# Anyone run out of TP yet? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 28, 2020, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475 "2020-03-28T00:49:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/41 "2020-03-29T20:00:44Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Tube socks!? > Clench your cheeks, walk the two steps to the shower and wash your ass off with soap and water. What the hell, people? > > Sent from my SM-N910U using Tapatalk My preferred routine has ALWAYS been to shit at home as much as possible and take a shower right after. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/42 "2020-03-29T20:33:24Z")
I’m in no danger of running out of toilet paper, but if I do I still get vast amounts of junk mail. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/43 "2020-03-29T20:59:23Z")
There’s a meme out there where a case of thermal-paper rolls for a cash register has a multitude of 1-star reviews, allegedly from people who ordered it because they thought it was TP. I replied that they are probably joke reviews, along the lines of the ones for the Three Wolf Moon t-shirts. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/44 "2020-03-30T05:33:33Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > My preferred routine has ALWAYS been to shit at home as much as possible and take a shower right after. And my preferred routine is to not wash fecal matter into a non-flushing drain that happens to belong to the shower-bath combo in which I clean myself. And most especially not just because the hoarders created a hole in the supply chain that’ll take weeks to refill. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Reginald\_Knutsen\_the\_3rd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Reginald\_Knutsen\_the\_3rd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reginald_Knutsen_the_3rd)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/45 "2020-03-30T06:11:04Z")
First let’s just point out that there are apparently entire segments of society who don’t regularly buy 24 and 30 packs. Whats the end game there? Literally get caught with your pants down? Arbitrarily pay more for toilet paper and more often? This has been a revelation to a lot of us to find out people do this. Second, the full on hoarding of sanitizing materials is much more concerning and dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/46 "2020-03-30T06:58:52Z")
I have an unopened 9 pack of the cheap stuff. The head of housekeeping said if I get desperate he’ll give me a few rolls. End of worrying for me. Normally I buy a 12\_pack. This last time I was feeling lazy and only bought a 4 pack. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/47 "2020-03-30T07:18:40Z")
I have 34 rolls. I think I’ve mentioned before that I buy in bulk, though, and I just came off a buying cycle. Got 2 large bottles of shampoo, 4 of the body wash the boychik likes, 3 of his zit soap, 2 packages of the disposable razors DH likes, 6 bars of my peppermint soap, 8 sticks of deodorant, a six-pack of toothbrushes, three 10lb bags of bread flour, 12 packages of yeast, three 5lb bags of pastry flour, 2 5lb bags of WW flour, a gallon of cooking oil. several pounds of pasta, probably 12 cans of beans, an 10 cans of bean or lentil soup. 12 16oz bottles of the shelf-stable milk DH & the boychik like to take on hikes where they camp for the night. Tons of frozen vegetables, and fake meat, and a little frozen veggies. Lots of other stuff as well. Which way is Oregon? ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/48 "2020-03-30T07:50:38Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > My local Ralphs/Kroger has run out of TP and paper towels less than an hour after opening each day this week. Its getting annoying. Same here in the Virginia Beach area but people here panic buy when there’s an inch of snow forecast. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/49 "2020-03-30T08:04:55Z")
Got a 30-pack of Jumbo rolls a few weeks ago that we haven’t opened up yet, and there’s only two of us, so we’re good. If we run out and it’s still in short supply, I’ll hook up the bidet attachment I bought a while ago. (Haven’t done so yet because it’s cold water only, and cold weather water here is COLD.) ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/50 "2020-03-30T08:58:43Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I ate three rolls for breakfast this morning. A little honey, a little cinnamon, and it was…well, not delicious. But I need to eat enough to make a path from my bedroom to the bathroom so I can take a dump. Right now I just hang my ass out the window and yell, “Look out below!” > > Stranger I have a hard time telling when **Stranger** is joking. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/51 "2020-03-30T09:07:47Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > And my preferred routine is to not wash fecal matter into a non-flushing drain that happens to belong to the shower-bath combo in which I clean myself. Yet both have traps and join up a few feet or so down the plumbing stack. Much preferable and cleaner than dropping shit-encrusted socks in the laundry hamper, IMHO. Especially, when I’m digging through the laundry to find the earplugs I left in my pocket! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/52 "2020-03-30T13:27:27Z")
