Choose the right toilet paper for your drains, says consumer watchdog

The Consumer Council said on Monday that consumers would need to try out many different 
brands and models of toilet rolls to judge which ones are the best “value for money”, and whether they suit their actual usage and the condition of their drainpipes.

The Council purchased 25 models of toilet rolls in Hong Kong and tested their absorbency, strength, softness, ease of disintegration in water, the amount of loose particles and hygiene.

The test found that four models with high strength in wet conditions failed to comply with the disintegration test, which the watchdog said could lead to clogging risks if large amounts of toilet paper were used or if the toilet-flushing capacities were small.

The four models include Andrex’s Classic Clean (3 ply), Select’s Deluxe Embossed Bathroom Tissue Unscented (3 ply), Avellana’s Bathroom Tissue (5 ply), and Junas’s Tissue (5ply).

Meanwhile, the watchdog said the softness of toilet paper is particularly important to children, the elderly or people with skin allergy or sensitive skin.

The results of the softness test showed that four models (including 3 models of 4-ply and 1 model of 5-ply ) had low softness, with measured figures that were higher than the requirement of “Superior Product” toilet paper in the Mainland standards (200mN or below).

Overall, 3-ply models were generally softer than 4-ply and 5-ply models, and all models showed good performance in absorbency, the watchdog added.