How do you ask a guest not to use so much toilet paper?

[Rita58]

I know this sounds terrible but this is a "thing"  that has happened time and time again.  I keep having to call a plumber.  My current guest uses a about a roll and a half a day!   I buy the more expensive paper not a dinky little roll.  My plumbing just cant handle the amount of paper he is using.  The sewage cap popped off in my front yard and the neighbor noticed and called me.  There is overflow all over.  How can I approach  him with out embarrising him?  He is a very nice person and its the last thing I want to do is  embarrass him.  This has happened a few times in the past with other guest where I will hear a the toilet flushing and flushing and at this point, I know its going to happen.  Our toilets  are new and our main Line is new but its just too much paper.  

[Linda108]

This has happened a couple of times to me as well.  Sometimes the culprit is the use of those towlettes in addition to toilet paper.  Very delicate situation but oddly you might want to replace the good stuff with the single ply TP as that may dissolve more quickly.  Also, if you approach the guest seeking their input into the solution of the overflow, perhaps they will modify a bit.  One suggestion I have used is if there is need for copious TP, ask that the guest flush in the middle of the use so there is not so much TP hitting the system all at once.  Good luck!!

[Rita58]

thank you, i will give your suggestions a go!

[Emiel1]

@Rita58

Provide the cheap rolls, one a day. Flatten them a bit, so rolling off is not that easy. Be sure there is a basket in the toilet for disposals.

Happy hosting,

Emiel

[Shane170]

A bidet toilet seat is an option for future guest. Maybe that would lessen the paper use for some guest? 

Best Wishes

Shane

[Emilia42]

Curious as to what toilet paper you buy, @Rita58?

[Rita58]

I buy the Costco brand that is a two ply and very thick.  

[Emilia42]

@Rita58, why so thick? Switch to Scott's 1000 one-ply.  One rolls lasts a long, long time. It's probably too much info but thick toilet paper really grosses me out. 

[Rita58]

I was trying to bring a little luxury to my humble abode!  

[Emilia42]

There is nothing luxurious about going to the bathroom! In and out as quickly as possible 🙂

@Rita58 

[Rita58]

Ha!  youre right about that!

[Sarah977]

@Rita58  I stayed at my daughter's house last summer and she likes the best of everything, so of course she had this really thick toilet paper. It was like a cloth napkin, almost. I ended up having to plunge the toilet a couple of times during my stay, and I just used TP as I normally do, which hasn't ever plugged up a toilet before. My granddaughter said "Oh, don't worry, Grandma, it gets plugged up all the time."

So I would second other hosts' suggestions that you use thinner toilet paper. And do let the guest know that he is plugging up the toilet by overloading it with paper or by flushing something he shouldn't be.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Rita58 

We switched to 2-ply TP for guests pretty quickly. Henry and I usually purchase 4-ply for ourselves and provided the same for guests at first. Our 1st and 2nd guests were fine but our 3rd guest used so much TP that after the first few weeks, we switched to the cheap 2-ply stuff and decided we will stop worrying about how much TP guests use.

Some people are just plain wastefull and habitually use wads and wads of TP or kitchen towels or paper towels without a second thought. There is a girl in my office who always pulls out about 7 or 8 paper towels to dry her hands. Her wastefulness is painful to watch. Also, one of my former guests would use about 6 kitchen towels just to wipe water off of an apple. Too bad he never thought to clean up his crumbs from the kitchen counter.  

[Rita58]

It is so painful to watch!  I hate the waste as well.  Thank you for your suggestions!

[Valerie192]

Hi @Rita58 - I have a toilet issue too, although not the same. Mine has a quirk that requires you to hold the handle down for about 2 seconds vs push and release quickly. So I have walked in on way too many time than I care to count on a toilet that hadn't been flushed properly. I thought people would check and try again a second time but I finally gave in and typed up a very discreet mini-sign and taped it right above the handle that says "Please hold handle down to flush." 

Perhaps you could put a sign that says "Sensitive plumbing, please be mindful" or something could help reduce.

Although my sign didn't completely get rid of the partial flushers, I did notice the incidents drop a lot after I posted it. Good luck!