How Much Toilet Paper Should a Person Use? Get the Most out of Your Roll

Whether you’re trying to create less waste or you’re on a strict TP budget, it’s a good idea to figure out how much toilet paper you’re using or how much you might need. But there are a lot of variables to consider too. Every household is different. Some are big and some are smaller. And the type of toilet paper you prefer makes a difference too. With Cottonelle^® Brand Toilet Paper, for example, you can use less^† sheets per wipe so it does a better job at getting the job done. So, how much Toilet Paper should you pick up for your family? Read on.

First, let’s figure out the numbers. Most people use the toilet about 5¹ times a day, but anything in the 4-10 range is deemed “normal”. And the average person is said to use nearly 7 sheets¹ per wipe – approximately 6.4¹ sheets per toileting occasion for women, and 8¹ sheets per occasion for men.

So, if we’re using the toilet 5 times per day and using an average of 7 sheets per wipe, then one person uses about 35 sheets per day. One person will go through a regular roll of 150 sheets in about 4.3 days. And if you’ve ever wondered how much toilet paper you use in a year, the answer is probably somewhere in the ballpark of 85 rolls!

What about when you’ve got few people in your household?

The bigger the family, the more toilet paper you need (as you can imagine). An average family of four can have a regular roll (of 150 sheets) done in just over a day. They’ll go through an estimated 7 rolls per week, or 28 rolls a month. But again, remember there are factors that could change the numbers: If you have young kids who are using the washroom more often, or someone experiencing incontinence, your household’s toilet paper usage will probably be more – so it’s best to keep some extra on hand.

But there’s still an important detail to consider in your toilet paper consumption: not all toilet paper is created equally.

Cottonelle^® Ultra CleanCare^® Toilet Paper and Cottonelle^® Ultra ComfortCare^® Toilet Paper is 3-times thicker and 3-times stronger^† than your average 1-ply toilet paper. And it’s uniquely designed with soft CleaningRipples™ Texture that delivers a confident clean so you can use less^† sheets as it removes more in just one wipe^†. So, if you’re stocking your washroom with quality Cottonelle^® Brand Toilet Paper, you’ll likely go through fewer rolls than average!

If you’re looking to plan your shopping, the average family can easily get by for just over 3 weeks on a 12-pack of Cottonelle^® Ultra CleanCare^® Toilet Paper, which has 340 sheets in 1 mega roll.

35 sheets x 4 people = 140 sheets per day = nearly ½ mega roll per day
3.5 mega rolls per week
7 mega rolls per 2 weeks
10.5 mega rolls per 3 weeks, so rounded up to 12 mega rolls for 3 weeks per family

And don’t forget, Cottonelle^® offers two strong and absorbent toilet paper options: Cottonelle^® Ultra CleanCare^® Toilet Paper – our soft, strong and effective toilet paper that delivers a confident clean, and our Cottonelle^® Ultra ComfortCare^® Toilet Paper – our softest, thickest and most absorbent toilet paper for a superior clean. We suggest pairing your dry toilet paper with Cottonelle^® Flushable Wipes for a shower fresh clean*.

Since toilet paper is a product with a very, very long shelf life, it never hurts to keep an extra pack or two at home in case of emergencies or unexpected guests.

Toilet paper packs come with many rolls, so most people (48%) store their extra rolls under the bathroom sink. 17% store rolls on the back of the toilet tank and 9% store it next to the toilet in a toilet paper holder.¹

• The average person uses 85 rolls of toilet paper per year (based on regular rolls of 150 sheets per), or nearly 13,000 sheets.
• Men use on average of 8.1¹ sheets and women use 6.3¹ sheets. When it comes to using wet flushable wipes, men and women use the same amount – approximately 2.9¹ sheets per toileting occasion.
• The United States² leads the way when it comes to annual per capita toilet paper consumption with 12.7 kg per person while Germany (12.1) and the United Kingdom (11.4) follow up in second and third place.
• The daily production of toilet paper worldwide is 83+ million rolls.
• The average household flushes around 80,000 sheets per year. That’s why it’s important to maintain a clean drainage system.
• 93% of women and 89% of men claim toilet paper as their go to wiping material during toileting needs.

While wiping is toilet paper’s #1 use hands down, there are a number of other scenarios where it can be useful.

• Blowing/Wiping your nose

  Although 49%¹ of people occasionally use toilet paper to blow or wipe their nose, it’s a better experience to use Kleenex^® facial tissues. When it’s cold and flu season, be sure to stock up on Kleenex^® Soothing Lotion^™ tissues – Canada’s softest lotion tissue** -- your nose will thank you!

• Cleaning hands or face

  In a pinch, toilet paper is good substitute to clean your hands and face. Just don’t get it too wet, as we know toilet paper is designed to break down in water.

• Cleaning bathroom surfaces

  Toilet paper can be a handy cleaning tool for wiping down surfaces such as countertops, toilet seats and the flush handle and its soft texture is especially useful for cleaning sensitive surfaces like mirrors.

• Covering public toilet seats

  If you don’t feel comfortable about using a public washroom, placing some toilet paper on the toilet seat can go a long way in making you feel better about the situation. Science is divided³ on claims of whether putting down toilet paper will do anything to prevent germ transfer, but it can help feel protected.

• Cleaning eyeglasses

  Toilet paper can be used to wipe away smudges and fingerprints on eyeglasses, but it’s always best to clean your glasses with a proper microfiber cloth and cleaning solution.

When it comes to toilet paper, Cottonelle^® has your bottom covered!