Sometimes I find myself out in nature when nature calls (pun!). And my worst fear is finding myself without any toilet paper, and winding up with poison ivy up my butt. So I decided to educated myself before that happens.
What leaves can you use as toilet paper? Generally, there are a few things to look out for when looking for suitable leaves. These leaves should preferably be big, fuzzy, soft, absorbent, and yet thick enough so that they don’t tear easily. At the same time, avoid poisonous plants by looking out for those with waxy leaves and remembering the “Three-In-One Isn’t Fun” and “Alternative Isn’t Great” rules.
Read on to find out more about these rules and 15 examples of leaves you can safely use to wipe
Characteristics of Leaves You Can Use As Toilet Paper And 15 Examples
In general, look out for plants with leaves that have the following characteristics:
- Large size
- Thicker and tough leaves which will not tear easily when used
- Smooth and fuzzy surfaces which are more absorbent. Often, the underside of the leaves are fuzzier
- No irritable hairs or spikes or thorns
Always use fresh, green leaves instead of dried leaves which tear easily and may have debris.
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Here are 15 examples of plants with suitable leaves that can double up as emergency toilet paper:
1. Big Leaf Aster Leaves (aka Eurybia Macrophylla, Lumberjack’s Toilet Paper)
- Large, smooth, heart-shaped leaves
- Found in abundance across the northern parts of the eastern and central United States, the southern parts of eastern and central Canada and northern Europe
2. Big Leaf Magnolia Leaves (aka Magnolia Macrophylla)
- Large smooth leaves
- Grows in sunny environment, able to survive in low light conditions
- Found in southeastern United States and eastern Mexico
3. Big Leaf Maple Leaves (aka Acer Macrophyllum, Oregon Maple)
- Other varieties include striped maple, sugar maple, vine maple
- Typically large, soft leaves with no irritable hairs
- Grows in wet areas, close to streams
- Found in western North America
4. Broadleaf Plantain (aka Plantago Major, White Man’s Foot, Greater Plantain)
- Large, smooth, oval leaves
- Sturdy leaves, unlikely to tear during use
- Has medicinal properties
- Grow in lawns, fields and roadsides
- Found in many areas around the world
5. Butterbur (aka Petasites Japonicus, Giant Butterbur, Great Butterbur, Sweet-coltsfoot)
- Large, soft leaves
- Found in China, Japan, Korea, Europe, North America and Canada
6. Corn Lily Leaves (aka Veratrum Californicum)
- Large leaves
- Sturdy leaves, unlikely to tear during use
- Grows in open meadows
- Found in West America
7. Cottonwood Leaves
- Large, smooth leaves
- Slightly tough leaves, unlikely to tear during use
- Slight numbing properties, leaves can also be used as bandages
8. Dock Leaves (aka Rumex Obtusifolius, Bitter Dock, Broad-leaved Dock, Bluntleaf Dock, Butter Dock)
- Large, slightly rough, oval leaves
- Grows in meadows, waste ground, roadsides, drains, shorelines
- Found in Europe, United States, Australia, New Zealand and many areas around the world
9. Hazel Leaves (aka Corylus)
- Small, fuzzy, soft leaves
- The fuzz on the leaves might be irritating for people with sensitive skin
- Grows in many areas around the world
10. Mullein (aka Verbascum Thapsus, Cowboy Toilet Paper)
- Large, soft, fuzzy, absorbent leaves
- Thick leaves, unlikely to tear during use
- Leaves are antiseptic and astringent
- The fuzz on the leaves might be irritating for people with sensitive skin
- Grows in sunny areas
- Found in most areas around the world
11. Red Mulberry (aka Morus Rubra)
- Large, soft leaves (the underside is soft while the upper side is rough)
- Found in eastern and central North America and Canada
12. Thimbleberry Leaves (aka Rubus Parviflorus)
- Large, soft leaves
- Identifiable from large toothed leaves, thimble-like fruit, and white flowers
- Grows in roadsides, railroads, wet areas near streams and water bodies
- Found in western and eastern North America
13. Wooly Lamb’s Ear Leaves (aka Stachys Byzantina)
- Soft, fuzzy, absorbent leaves
- Thick leaves, unlikely to tear during use
- Has medicinal properties, can be used as bandages
- Found in most of United States, Turkey, Armenia, and Iran
14. Moss
- Soft, smooth, absorbent
- The moisture from the moss might help in cleaning
- But you might end up with bits of moss left behind on skin surfaces
15. Variety Of Vegetables such as Lettuce, Corn Husks etc
- Usually large, smooth leaves
A few things to keep in mind when using leaves as toilet paper:
- Pick your leaves from a few different plants instead of plucking one plant bare
- Avoid killing any plants especially younger plants or plants with very few leaves
Characteristics of Leaves You MUST NOT Use As Toilet Paper
A few rules to keep in mind when looking out for poisonous plants:
- Avoid plants with waxy leaves
- Remember the “Three–In–One Isn’t Fun” rule
- Look at how the leaves are growing. If the leaves are growing in groups of three throughout the entire branch, AVOID THEM!
