to use? You wouldn't use 100 grit sandpaper just because it dissolved in less than two minutes and didn't cost much, there are other factors to take into consideration /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif David

 

[cliffb]

Lemain.
You pose an interesting question.
And the answer, I fear, will be subjective. I've never been a fan of the 100 grit. 60 is more to my likeing. Except perhaps on cold days........ /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
Or at times when I feel a little reckless .... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
I will keep you posted on the results from the focus group as they come in.

 

[charles_reed]

I think it was Proctor and gamble, who launched a new loo paper on the UK market after deep market research. As we Brits fold rather than scrunch our loo paper (apparently the Americans and Europeans scrunch) they made it especially resilient and soft.

I bought some and promptly had digestive problems with the boat toilet - so I took the rest (3 rolls) home. One of the downstairs loos then blocked.

Six months later I heard that the toilet paper had been withdrawn after a rash of blocked sewers throughout the UK.

 

[Stoaty]

You could try a couple of roll of this...

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/yorkiedave/badgersarse.htm

 

[Captain Haddock]

That's very interesting, I've been impressed by the Thetford and have been using that on board.

One thing about the Thetford is that it's guarenteed to disolve in the holding tank blue stuff. I wonder how the others perform.

What brand is the 3 ply dodgy?

 

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
One thing about the Thetford is that it's guarenteed to disolve in the holding tank blue stuff. I wonder how the others perform.

[/ QUOTE ]All toilet paper is required by 'law' to meet defined solubility criteria so that the public sewage system can cope.

Are you sure that you actually need to use the blue stuff in your holding tank? It is really only a preservative and perfume - given adequate air the holding tank should look after itself without odours better without the blue stuff than with it.

 

[Anonymous]

I think I read that story some years ago in New Scientist and it had a different perspective (though it did not contradict yours). According to the article, the new paper did not meet the required solubility standards and the main competition complained to the relevant authorities. The manufacturer was forced to re-formulate the product. We used it when it first came out then I noticed that they had 'cheapened' it so we went back to Andrex. It was only a year or two later that I read the full story. We didn't have any blockages with the product, it seemed fine, but I suppose some people put half a roll down at once and expect the system to cope?

Sometimes we have had guests who do use extraordinary quantities - maybe they eat it or take it home? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Captain Haddock]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you sure that you actually need to use the blue stuff in your holding tank? It is really only a preservative and perfume - given adequate air the holding tank should look after itself without odours better without the blue stuff than with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? I thought it was a given that blue stuff was needed for any holding tank. It's something I've always done when I use the Thetford Porta Potti when camping I simply applied the same rule to boats.

I don't think I could stand the smell of the holding tank without blue stuff in it when it comes to emptying.

BTW I don't know if this is unique to my boat but my holding tank is connected to the heads via a switchable valve (Tank/Sea flush) and it's kind of like a plastic jerry can that I disconnect to empty. Is this the norm?

 

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
Really? I thought it was a given that blue stuff was needed for any holding tank. It's something I've always done when I use the Thetford Porta Potti when camping I simply applied the same rule to boats.

[/ QUOTE ]The camping Porta Potti has no air supply so anaerobic bacteria take over the tank - these cause a foul stench. The chemical, usually formaldehyde and perfume, helps to slow the bacterial growth and disguise the residual smell. If you have a holding tank with an adequate breather then the tank becomes populated by aerobic bacteria, not anaerobic, and these don't have much smell at all.

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think I could stand the smell of the holding tank without blue stuff in it when it comes to emptying....BTW I don't know if this is unique to my boat but my holding tank is connected to the heads via a switchable valve (Tank/Sea flush) and it's kind of like a plastic jerry can that I disconnect to empty. Is this the norm?

[/ QUOTE ]The tank/sea flush valve isn't at issue but the nature of the tank is. If you have a small tank that is not open to the outside air via a breather then you have, in effect, a Porta Potti system and you will need to use a chemical. Most yachts are fitted with fairly large holding tanks (100 litres ++) which cannot be carried and are emptied either by a dedicated pump on board and/or a pump-out nozzle on the deck. The latter should be better without chemical than with it provided that there is a good breather. Why not try it, anyway? You can always empty it and refill if it isn't working out for you.

 

[Captain Haddock]

Thanks for the info Lemain it's been very informative and you've answered the questions I've had about this arrangement since I've had my boat.

I've definately got the porta potti system on board and it's definately without a breather. Not sure about giving this a whirl without the blue stuff though as I thought the blue stuff also broke down the err more chunky contents of the tank.

I like to take comfort that I can dissolve a pound of kendal mint cake and not have to worry about it when it comes to empty time.

... not that we eat lots of kendal mint cake on board /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As you've probably guessed already I try to use the tank sparingly it's surprising how fast it can fill up.

Once again many thanks.

 

[Lakesailor]

Re: Loo Paper - Instant Grab

I have a friend who's father ( a refined, but obviously hairy-arsed man) would only use Izal on the basis that soft tissue became conglomerated in the issue and wasn't any use for scrubbing.

Was the tensile test on the basis of the well-known "finger puncture" resistance?

 

[Mirelle]

Two comments

1. This study is clearly superficial. remember that it tooka Committee established by Her Majesty's Government 18 years to decide between hard and shiny or soft loo paper.

2. On a point of information, if She Who Must be Obeyed changes the baby and absent mindedly stuffs four Johnson's Baby Wipes into the Baby Blake, the Blake will swallow the lot without complaint but the discharge seacock will not (DAMHIKT!)

 

[Gordonmc]

Re: Two comments

All this has gone a long way to discredit my efforts to prevent paper of any kind from going down the pan. With two girlies in the crew who use a forest worth of paper each visit I have supplied small bags and a container in the heads.
Apparently, I am informed by a reliable source, ladies' conveniences have a similar arrangement for periodic events.
Problems arise when advising more hairy-ar*ed visitors of this protocol.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Two comments

My 16 year old daughter - rather a 'girlie' girl, not in the least bit butch or tom-boy, went on a four week expedition with NOLS in Washington State, last summer. They were on a strict 'zero impact' regime and were told that if they wanted to use paper they would have to take it with them in bags. None of them did - they all managed simply by making a small hole by foot, and then covering it over with a little earth. She wasn't in the least bit bothered - there were other issues far more important to her.

 

[cliffb]

Captain Haddock.
The 3ply dodgy stuff is supplied by the Scottish International Relief organisation. (aptly named I think!). They are a charity who sell half reasonable stuff in bulk, the profit going to charity.
As for the holding tank situation.... I have a retro-fitted tank in what used to be a wet locker in the heads. I couldn't say whether I have a breather or not. I'll check it out next time I visit the boat. But the tank certainly is not designed to come out to be emptied.

Lake Sailor....
Yes... The tensile strength test was almost exclusively based on the 'finger puncture' method.

 

[charles_reed]

Son 1

was the greatest sinner - insisted on lining the seat and then flushing the whole lot down.

Cured him of that though - when he blocked the downstairs loo, handed him the rods and supervised the clearance (we live in the country and are connected to a aeptic tank).

The other major risk is from disposable nappies.

In many Portuguese and spanish loos NO paper goes down the toilet - all gets deposited in a bucket to be burnt.