# Are you a folder or a buncher? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 28, 2001, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367 "2001-09-28T19:01:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/1 "2001-09-28T19:01:11Z")
This is a topic of great debate in my household, which should tell you all about my family, but here it is for the Dopers; when you take a swatch of toilet paper off the roll and prepare to wipe, do you fold it, or bunch it? I bunch. I find a good bunch gives you good hand protection while giving the wad an uneven surface for maximum “pickup.” But to my amazement, many people claim that they find folding is a superior method. Which are you? ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/2 "2001-09-28T19:07:18Z")
I’m a buncher. For the life of me I can’t figure out how you’d be able to get a good wipe with folds. I’m with you on the hand protection bit. To add some TMI to this topic…I also sit while wiping but stood for the first 20 years of my life. I also prefer the paper to come from the top of the roll. Add a decent book for good measure and I could be gone for hours. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/3 "2001-09-28T19:20:32Z")
Buncher, checking in. I’ve had this discussion with a folder, and it just didn’t make sense to me. I tried it out, and the paper unfolds, and presents a risk of unfolding onto your hand. Yech. Plus, all the fibers are aligned, so you run the risk of a tear. Yech. With a quality bunch, you can still rebunch it for another round, if that’s your desire. KN, when you say that you sit down, does that mean that you reach from underneath, and do a back to front? If so, you’re weird! ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/4 "2001-09-28T19:27:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\* > KN, when you say that you sit down, does that mean that you reach from underneath, and do a back to front? If so, you’re weird! \*\* Nope…it’s a reach behind, and front to back. Back to front would mean I’d have the potential to be dragging crap across my dangly bits. I’d rather not do that, BJ’s are rare as it is. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/5 "2001-09-28T19:32:36Z")
What is folding? I just throw them in the drawer oh you are talking about tp. I bunch that too. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/6 "2001-09-28T19:39:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > \*\*What is folding? I just throw them in the drawer oh you are talking about tp. I bunch that too. \*\* That’s what I thought it was going to be too…I’m compulsive so my underwear and my toilet paper are both folded. Well, for the tp I take a long piece and fold it back and forth in a hybrid folded bunch. A flat fold wouldn’t have the texture needed, as mentioned, and the large quantity I take and fold/bunch allows for the foldover-and-use-again option. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/7 "2001-09-28T19:39:58Z")
Folder checking in. How in the hell can you bunch? That is so freakin’ weird. I mean, isn’t there a danger of a loose bunch and your finger slipping all the way through or something? ---
**Author:** ![Caldazar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Caldazar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldazar)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/8 "2001-09-28T19:45:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Amp \* > \*\*Folder checking in. How in the hell can you bunch? That is so freakin’ weird. I mean, isn’t there a danger of a loose bunch and your finger slipping all the way through or something? \*\* Nah, that’s why you use a tighter bunch. An unbunched or slightly wrinkled top surface with a mushroom-cap shaped bunch backing things up works decently well. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/9 "2001-09-28T20:03:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Amp \* > \*\*Folder checking in. How in the hell can you bunch? That is so freakin’ weird. I mean, isn’t there a danger of a loose bunch and your finger slipping all the way through or something? \*\* Nah man…it’s an art form. I have a few of my TP bunches in galleries across the world. [sub]I sure hope they don’t find me. [/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/10 "2001-09-28T21:05:55Z")
I was a buncher until around the age of 10, when my twin brother stepped out of the shower as I was beginning to wipe. I still remember the shame I felt when he vehemently ridiculed me and told me I should fold the tp. I’ve never been able to bunch since. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/11 "2001-09-28T21:21:26Z")
[More information about dopers wiping asses than you can shake a stick at](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=58782) FTR: folder (reformed buncher) sitting through the legs back to front. ---
**Author:** ![urban1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d07c76/32.png) [@urban1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/12 "2001-09-28T21:58:06Z")
Life long buncher. One bunch for the first swipe (to get the larger bits), then one touchup bunch. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/13 "2001-09-28T22:08:50Z")
I am a folder. Bunching seems dirty to me. ---
**Author:** ![caircair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@caircair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caircair)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/14 "2001-09-28T22:11:20Z")
Is a buncher the same as a crumpler? 'Cause I’m a buncher – I like a good handful of the stuff. I once had a roommate who insisted 4 squares was enough to do the job. She was quite insistant that 4 squares per pass were all that was needed – and that I was never to use more than 4 squares per pass at any one time. Otherwise, she claimed, we went through too much paper. My nickname for this person is “The Roommate from Hell”. ---
**Author:** ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/15 "2001-09-29T03:22:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mudshark \* > \*\*I am a folder. Bunching seems dirty to me. \*\* heh. i’m exactly the opposite. i bunch. folding is dirty. and i do it standing, reach behind, front to back between the legs. ---
**Author:** ![slackergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@slackergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slackergirl)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/16 "2001-09-29T19:23:21Z")
Depends on the situation. I take medication that gives me the drizzlies a couple days a week. If things are feeling a bit sensitive, I don’t want any extra edges, so I fold. Otherwise, bunching’s the best. ---
**Author:** ![ThunderBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThunderBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThunderBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/17 "2001-09-29T20:08:50Z")
Doesn’t it depend on the quality of the toilet paper? I mean, if it’s institutional crap (no pun intended) then folding sets you up for failure – it’s so smooth and nonabsorbent that it’ll just slide right by. Ya gotta bunch that stuff. But if it’s high-quality paper, thick, several ply, and quilted, then bunching is unnecessary. Fold it twice (to get 4 layers) and do the job. Oh, and I rarely finish in two swipes. Roll out more paper and go for four or five swipes. ---
**Author:** ![Kittie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Kittie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kittie)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/18 "2001-09-29T21:13:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mouthbreather \* > \*\* > FTR: > > folder (reformed buncher) > sitting > through the legs > back to front. \*\* “Back to front”?! What the hell? How’s that work? yeek… By the way, I bunch… ~Kittie ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/19 "2001-09-29T22:35:01Z")
A wrapper here. How do you fold the tp? Unroll it, then fold it? You literally fold one section over another? seems tedious and time-consuming. I WRAP. I control the roll-off with my left hand on the roll and hold the end with my right,and wrap the tp around my fingers, take it off my fingers, grasp, wipe. With wrapping, I have several layers, but a smooth surface; and I can fold it over and wipe again. Seems like bunching would make it harder to control and yield only one wipe. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367/20 "2001-09-29T22:57:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kittie \* > \*\*“Back to front”?! What the hell? How’s that work? yeek… > \*\* Well, short of setting up a webcam and showing you (I’d bet both of my arms that no one on earth wants to see that, BTW), I think you’re just going to have to use your imagination. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-folder-or-a-buncher/84367.md?page=2)