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How to Eliminate Toilet Paper Dust

Toilet paper dust is a nasty consequence of the production process through which it goes. The fibers that the toilet paper is made from were originally long and were then cut down to smaller sizes in order to allow them to disintegrate in the sewage system or septic tank.

However, when you tear your required amount of paper from the roll, some of these smaller fibers will break off and land on the floor as “dust”. This dust is not only annoying to clean up, but can also negatively impact your health, so taking steps to eliminate it is a good idea.


Eliminate toilet paper with a bidet. Switch to high-quality toilet paper. This is stronger and perforated, thus less likely to break apart and release dust when handled. Run the fan while using the toilet, vacuum daily, and wipe the surfaces with a damp cloth to help prevent toilet paper dust build-up.

Exchange the Toilet Paper for a Bidet

One way to eliminate the occurrence of toilet paper dust in your bathroom is to simply not use it. No, I am not telling you to just air dry after using the toilet, but rather make use of the lovely European invention: the bidet.

Toilet paper

For those who are not entirely sure what a bidet is, it is simply a small toilet bowl-like system that was designed to allow for washing one’s private areas. The TOTO Piedmont Bidet (amazon link) is a great option.

When you are finished on the toilet, simply turn on the bidet and wash with water and soap, and finish by drying off with a towel (unless you are lucky enough to have a bidet with a drying feature).

The Lotus Smart Bidet (amazon link) is really handy for when you don’t have space for a whole separate system. This is just a toilet seat that attaches to your original toilet and performs all the same features as a bidet (with a few extra and smart features—like a warm drying feature).

Not only will bidets reduce your toilet paper use (and therefore the creation of toilet paper dust), but you will also be left feeling super clean after each trip to the bathroom. There is also the added bonus of not having your toilet clog up with toilet paper.

However, a downside of this option is that a lot of bathrooms are not big enough to house both a toilet and a bidet.

Switch to High-Quality Toilet Paper

Another method to reduce toilet paper dust production is to switch to higher quality toilet paper. I know it might be tempting to reach for the heavily reduced-price toilet paper of ridiculously inferior quality at the store, but if you really want to eliminate the dust then you need to avoid this stuff.

Close-up Of A Person's Hand Using Toilet Paper

Rather opt for the higher quality 2- or 3-ply toilet paper as it produces less toilet paper dust when unrolled and torn off. The reason for this is that the toilet paper is not being made as thin or brittle as 1-ply toilet paper. The thicker toilet paper won’t dust as much as the fibers are not as thin and fragile.

Although this toilet paper will degrade just like the others (albeit over a slightly longer time), it is much stronger and won’t tear as easily, reducing the chance of tiny pieces of toilet paper dusting your floor and other bathroom surfaces.

Use Perforated Toilet Paper

A really useful tip in reducing toilet paper dust in your bathroom is to make sure that you not only buy good quality toilet paper but make sure that it is also perforated. The good news is that most higher-quality papers are perforated.

When you tear non-perforated toilet paper, a greater surface area becomes distressed and therefore enables a greater release of dust.

So, if you get a perforated roll, it means the manufacturer began the process of tearing the paper in the factory, and any dust that was created was left far away from your home. When you tear the paper in your bathroom, much less dust will be created.

Let the Fan Run While When You Use the Toilet

While you are using the toilet, it is a good idea to let the bathroom fan run the whole time. The fan will be able to remove some of the dust released when you tear the toilet paper, by blowing it out of the bathroom.

It might not be the most cost-effective method as you would need quite a strong fan to run long enough in order to achieve a full air change to eliminate all the dust in your bathroom. This could run your energy bill up quite high.

However, it is a method that does not require much physical effort on your part, as you don’t really need to do much else besides switching the fan on. In many bathrooms, the fan comes on automatically when you flip the light switch, so you might not even have to think about it all.

Vacuum the Bathroom Instead of Sweeping

This next method does not prevent toilet paper dust from being released in your bathroom, rather it is a way to help control it and prevent it from accumulating too much.

Instead of sweeping the dust away, try vacuuming. Sweeping can actually disperse the particles around the bathroom, which can re-settle onto surfaces once you’ve cleaned them. Moreover, any pieces of dust that get stuck in the broom can be released upon the next sweeping session.

Using a small handheld vacuum can really ensure that you get every single piece of dust. The vacuum will not be likely to leave any pieces on the floor as it is suctioning it all into the filter. You also eliminate the sweeping action, which causes the dust to become airborne.

You will need to do vacuum every single day in order for it to be truly effective since you will be using the bathroom multiple times a day.

Wipe Surfaces With Damp Cloth

Another method to get rid of the toilet paper dust in your bathroom is to wipe all the surfaces with a damp cloth. This is a great backup method to do after sweeping or running the fan as the damp cloth will ensure that the settled dust is picked up after, rather than just stirred back into the air.

Doing this once a day might feel very tedious, but if you keep a small washcloth in a basket next to your toilet and simply rinse it after you have washed your hands, then you can start creating the habit of wiping down the surfaces.

You don’t need to go crazy and wipe down the walls and window sills every day, but definitely wipe down the toilet seat and areas close to where you keep your toilet paper rolls. You will be able to prevent the toilet paper dust from accumulating too much.

Eliminating toilet paper dust will help to manage the lint and dust levels in your bathroom. If you are looking for other causes of this build-up as well as the solutions, check out my articles on Why Does My Bathroom Have so Much Lint and Reduce Dust in the Bathroom: Effective Tips.

Is Toilet Paper Dust Bad For You?

No dust is good for you when you inhale it. It acts as a mechanical irritant to the respiratory tract, which can cause sneezing, excess mucous, and coughing. Small abrasions in your respiratory passageways also open you up to bacterial infections.

You can read more in my article on Is Toilet Paper Dust Bad for You?

Sources

https://www.shamrockplumbing.net/2020/05/pros-cons-of-bidets/

https://dreamyhome.co.uk/top-2-ways-to-eliminate-toilet-paper-dust/

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