Why You Should Never Store Toilet Paper In The Bathroom Cabinet

There are few situations worse than sitting down in a bathroom, doing your business, and reaching for the toilet paper to find an empty cardboard roll. Whether you need to call for someone to bring you a roll or figure out how to grab one from your stock of extras, it stinks. If you have ever found yourself in this position, you probably changed your storage system so that extra rolls are within reach of the toilet. If your new solution is to stack the extras in a cabinet in the bathroom, though, you may be putting your extra rolls at risk of deteriorating or warping over time. There are a few hidden issues to consider before storing extra toilet paper in your bathroom.

Toilet paper is not made to last forever. In the wrong conditions, toilet paper can break down, and the cardboard tube inside can lose its shape, reducing the overall quality of your toilet paper rolls. In a warm, humid bathroom cabinet, fibers in your toilet paper will break down more quickly. Toilet paper is designed to disintegrate or dissolve when exposed to water in order to prevent clogs, but if there is too much moisture in the air, the process may start early. The internal cardboard tube will not fare much better when stored in the damp conditions of a bathroom. High moisture will cause your cardboard rolls to warp, and tugging on toilet paper as the misshapen cardboard tube gets caught over and over again is not ideal — especially because it'll probably rip more easily, too.

While it may seem tempting, it is best to avoid storing spare toilet paper rolls in the bathroom if you want to avoid a frustratingly deformed roll. No matter how well-ventilated your bathroom is, it will still see spikes in humidity when you take a hot shower or bath. The humidity level in the rest of your home is more likely to sit between the ideal 30 and 50 percent, which should be less damaging to your extra toilet paper rolls. To get the best quality and longevity from your toilet paper, choose a cabinet or closet in another room or hallway that will be exposed to less moisture. Also, keep the paper in a cool environment, in its original packaging, and limit sunlight exposure.

If you are worried about being stranded without a roll, you can store one roll in a cabinet, drawer, or basket in case of emergency. Trying out a budget-friendly IKEA solution for chic toilet paper storage in your bathroom can transform your emergency roll storage into a stylish statement as well. Be sure to replace your emergency roll when you use it and don't leave it long enough to deteriorate. For the rest of the rolls, you can create one of many genius DIYs to store paper towels and toilet paper outside of the bathroom.