A mum decided to make her own reusable toilet paper, cutting down on the almost 300 loo rolls the family were getting through each year.
Kelsey Leverton, 42, started making her own reusable wipes three years ago in an attempt to reduce the family's excessive use of 288 rolls each year.
Kelsey, a community exercise assessor, first decided to give homemade, eco loo roll a go after hearing about it on the radio.
She said: "I heard someone on the radio talking about reusable toilet wipes and it was a real eye opener. I thought, 'I can do this, it's easy'.
Advert
"I thought about how my mum used terry towelling when we were babies as washable nappies and thought it would be the ideal material. Plus it helps that none of us are squeamish."
So, she bought a metre square of terry towelling and cut it up into 50 strips, which are still going strong today - despite being washed 150 times.
The wipes sit in a basket next to the toilets in the family's home in Fleckney, Leicestershire, and once used they're dumped in a small waste paper bin that is scented with essential oils.
Kelsey said: "I use fresh scents like orange, lemon, peppermint or frankincense. I just put a few drops in the bottom of the bins and they don't get smelly at all."
Advert
At the end of the week, the wipes are placed in a mesh bag and washed at 40 degrees - with Kelsey saying it's 'just like having a few extra pairs of socks to sort out'.
The mum-of-two said her daughters Neave and Willow weren't initially on board with the idea, but they have since come around and call the reusable loo roll 'foof wipes'.
Kelsey said: "The girls turned their noses up a little bit in the beginning. But when they had a go they said it felt really soft and not as gross as they thought it would be.
Advert
"Neave doesn't like it if they have been dried on the radiator though as it makes them hard and rough. So I make sure I dry them naturally on the washing line or a clothes hanger."
As for guests - Kelsey says some embrace the idea while others can be a bit grossed out.
"A few guests have said they don't fancy it and some have been interested and started asking questions," Kelsey said.
Advert
"We still have a small amount of toilet roll for number twos because we get a delivery from Who Gives a Cr*p twice a year. This also means there is an option for guests. And if we have no toilet roll at all then the wipes are sufficient for 'other things'."
The family were also one of the very few in the UK who weren't impacted by last year's panic buying which saw supermarket shelves stripped of toilet rolls.
She joked: "With people scrambling around for toilet roll at the moment it seems we are ahead of the curve. People have bog roll anxiety and we are just cruising along."
Featured Image Credit: Lily CanterTopics: UK