- Examples of poisonous plants with this growing pattern include poison ivy and poison oak.
- Remember the “Alternate Isn’t Great” rule
- Look at how the leaves stem grows on the branch. If they grow in alternate positions (i.e. never directly opposite each other), AVOID THEM!
- Examples of poisonous plants with this growing pattern include poison ivy and poison oak.
Of course, these characteristics are not the only ones identifying poisonous plants. Do some research into the areas you are visiting and check for plants specific to that area. When in doubt, move on!
Some examples of poisonous plants to avoid:
- Devil’s Club (aka Oplopanax Horridus)
- Giant Hogweed (aka Heracleum Mantegazzianum)
- Gympie-gympie (aka Dendrocnide Moroides)
- Poison Hemlock (aka Conium Maculatum)
- Poison Ivy (aka Toxicodendron Radicans)
- Poison Oak (aka Toxicodendron Diversilobum)
- Poison Sumac (aka Toxicodendron Vernix)
- Stinging Nettle (aka Urtica Dioica)
- Wolf’s Bane (aka Aconitum, Monkshood)
Other Toilet Paper Alternatives Beside Leaves
You might be surprised to know that there are plenty of toilet paper alternatives than the greenery around us. And many of them might actually work better than the humble leaves.
Here are some examples:
1. Paper Stuff
Look for other forms of paper you might have brought along. This includes paper towels, itineraries, food packaging, receipts, newspapers, books etc. Even if you’re feeling rich, avoid using money as they are usually quite dirty.
2. Pieces of Cloth
Perhaps you have some clean rags, old socks or an old shirt you can afford to cut up.
3. Sponge
Did you pack any extra cleaning sponges for washing up your eating utensils?
4. Pebbles
Though they are not absorbent and look like an unlikely toilet paper alternative, pebbles have been used in ancient times. Look for smooth and flat pebbles.
Instead of wiping, you should use the pebbles to “scrap”.
5. Sticks
If you can’t find any smooth pebbles in the area, you could also try scrapping with sticks or branhces. Look out for thick and straight sticks. Do peel off the rough outer surfaces to get to a smoother inner layer. Be careful not to get splinters!
6. Snowballs
Similar to pebbles, you can roll up snow into smooth, flat shapes and scrap away. Look for snow that’s not too powdery or clumpy.
7. Water
Probably the best idea is to take a poop before jumping into a lake or river for a rinse.
But if you have a bottle with a spray nozzle, you can use it as a fancy improvised bidet and spray yourself clean at any time of the day!
What Are Some Pooping Dos And Don’ts?
- DON’T pee or poop near water sources where people may collect drinking water
- DO dig a hole about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) deep
- DO dispose of whatever you’ve used as toilet paper into this hole as well
- DO cover up the hole when you are done
- DO WASH YOUR HANDS
Related Questions
What happens if you don’t wipe after pooping? Not wiping will leave the fecal matter to accumulate around your anus. This leads to the growth of bacteria which causes skin irritation and even urinary tract infections in women. This is made worse when you have no access to showers to wash off at the end of each day.
Should you wipe from front to back? If you are a man, wiping from front to back or back to front doesn’t matter. It only matters for a lady since wiping from back to front increases the possibility of fecal matter being transferred to your urethra which could lead to urinary tract infections.