It’s time to loosen up a bit and delve into things that make you go hmmm.

Serious coronavirus illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths are trending downward. Thank God more and more people are getting vaccinated.

It’s a good time to ask, “Why is toilet paper white?”.

Even mamma, baby, and papa bears know and admit—we all have to go. So, why not ask about the fluffy soft stuff we loaded up on during the height of the pandemic?

This topic didn’t originate from a magazine or newspaper. I was sitting on my pedestal in my private abode and reached for the paper dispenser. For a moment, I thought, I’ve never bought pink, blue, or any other color of toilet paper. A pastel blue would brighten up my expresso and teal color scheme in the bathroom.

Inquiring minds want to know, and I wanted to write a light-hearted post—why not talk about toilet paper?

Who can forget the great toilet paper shortage when the country was in a pandemic shut down?  The paper left the shelves like milk and bread in preparation for a storm. In March 2020, toilet paper sales were $1.45 billion, which was almost a 900% increase from 2019. A lot of it was panic buying.

But what do manufacturers expect when people panic? I know I was in the stores trying to buy several or more rolls. Toilet paper is an essential item.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who desires an answer to this burning question. Why is toilet paper white?

After researching the topic, I found the information to be quite elementary, my dear.

The paper is made from cellulose fibers. These fibers from trees and recycled paper are naturally white. Mixed with water, the fibers become pulp. Hydrogen peroxide or chlorine bleaches the pulp whiter. Bleaching also removes lignin, a rigid and woody part of plants, and softens the product.

Now you know.

But I also know many women would love to buy other colors.

Did you know that colored toilet paper was a trend in the 1950s? The trend culled with the health and concerns about pastel dyes relative to the skin and environment. In South America and Europe, toilet paper comes in a range of colors.

So, the answers to why toilet paper is white are three-fold: the raw material, production process, and consumer preference.

A fourth reason could be safety and health concerns.

There you have it in a nutshell.

I hope we don’t experience another toilet paper shortage anytime soon.

If this happens as it did earlier this year, we won’t care what color the toilet paper is.

But like the bears we care more about softness than about color.

Be safe.