# Why do women hold folded toilet paper, not leaving it on the roll, when using a public toilet? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 27, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540 "2013-02-27T19:01:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/21 "2013-02-28T00:06:21Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > If ya shake more than three times, you’re playin with it! > > Sometimes I whip it around just to impress people. Keeps knocking off my Stetson, tho. Isn’t that “playing with it”? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/22 "2013-02-28T00:17:15Z")
The classic Tallulah Bankhead anecdote: Darling, is there any tissue in there? Sorry, no. Then have you any Kleenex? Afraid not. My dear, have you two fives for a ten? ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/23 "2013-02-28T00:21:56Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > “No matter how hard you shake it, there’s still one more drop left…” Not a great quote. I prefer the classic _No matter how much you wiggle Or how much you dance, A drop or two always Ends up in your pants_ ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/24 "2013-02-28T01:08:57Z")
[moderating] Thread moved from General Questions to IMHO. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/25 "2013-02-28T01:25:44Z")
**Leo Bloom** , how many women have you observed using the toilet and _why would you_? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/26 "2013-02-28T01:47:09Z")
Clearly, we need a campaign to stop this menace to society. What slogan could we use? Along the lines of “click it or ticket”. How about “fold it and hold it” or “rip it and grip it”? Oh wait, that’s the opposite of what you want. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/27 "2013-02-28T02:16:57Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > And yet most women seemingly don’t even think about getting their money out of their handbag until the cashier rings up the final total at the checkout. This is not my experience _at all_. Do you really mean “most women” and not “old people”? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/28 "2013-02-28T02:31:28Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > This is not my experience _at all_. Do you really mean “most women” and not “old people”? I believe that is something we only see when it happens and annoys us. I just want to buy my @#$%&\*^ TV dinner and get back to work. When the self check out is full, I seem to have old/young men, old/young men waiting to get their wallet out until the machine bitches at them. And they can’t get the g-dd-mn money into the f—ing machine!! Sorry. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/29 "2013-02-28T04:23:47Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > The classic Tallulah Bankhead anecdote: > > Darling, is there any tissue in there? > > Sorry, no. > > Then have you any Kleenex? > > Afraid not. > > My dear, have you two fives for a ten? I haven’t a square to spare. /flinty voice ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/30 "2013-02-28T14:12:55Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I haven’t a square to spare. /flinty voice His face! Was there any damage to his face? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/31 "2013-02-28T14:15:06Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > **Leo Bloom** , how many women have you observed using the toilet and _why would you_? Rule 34. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/32 "2013-02-28T14:23:41Z")
There’s currently an advertising campaign for a brand of toilet paper which is encouraging viewers to log in to Facebook and tell the company whether you ‘fold’ or ‘scrunch’ your toilet paper. Um, no thanks. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/33 "2013-02-28T15:06:37Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > There’s currently an advertising campaign for a brand of toilet paper which is encouraging viewers to log in to Facebook and tell the company whether you ‘fold’ or ‘scrunch’ your toilet paper. > > Um, no thanks. When I was a teenager I used to babysit this little girl every week, and one day her dad came home and excitedly asked me if I scrunch my toiletpaper before wiping, or if I fold it. The look on my face must’ve made him realise… The reason he asked was because they were toilet training at the time, and while they always folded for her she had suddenly started scrunching, and they wondered if that was how I did it. His face when he suddenly realised what he had asked… still makes me laugh! 😃 (And if anyone was wondering about the conclusion to this riveting tale of toiletpaper: I fold, the little girl had started scrunching of her own accord. And I had no problem telling her dad.) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/34 "2013-02-28T15:21:38Z")
OK, I’ve done something thinking about this, some of it while on the toilet, and here’s what I come up with (some of which has been mentioned): 1. It’s something to do while waiting for nature to take its course 2. It makes a little noise which can distract you or others from other noises, or from the deadly silence of everyone waiting for things to come out OK. 3. It’s something to distract yourself if you have a shy bladder, and takes the attention off your bladder so nature can take its course 4. The TP rolls in some bathrooms are recalcitrant and take several tries to get an intact sufficiently-long piece of TP. Why not start on this work as soon as you can? 5. The TP in some bathrooms is super-thin and take great lengths to get enough overall volume of TP. We must start investigating asap to see what we’re working with. 6. You know you will be removing an engorged feminine hygiene product and that it will take a mountain of paper but you’ve already started peeing so you will have to wipe yourself but There Will be Blood so you will need a lot of paper. You start assembling reinforcements as soon as you can. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/35 "2013-02-28T15:24:14Z")
I’m beginning to wonder where I can find some of this wonderful loud toilet paper. My store only carries the silent kind. ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/36 "2013-02-28T15:41:38Z")
My guess: 1. You’re not going to be there long enough to do any serious reading 2. You’re not holding anything else in your hand. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/37 "2013-02-28T15:46:13Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’m beginning to wonder where I can find some of this wonderful loud toilet paper. My store only carries the silent kind. It’s only in the women’s room. Like with the pink fainting couches, pink-tinted lighting from crystal chandeliers but instead of crystals they’re pink tourmalines, shiny marble flooring, and giggly pillow fights. Seethe with envy, penis-holder. ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/38 "2013-02-28T15:49:01Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Not a great quote. I prefer the classic > > _No matter how much you wiggle > Or how much you dance, > A drop or two always > Ends up in your pants_ Interesting, I always heard this version, which I think is slightly catchier: No matter how much you wriggle or dance, the last two drops go in your pants. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/39 "2013-02-28T16:00:10Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > It’s only in the women’s room. Like with the pink fainting couches, pink-tinted lighting from crystal chandeliers but instead of crystals they’re pink tourmalines, shiny marble flooring, and giggly pillow fights. I knew it! > [@](#): > > Seethe with envy, penis-holder. I only brushed up against it, I swear! ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540/40 "2013-02-28T19:33:12Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > There’s currently an advertising campaign for a brand of toilet paper which is encouraging viewers to log in to Facebook and tell the company whether you ‘fold’ or ‘scrunch’ your toilet paper. > > Um, no thanks. Dude, I love that campaign if only for the fact that it made so many people (including me) aware that there are apparently two camps! I mean, folding vs scrunching tp just doesn’t come up, even in tmi conversations. My mom and I saw the commercial and had a funny moment. Basically our reactions: Me: “Hawhaw! Folds??? Who FOLDS toilet paper??” Mom: “Hawhaw! Scrunches??? Who SCRUNCHES toilet paper??” We then looked at each other with the exact same “WTF YOU WEIRDO” face. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-women-hold-folded-toilet-paper-not-leaving-it-on-the-roll-when-using-a-public-toilet/651540.md?page=3)