When we aimed to end the "under or over" debate when it came to toilet paper, we polled every expert at our disposal.
Our home design director Sarah Richardson argued that hotels can't be wrong (those neat little folded triangles need to be "over"). An analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute's Cleaning Lab always assumed that "over" was more sanitary, since the paper was furthest from the wall. And a very vocal group of readers seemed to be steadfastly in favor of the "over" method.
But maybe we should have done what any good sleuth or thesis-writing college student does: return to the original source. Engineer-turned-writer Owen Williams found the 1891 patent for toilet paper (pause: just imagine a time before toilet paper), and it's clear how the inventor intended it to hang.
Those on Team Over may have yet another way to back their case, but we're guessing this finding won't end all household squabbles. After all, an "under" person might point out that, like acid-wash jeans and "healthy cigarettes," there are certainly some things that history got wrong.
More Cleaning Smarts:
• When to Toss Your Linens in the Wash
• 10 Tips To The Fastest Laundry Day Ever
• The Fastest Way to Clean Your Bathroom
