A toilet roll holder, also known as a toilet paper dispenser, is an item that holds a roll of toilet paper

Toilet paper

Toilet paper is a soft paper product used to maintain personal hygiene after human defecation or urination. However, it can also be used for other purposes such as blowing one's nose when one has a cold or absorbing common spills around the house, although paper towels are more used for the latter...

. There are at least five types of holders:

1. A horizontal piece of wire mounted on a hinge, hanging from a door or wall.
2. A horizontal axle recessed in the wall.
3. A vertical axle recessed in the wall.
4. A horizontal axle mounted on a freestanding frame.
5. A freestanding vertical pole on a base.

Wire on hinge

In the first case, the idea is that the toilet roll maintains contact with the door

Door

A door is a movable structure used to open and close off an entrance, typically consisting of a panel that swings on hinges or that slides or rotates inside of a space....

 or wall as the roll's radius decreases. This provides enough friction

Friction

Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:...

 to allow the user to tear off a piece of tissue. More sophisticated designs include a curved horizontal plate that covers the roll, thus removing the necessity of touching the roll. These roll holders can be used in both orientations

Toilet paper orientation

Toilet paper when used with toilet roll holder with a horizontal axle parallel to the wall has two possible orientations: the toilet paper may hang over or under the roll. The choice is largely a matter of personal preference, dictated by habit...

, but may be difficult to use in the under orientation.

Horizontal Axle in wall

This design is probably the most popular, since it is found in most homes, and also in many schools, and also because it is easy to use due to its low friction and ease of refilling. This is the holder most commonly talked about when toilet paper orientation

Toilet paper orientation

Toilet paper when used with toilet roll holder with a horizontal axle parallel to the wall has two possible orientations: the toilet paper may hang over or under the roll. The choice is largely a matter of personal preference, dictated by habit...

is mentioned.

Horizontal Freestanding Axle

This type of holder is not common, probably because it can get in the way of traffic getting on and off the toilet more than the horizontal axle in the wall.

Vertical pole

Originally intended to hold a stock of replacement rolls, the vertical pole has become the only paper holder in some households. It is particularly useful in homes where the family has mixed handedness. Its drawbacks include that there is a lot more friction than in other types of toilet roll holders, and thus not as easy to use.

Public toilets

The holders in many public toilets are designed to make it difficult to steal the toilet rolls. Various contraptions have been devised to lock the spare rolls away, and release them only when the active roll is used up.

An increasing number of public toilets are furnished with holders that hold very large rolls of toilet paper. These are designed to save money by reducing the frequency of janitorial services to restock the paper.

In many toilets, especially in elementary schools, a dispenser releases only a small square of toilet paper to prevent a user from intentionally clogging the toilet.

External links

• The Toilet Paper Roll Poll and pictures of case 2
• Compare different toilet roll holders