Having a septic tank means you have to be extra careful with the toilet paper you choose. With the different chemicals present in a septic tank, using ordinary toilet paper could affect them considerably. And if the tissue doesn’t dissolve properly, you could be looking at some very expensive repairs throughout your house.
And with the multitude of brands and types to choose from, it can be hard to choose which ones to get. In this guide, we will go over the different considerations you should make before choosing toilet paper for your septic tank, along with some of the best ones you can buy.
Best Septic Safe Toilet Papers
- Freedom Living Toilet Paper
- Angel Soft TP
- Aqua Soft Toilet Paper
- Presto! Toilet Roll
- Caboo Bamboo TP
- Seventh Generation White Toilet Paper
- Scott (Quick-Dissolving) Toilet paper
- Scott (Affordable) Tissue Roll
- Cloud Paper
- Cottonelle Ultra Toilet Paper
Freedom Living Toilet Paper
Freedom Living Toilet Paper is one of the best rolls to use when living off the grid or in an RV. Each sheet is highly biodegradable, allowing it to dissolve in septic tanks of all sizes easily. Since it can dissolve so easily, it does not block or clog any pipes.
Each sheet of the Freedom Living Toilet Paper has 2-plies, making it comfortable to use. The texture on the sheets is very effective in its purpose without being too abrasive, which is a little surprising for TP that can dissolve so easily. each pack you buy has eight rolls, with a single roll having 500 sheets.
Angel Soft TP
Angle Soft is both one of the softest and one of the best smelling toilet papers featured in this list. Its wonderful lavender smell can help offset the odor in the bathroom. While many recommend not using scented toilet paper in a septic system, the Angel Soft gets a pass. Since the fragrance is in a tube lining and not the paper, it will not disturb bacteria in a well-maintained septic system.
Despite being extra soft and coming with a lavender smell, the tissue breaks down easily. Each pack you buy features six rolls, with each roll having 390 sheets. So all in all, it is a good choice if you want a comfortable experience.
Aqua Soft Toilet Paper
While houses usually have septic tanks big enough to dissolve most types of tissues, RV or boats are a different story. With less overall space to collect waste, the septic tank has more concentrated bacteria to make for its lack of space. Therefore, using TP like Aqua Soft is a good choice as it can dissolve easily.
Aqua Soft’s toilet paper dissolves very quickly while being 100% biodegradable. Therefore, you will never have to worry about a clog in the pipes when out on a trip. Despite breaking down so easily, it is still fairly soft and absorbent with its 2-ply sheets. Each roll has 396 sheets, with each pack offering four rolls.
Presto! Toilet Roll
Toilet Rolls by Presto has some of the largest toilet paper rolls that you can find in any store. The mega pack features 1000 sheets per roll, making it perfect for busy portable toilets. But not only are the sheets on this roll plentiful, but they are also strong and thick. They do not tear easily when wiped on a coarse surface, and they are thick enough to have good absorption. Each sheet is also very soft, allowing for a very comfortable experience.
Although it is still made from the pulp of trees, the trees exist in sustainably managed forests. And despite its softer texture, it can very easily dissolve in a septic tank.
Caboo Bamboo TP
One of the many alternatives that people have found to using trees for toilet paper is bamboo and sugarcane. These offer a similar feel to more traditional TP while being significantly more sustainable. This toilet paper by Caboo is a good environmentally friendly option for people who do not want to contribute to climate change.
Each roll is also free from bleach, chlorine, and fragrances. The sheets are 2-ply, with each one being fairly comfortable to use. It can also dissolve easily, which you can even use in RVs or smaller septic systems. The largest pack includes 24 rolls, with each one having 300 sheets.
Seventh Generation White Toilet Paper
Recycled toilet paper has also been an option among environmentally conscious individuals, as these recycled sheets do not have any harmful chemicals. It also helps that this specific toilet paper can dissolve very easily in any septic system, which prevents any possible clogging that could be expensive to repair.
The sheets do not come with any added fragrances, dyes, or chlorine, making them safer for any septic tank. Other than the toilet paper being 100% recycled, the wrapper they come in is also 100% recycled material. This toilet paper is a great option for environmentally conscious users, and it can even work in most types of toilets.
