Toilet Paper: Over or Under?

[Prof. Sindor Aloyarc]

I’ve heard many different arguments on what people feel is the “correct” way to hang toilet paper, but what do you think? Should the strip hang over the roll, or under it?

My preference? I’m on team OVER!

For me, it’s both visually and practically more desirable, but I will say that the best argument I’ve heard on this topic is actually for the opposing side: I once saw a picture of toilet paper rolling “over,” where a very large spider was hanging on the side of the strip facing the wall. The caption read something like “And this is why you roll the toilet paper UNDER.”

Compelling! I will give them that!

The idea of reaching for a square of toilet paper and being surprised by a massive spider on the far side makes me cringe something fierce. LOVE me spiders (they’re so cool, and some like the jumping spiders are too freaking cute), but they sometimes give me a bit of the heebie-jeebies, and I don’t necessarily want to be grabbing at strange ones I don’t realize are there.

Still, it hasn’t swayed my opinion enough to make me change my mind. What about you?

When it comes to a TP, are you on Team Over or Team Under?!

[Anne-Marie Gagne]

With that visual now with my severe arachnophobia, I think I'm team just sit it on the counter now instead of over since it just looks better that way because the problem with a spider being on the other side is that it can still be there but now your hand is closer to it.

...But now I have the fear of one just chilling in the cardboard roll in the middle and I don't want to touch one more than I want to see one while I'm on the toilet.

I've developed some new fears thanks to this (not really haha).

[Adeline Morior]

I also like the paper to be over. For one all mentioned reasons. It just looks astatically pleasing. Secondly, you can see the start where if it goes under, a lot of the times the toilet paper holder is low so having to go on the hunt for the start of the roll at the back somewhere and bending around in search, just a no for me.

Being a bit of a germaphobe, I also don't like the idea of the paper being able to just roll of onto the floor or people touching the entire roll to find where it begins. It is a lot easier to pull the entire roll off when it goes under instead of over. Pets and kids alike will show this to you very quickly if you let them.

You also have a lot more control on the length or in some peoples cases, amount of squares, you choose to take so it becomes more practical. Pulling too hard on the roll over is something easily controlled. Pulling too hard on the roll when it is under is to me an easy way of wasting as you have less control. But I am just finicky that way

And then I am a very big arachnophobe too, so just a reminder to everyone to check the inside of the roll as well...

[Katherine Laurier]

I have and always will be on team over. I stand by that with passion. It's easier for me to locate and roll or fold the sheets, and it's easier to tear. And simply, I am more used to it. Though I have to say I also have experienced that once, except instead of a spider, with a cockroach. T-T Still, I've stayed true to the over team!

[Hiya Debnath]

I am on Team Under.
I think toilet paper should be rolled under because that way it's more manageable. It is snugly fitted under and it doesn't have to flap around at the slightest spider.
I will agree with being scared of spiders on the wall, because I have arachnophobia too, and in fact, my boggart is a giant spider or maybe that was an acromantula, but though that makes a valid point, I also argue that keeping toilet paper under doesn't in some way repel spiders xD, which means that spiders can still be present somewhere unseen. However, in the end, I still stick with Team Under because again, no flapping in the breeze. Also, it's way more manageable when rolled under.

[Janne Halla]

I’m definitely a team over. Though it might not make sense, I think the paper touching the wall is just icky. It’s also difficult to grab for me that way and as one of the posters above said, you can’t really regulate how much you roll down. If you put too much pressure on the grab, it also cascade down and then it is definitely icky if it touches the floor. I much rather have a surprise bug or two on it, though that never happened to me in all my life. I’m willing to take that risk.

[Galena May]

I do not really mind either way, but I would go with Team Over. Agreeing with all those who said it's aesthetically pleasing, I would say that having something to cover the roll underneath makes it look much more presentable. It is also easy to pull out, I would think, and neatly far away from the wall. I tend not to touch walls unnecessarily if I don't have to, except at my own home, if you get why, and it is also much more healthy to have to touch only the paper you need and not more, and obviously nothing else for that matter.