People are putting rolls of toilet paper in the fridge for practical reason

10 November 2023 , 20:25

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After the last pandemic - can you afford to use toilet paper as a cleaning product? (Image: Getty Images)

Followers of a certain TikTok trend insist that keeping a roll of toilet paper in the fridge will keep it free of bad smells.

This hack has actually gone viral before, five years ago, but is now making a comeback thanks to the Smartfoxlifehacks account, which published a new video of the toilet paper shoved into the fridge - all in an attempt at cleanliness. The video has racked up thousands of viewers and shares.

Toilet paper, apparently, is supposed to work the same way as baking soda does in the fridge, in that it's supposed to help "soak up" bad smells.

"Put a toilet paper in your fridge in a corner where it fits and then just leave it there," says TikToker SmartFoxLifeHacks in a video. "It is important that you replace the roll about every three weeks. For reasons of hygiene, you should also only put a roll in your fridge straight from the packaging and not put it near your toilet!"

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A woman takes roll of toilet paper from her fridge (Getty Images)

But does it work? There's a plethora of articles out there, some that agree with the method and others that swear its a scam. The Los Angeles Times once reported, "More refrigerators are likely to have baking soda than working light bulbs." Now, will toilet paper replace all of those boxes?

Plenty of users fought about the issue in the comments. "Sodium bicarbonate is better and cheaper," says one. Most seemed to agree with them. "Nope. Use baking soda box." Another said, "I haven’t shit in the fridge since that party in college..." Yet another had similar sentiments: "Let the fridge stink! I need it for my ass! Too expensive to be wasting like that!"

Many had criticized this tactic, with outlets suggesting trying to include activated charcoal, vanilla, coffee grounds, lemon and oats before throwing in toilet paper. But others say it's okay, and works well if you remember to throw it out and replace it with a fresh one every few months.

A further TikTok video suggested covering the toilet paper roll in baking soda, while another judged users for never cleaning out the trays in the back - a common reason for a bad fridge smell, they say. The TikTok cleaning gurus also suggest cleaning up underneath and behind the fridge, to tackle any rotting food that may have fallen.

Yelena Mandenberg