En esta noticia
Few arguments divide a household quite like the toilet roll. Some hang it with the paper falling over the front, while others prefer it to unspool from behind, against the wall.
Each camp is certain it is right. To try to bring the discussion to a close, two specialists presented their arguments.
History favours “over”
Ashley Iredale, a team leader at consumer group CHOICE, whose team tests whitegoods, laundry products and toilet paper, is unequivocal. In his view, the world is split between people who hang it over the top and people who are wrong.
His case is historical. The original 19th-century patent for perforated toilet paper shows the roll with the sheet passing over the top. Its inventor, Seth Wheeler, illustrated it that way in 1891.
What does science say?
The scientific argument comes from Dr Christian Moro, an associate professor of health sciences and medicine at Bond University on Australia’s Gold Coast. He says the key to a hygienic bathroom is minimising contact between people and surfaces.
With the roll hanging over, the paper sits away from the wall. Depending on the holder, this often makes it less likely that someone will brush the wall behind while reaching for a sheet, leaving germs that the next user could pick up.
Moro notes that germs can spread by touching the roll, through the air, and via surfaces around the bathroom. He lists streptococcus, staphylococcus, E. coli and the viruses behind the common cold. He also recommends lowering the lid before flushing and washing and drying your hands thoroughly.