The debate has raged on for what feels like forever. It has divided households. Marriages. Extended families. It has caused irreparable rifts between previously close friends who, in the process, have been forced to look at the people in their lives with new eyes.
After all, what are you supposed to do when someone you’ve loved for years — someone whose opinion you’ve respected … someone who, in the past, had always seemed so rational — insists on hanging the toilet paper the wrong way?
The debate has been declared over and done several times. In 2015, tech writer Owen Williams dug up an original patent owned by Seth Wheeler, who had “invented certain new and useful improvements in toilet-paper rolls.”
The sketch included with the patent showed a toilet paper roll that had been hung with the loose flap hanging over:
The patent for toilet paper should settle the over vs under debate pic.twitter.com/arZl6l6ALn
— Owen Williams â¡ (@ow) March 17, 2015
Though the patent itself was for the inclusion of perforations in the roll in order to make it easier to rip, the world seized on the greater implications of the drawing — “over” was clearly the right way to hang a toilet paper roll.
But apparently, the debate was not yet over, as “over”-hangers still felt the need to provide validation for their toilet paper proclivities.
In 2017, a writer for Inc. insisted that science had revealed even stronger proof that hanging the toilet paper flap over was the only correct way to do it. Because of the number of bacteria hanging out in restrooms — a number revealed by a team of researchers who succeeded in giving germaphobes everywhere eternal nightmares — the safest and healthiest way to hang one’s toilet paper was with the loose end hanging over, so as to prevent the possibility of our hands accidentally brushing against the filth-ridden walls alongside the toilet. (You’re welcome.)
Now, it’s 2019, and it seems there are still those who refuse to see the light. Which is why we conducted our own survey over on our Facebook page.
What did we learn?
::drum roll::
The people have spoken.
The results of our poll — which garnered more votes than any previous poll we’ve conducted! — had 4,600 people voting for “over” and 1,000 people voting for “under.”
It’s good to know that my family and I are firmly on the side of all that is right and good … and that it is not at all weird that my husband sneakily switches the toilet paper whenever we visit my brother and his wife.
Where do you stand on this perpetually controversial debate?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
