Toilet Paper Trivia

Did you know that the average American uses 57 squares of toilet paper a day? Other than Sheryl Crow, I would have guessed more. Overall, toilet paper is a $6 billion industry in the U.S. alone. Here's some toilet paper trivia...

- Before there was toilet paper, the ancient Greeks cleaned up with stones and clay.

- Romans cleaned up with sponges and salt water.

- New Yorker, Joseph Gayetty, invented the first toilet tissues in 1857 using sheets of manila hemp with aloe. Gayetty claimed his invention prevented hemorrhoids and printed his name on each sheet in a branding effort that sadly, went down the drain since the Sears catalog was free while Gayetty charged.

- In 1890 the Scott brothers had the idea of using a roll and sales started rolling up.

- In 1928, the Charmin brand was launched, targeting women, which took sales to new heights. When the company bundled four roles into an economy pack, sales further accelerated.

- Johnny Carson started a run on toilet paper when he joked about a shortage in the 1970s.

What was true in the past is true today. Plumbing products do better when marketed to women. Bundling boosts sales. People can't live without plumbing products.

Read More On The History Of Toilet Paper