Scott (Quick-Dissolving) Toilet paper
Septic systems can be a little unreliable, as they do not dissolve TP properly, even ones specifically made for septic tanks. Fortunately, this Scott Toilet Paper helps with that specific issue in mind, as it is the best biodegradable TP on this list. It can very reliably break down four times faster than most other types of TP.
Of course, to make each sheet so dissolvable, they had to compromise on layers. Each sheet is a single-ply but is still fairly comfortable to use regardless. And since the tissue is biodegradable, it will contribute to less sludge overall in your septic tank.
Scott (Affordable) Tissue Roll
Toilet paper is an essential expense, which can be expensive over time. Luckily, a budget-friendly option exists for septic tanks: the Scott Tissue Roll. Each roll comes with 1000 sheets, lasting very long despite excessive use.
It is a single-ply tissue that is not as comfortable as more expensive options but features a unique texture that makes it very good to use in most situations. It can also break down very easily, and its biodegradable nature allows it to contribute to less of the muck in your septic tank. Each packet comes with 32 rolls, giving you a net of 32,000 sheets to use.
Cloud Paper
Cloud paper is another great alternative to traditional toilet paper, as it also uses bamboo instead of wooden fibers. It is 100% septic-safe, allowing you to use it without having to worry about it affecting your septic tank. Cloud paper does not use BPAs or other types of harmful substances that could negatively affect the environment or your septic tank.
The rolls come in a recycled box that contains 12 environmentally friendly rolls of toilet paper. In a surprise twist, Cloud Paper also has a subscription service, which can deliver TP to your home every month. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about running out of environmentally friendly toilet paper.
Cottonelle Ultra Toilet Paper
Cottonelle Ultra TP is easily one of the best toilet papers you can buy for any type of bathroom. The single-ply sheet is surprisingly absorbent and soft while remaining very easy to break down. They are not only septic-safe but are clog-safe as well.
The texture of the sheet encourages a clean wipe with very little lint left behind. Fortunately, the texture of this TP also makes it extra absorbent, which compensates for the lack of layers. It also offers more sheets than the average roll, making it a more affordable option.
Considerations for Septic Safe Toilet Paper
Septic-safe toilet paper is not like regular toilet paper since regular toilet paper is not made with septic tanks in mind. Therefore, you will have to make a few considerations before choosing a toilet paper to use in your house with a septic tank. Here are some of the considerations that you should make.
No Harsh Chemicals
A common factor throughout all toilet paper made for septic tanks is that they do not include harsh chemicals like bleach. Septic tanks often include, which helps break down waste into sludge, which sits at the bottom of the tank. Harsh chemicals like bleach can interfere with bacteria in a septic tank permanently, affecting its ability to break down waste. Chlorine and other chemicals are common in most types of toilet paper, which makes them especially dangerous for a septic tank. Therefore, toilet paper for your septic tank should always be free from chlorine and other chemicals like it.
Biodegradable
Another important thing to consider before you buy your toilet paper is if it is properly biodegradable. More specifically, the toilet paper that you get should be able to dissolve easily in a septic tank, ensuring that it does not clog up any pipes. Toilet paper that dissolves, in general, can be good for your home, as they have almost no chance of clogging your toilet or any pipes. Most major cities also have to spend billions clearing out pipes clogged by tissues. So you will also be contributing to longer-lasting city infrastructure when using tissues that dissolve well.
Layers
One of the reasons why certain tissues do not dissolve as well is because of their layers. While extra layers make the wiping more comfortable, they can also take more effort to dissolve, have a higher chance of clogging pipes, and use more chemicals like chlorine. On the other hand, single ply tissues can be uncomfortable, but use next to no chlorine, do not clog pipes, and dissolve easily.
Luckily, you can reach a middle ground by using double-ply tissues that are also very dissolvable. They also use little to no chlorine and will not clog any pipes.
Roll Size
You can find toilet paper rolls in different sizes, each of which caters to the individual’s needs. The roll size also makes up its affordability, as some of the more premium rolls will not have as many sheets. So if you want to see if the toilet paper is worth the cost, you can find out the sheets per roll, which the company provides on the box.