I had to go to two stores over the weekend for routine shopping. Stocks at my house are fine, but we haven’t had to buys any since this thing started. But I can’t understand why both stores were out- aren’t people fully stocked at this point? I mean, once you get to a six month supply, don’t you stop buying? ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/53 "2020-03-30T15:09:33Z")
We still are fine re TP, though I occasionally look at the printer and regret buying all that 24 pound bond paper a few months ago. Onionskin is more appealing right now. As for using leaves, some years ago archeologists reported they found holly leaves in Viking “dump sites.” The archeologists were divided, some thinking it meant Vikings were even tougher than previously thought, others thinking It meant Vikings were fond of drunken practical jokes ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/54 "2020-03-30T17:17:50Z")
We just happened to buy a pack at Costco a couple weeks ago, just before the shit hit the fan…and we weren’t out at the time, I just brought some more in from the garage today; we currently have 30 rolls for the three of us. I think we’ll be just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/55 "2020-03-30T17:21:20Z")
Yea I went to two stores on Friday. They were both completely out of TP, paper towels, napkins, and tissues. The TP crisis is not over. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/56 "2020-03-30T17:36:38Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Yea I went to two stores on Friday. They were both completely out of TP, paper towels, napkins, and tissues. The TP crisis is not over. At the grocery store yesterday the only thing they had in the paper isle was the square disposable napkins. No TP, no paper towels, no kleenex, no baby wipes. Nothing. Like someone said upthread… what the fuck? Once you have a 6 month supply, don’t you stop buying?? Why is everyone still snatching up this stuff? And why paper towels?? It must be an ID-10-T problem on my part, because I just don’t get it. We don’t need TP, but we are running low on paper towels. Luckily, paper towels are a convenience item. It’s not like our life will be severely impacted negatively if we run out. TP is another story. But we have a ~3 months worth of that. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/57 "2020-03-30T17:58:11Z")
> [@Reginald\_Knutsen\_the\_3rd](#): > > Second, the full on hoarding of sanitizing materials is much more concerning and dangerous. [not necessarily hoarders](https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/chinese-company-shipped-out-millions-of-australias-masks-hand-sanitiser-glove-supplies/news-story/d5324e3676d38af509d5ac25c56e7cec) and profiteers: > [@](#): > > A Chinese government-backed property giant has secretly raided in bulk Australia’s supplies of masks, hand sanitiser, antibacterial wipes and essential medical supplies and shipped them back to China. The Greenland Group, which manages high-end real estate projects in Sydney and Melbourne, proactively drained Australian supplies of anti-coronavirus equipment, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Three million surgical masks, 500,000 pairs of gloves and bulk supplies of sanitiser and wipes were bought up in Australia and other countries where Greenland operates. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/58 "2020-03-30T18:00:31Z")
I’m going to run out of rubbing alcohol first. Try to get some of that. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/59 "2020-03-30T18:07:17Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Exactly - there is a reason that the morning routine is sometimes shorthanded as “shit, shower, and shave”. For most people today I think the reason is more because if you have to shit after your shower it just feels messier. It’s not because people routinely skip wiping after the pre-shower dump and waddle into the shower to clean off their asses. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475/60 "2020-03-30T18:34:22Z")
Unlike others here, I _have_ been able to buy TP since the madness got under way. Last week, I bought an 18-pack of Charmin at Safeway, and a 9-pack at Giant. (Up through last week, they opened at 5am and 6am, respectively, and there are benefits to being an early-a.m. insomniac.) Now we’re good through June, by which time I sure hope it’s generally available again. > [@Lancia](#): > > We don’t need TP, but we are running low on paper towels. Luckily, paper towels are a convenience item. It’s not like our life will be severely impacted negatively if we run out. TP is another story. But we have a ~3 months worth of that. That’s pretty much where we are now: a good supply of TP, but only one spare 6-pack of paper towels. But like you say, while we’re **used** to using paper towels for certain cleaning jobs, in most situations one can substitute dish towels (counter cleaning, dish drying (duh)) or rags (cleaning messes off floors and rugs) or something else. I can deal with those substitutions a lot easier than any of the TP alternatives in this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-run-out-of-tp-yet/850475.md?page=4)