I’m being told not to buy toilet paper from Costco because they sell Western style 2-ply which jams up the plumbing. Is this true?

27 comments

1. Being told by whom? Of course it’s not true.

2. Nothing wrong with our plumbing. It’s just more expensive. Comfortable true, but expensive

3. Idk if true about Costco paper, but Japanese toilet paper indeed is made special for the plumbing. Saw it at tv show 😂
   Put it on a cup of water and watch it how it dilutes

4. Japanese toilet paper has four seasons…somehow.

5. There’s a difference between a “Western style 2-ply” TP and japanese 2-ply TP?

6. Seems like a similar issue at US bases… https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/american-toilet-paper-is-taxing-base-plumbing-at-us-air-base-in-japan-1.669765

   “Over time, thick toilet paper brands can back up in the septic system and lead to flooding and clogged drains that affect the bathtub and sink, Moses said. She said Japanese brands are designed to dissolve faster than American brands.”

7. True but japanese toilet paper is too thin to be effective

8. So who’s buying it? Is your wife telling you not to get it?

9. My housing maker’s annual inspections guy told me he’s been called to homes for plumbing issues caused by Costco toilet paper clogging the pipes. He mentioned that this typically occurs in newer homes where the toilets are eco-friendly (i.e. uses less water to flush). This causes the TP to sit in the pipes a bit longer compared to older non eco-friendly models and can cause clogs in sections where the pipes are lying flat or horizontally. This, of course, can happen with any TP, but he specifically mentioned Costco because they have thicker 2-ply compared to the ones you see on grocery store shelves.

   He also mentioned that it’s important to use the 大 flush every now and then to ensure that there’s enough water being flushed to clear out the pipes because there are many people out there who think only using 小 or エコ is better for the environment and end up f-ing themselves over with clogged pipes.

10. Use that water gun thingy.

11. False. Or use the thin stuff and pull half a roll to wipe… same effect either way.

12. Been using it for few years and never had a problem. Maybe you can show your S.O. at Costco how many fellow customers buy it.. if the plumbing issues were indeed caused by Costco TP, would all of them be buying it?

13. Better than Japan’s expensive tracing paper.

14. YSK Costco toilet paper sold in Japan is made in Japan.

15. Nope. I use the shit outta it and don’t have any issues.

16. Never had a problem with it, a bunch of people I know use it too.

17. This is hot and miss, I honestly can’t tell the difference between Costco’s cheaper packs and 7/11s, both go down the toilet in my 40 year old house.

18. Donki sells 2-ply toilet paper as well. That’s what we buy. Because I prefer not to get in touch with my inner self when on the toilet.

19. Toilet paper and paper type/properties/specs are actually fascinating. This is one of those areas where your SO and her parents might be correct. Japanese TP does indeed disintegrate more quickly than US TP. And the thicker Costco TP in particular. It has to do with regional plumbing codes and other things to keep the waste system functional. Also if you didn’t know under no circumstances should you flush the flushable wipes those have to be thrown out. This is not a joke they’re responsibile for more clogged pipes than you’d imagine.

    But regardless this is a fight you can’t win, save it for something important because even if you do win this one the first time you have to break out the plunger you’ll lose.

20. Anecdotal but I’ve been using Costco toilet paper in my toilet for about a year and it’s been fine, no blockages so far!

21. My Japanese husband got a good laugh out of this discussion. You can buy Western style 2-ply toilet paper just about anywhere here in our corner of Kyushu. He found the comments about Japanese toilet paper having four seasons or being designed specifically for Japanese plumbing to be particularly amusing. He said he’s never heard anything about Costco toilet paper being a problem. You would think that Costco would have addressed such an issue by now. Maybe Tokyo landlords need to deal with the plumbing deficiencies in their buildings rather than blaming Costco for clogged toilets.

22. I’ve been using them for 3 years with no problems, but I also have a plunger handy

23. Yo real talk I think American toilet paper is bad for American toilets too. When I lived in the US a toilet clogging was a common occurrence. I mean, every home in the US has a plunger handy, right? It’s just a fact of life that toilets clog.

    I’ve lived here for five years and have not seen a single clogged toilet, not even once, and many people do not even know what a plunger is. Definitely something is different.

24. This is a sneaky tactic used by Japanese companies. If a jumped up new company or retailer makes inroads into their precious market, they start rumors to put people off buying whatever product is being sold.

    Japanese shoe makers did the same thing when Crocs first hit the Japanese market. All kinds of rumors, such as they catch on escalators and drag your foot into the escalator and shred it to pieces so you will never walk again, all because you were stupid enough to buy Crocs instead of superior Japanese sandals.

    (the issues may have been mentioned abroad already but the Japanese manufacturers take them and blow them out of all proportion to make rumors about why you should NEVER EVER buy that product)

25. Been using it for 5 years now with no issue. In fact I’ve literally never used anything else lol

26. I heard this was the case in the past, but that CostCo has since started having it made in Japan, which is why the current stuff is only about half as good as when it was imported from America.

27. No