People make a lot of jokes about how there tend to be two types of people who perform one specific task in very different ways from each other.
Do you say “to-ma-toe” or “to-mah-to”?
Do you pour milk before cereal, or cereal before milk?
Do you put the toilet paper on its holder over or under?
For most of these things, it doesn’t really matter which way you do things.
But for the toilet paper bit, it’s a little different.
For starters, the way you hang your toilet paper can supposedly say a lot about your personality.
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According to a study conducted by Dr. Gilda Carle and published in The Independent, those who hang their toilet paper over instead of under, meaning the loose end is draped along the top, often have more dominant personalities and assertive traits.
While those who do it the other way around may be more easy going, relaxed, and even empathetic.
But that’s not the only reason toilet paper stands out from the “two kinds of people” jokes – there is actually a correct way to hang toilet paper, and that correct way can save you a trip to the doctor.
On top of that, not only can hanging toilet paper the wrong way make you sick, but it could even result in lawsuits and compensation being required!
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The University of Colorado conducted a study back in 2011 that unveiled that even the most well-maintained public bathroom could be very much covered in all sorts of bacteria, including ones that are very dangerous.
In fact, they found 19 different groups of bacteria on all surfaces, including soap dispensers, doors, taps, and floors.
This means that just by touching any of these spots, you could be at risk of illness, especially if you’re not washing your hands properly after.
But on top of that, e.coli, which is a kind of bacteria that is present in human feces, is easily found around the actual toilet area.
When transferred onto the hands, this bacteria can result in a host of health issues, including a runny nose and food poisoning.
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When you hang toilet paper under, meaning the loose end is facing the wall, there is a good chance that the person reaching for it will brush their fingers against the wall.
Even if they don’t the paper itself may come into contact with the bacteria-filled wall because of proximity alone.
Hanging under also means that someone’s hands might touch the front or top of the toilet roll as they reach for some, transferring bacteria onto the clean, unused paper.
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If you hang toilet paper over, with the loose end facing out, most people will virtually only touch the toilet paper that they will end up using.
This is why it is so much safer to hang toilet paper over instead of under – there’s less risk of bacteria transmission.
Preventing the spread of bacteria is also one of the reasons that many public restrooms make use of dispensers that prevent people from touching any of the roll at all.
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Basically, hanging toilet paper over is simply the safer way to go, and it can help you avoid a large number of health issues.
So let’s just do it that way and keep everyone safe!