Selecting The Perfect Toilet Roll Holder For Your Bathroom
For many a medial task around the home, and all sorts of DIY jobs, the mantra “don’t sweat the small stuff” is a popular and applicable phrase to follow.
But when it comes to bathroom upgrades, even the smallest of details can make a huge difference to the overall aesthetic of the space, especially in what tends to be one of the more compact rooms in the home.
In this blog, we’ll focus on one such minute finishing touch in the form of a toilet roll holder, and explain what aspects to consider to ensure you make the right choice for your bathroom or en-suite specifically.
Choosing Your Toilet Roll Holder Design
The very first element to think about when shopping toilet roll holders will be the actual design profile. Traditionally, wall mounted toilet roll holders have comfortably proved to be the most frequently found style on the market and typically most sought after as well.
However, there’s a plethora of freestanding toilet roll holder models on the market now as well. And these present an especially tempting proposition for a clean modern bathroom finish, with no requirement for the wall to be drilled into.
Often, in the case of freestanding toilet roll holders, the component itself will feature added storage options for a convenient bathroom solution. For instance, plenty of freestanding designs will incorporate multiple tiers for the housing of toilet brushes, toothpastes, shampoos, shower gels, towels and more.
Personal preference of course provides the basis for which sort of toilet roll holder you opt for, but spatial factors, the size and layout of the bathroom will too play a big role in determining whether a wall mounted or freestanding model is best.
Picking A Toilet Roll Holder Finish
In relation to all sorts of bathroom accessories, and fixtures and fittings in general, chrome finishes reign supreme as the overwhelmingly most popular style available. But with that said, it can pay off to make a bold colour selection for your toilet roll holder that departs from tradition to an extent.
Essentially, you’ll be keen to source a component reflective of the overall bathroom style, and that meshes well with the existing interior scheme (or the one you’re introducing in the case of a full bathroom refurbishment).
Many contemporary bathroom upgrades will adopt darker contrast schemes, such as anthracite greys and whites, whilst black bathroom accessories have also enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence in correlation with noir shades becoming a notable modern bathroom trend.
You might opt for a matching black toilet roll holder to accompany something like the Milano Nero toilet set, for example, or choose to select a sharply opposite finish, depending on what you’re looking to achieve. You might draw some inspiration from our blog on 6 Future Proof Bathroom Colour Ideas.
And if all else fails, chrome toilet roll holders offer an excellent ‘safety net’ that will match up with almost any sort of décor. The same can virtually be said of wooden toilet roll holders too, though these would tend to feature within traditionally themed bathrooms almost exclusively.
Free Or Fixed Toilet Roll Holders?
The majority of toilet roll holders incorporate a simple design for ease of usability, allowing for the toilet roll to comfortably slip on and off the primary arm.
But, especially in family households where young children and/or pets present, a fixed toilet roll holder might prove a better bet. Typically, these models are wall mounted, and secured in full via a spring mechanism.
Their profile works to stop the toilet roll from being accidentally removed and, in a potentially far more irritating and troublesome scenario, falling into the toilet itself to cause a blockage.
Be sure to take into account the type of bathroom wall you’ll need to drill into if opting for a fixed wall mounted toilet roll holder as well. The likes of bricks and plasterboard present a fairly simple installation proposition, but tiled walls typically require more intrusive fittings.
Or, for a left-field solution, you can seek out a wall mounted toilet roll holder that attaches to the wall by alternate means, such as suction sticking or by being glued.
Where To Fit Your Toilet Roll Holder
When you’ve identified the perfect type, style and colour toilet roll holder, you can begin to think about the ideal positioning for the component.
Consider who uses the bathroom with regularity – will any and all children in the household be able to comfortably reach it? Is it at a comfortable height for any elderly guests to use? Can you yourself get by frequently using the holder without doing yourself a mischief?
The key is to ensure the toilet roll holder is easily and comfortably accessible from a seated spot. And, somewhat obviously, it should be free from any obtrusive bathroom furniture or potentially dangerous fixtures like heated towel rails or designer radiators.
How’s It Hanging?
Which way you’ll actually hang your toilet roll holder is one of the final decisions to make, and might be one sub-consciously assisted in accordance with some of your personality traits.
Originally, the very first toilet roll holders were designed with the loose end of the toilet roll to be facing the front. So by rights, that’s the correct way to go about their installation.
But in reality, personal preference should take charge when you select which direction the holder will be located.
So will you conform to the norm and have the toilet roll facing outwards from the front, or go against the system by having the roll go against the wall? The choice is yours.
How High Should A Toilet Roll Holder Be From The Floor?
Though some toilets are marginally taller or shorter than others, and may therefore impact the optimum height of your toilet roll holder, it’s standard for a toilet roll holder height to be around 66cm (or 26 inches) from the floor.
This height should mean that the toilet roll is within easy reach for anyone using the toilet whilst preventing the roll from dragging on the floor – unless of course you have a family pet or a small child that likes to pull it out for fun!
How Far From The Toilet Should The Toilet Roll Be?
Having it 66cm from the floor is one thing, but you don’t want to have your toilet roll too far out of reach, so how far away from the toilet should it be?
A handy position is for the roll to be around 25-30cm (10-12 inches) from the edge of the toilet bowl. Taking into consideration who may be sitting on the loo, this should be just far enough away to prevent any contamination from the toilet itself, while stil being in as convenient a position as possible for ease of access and use.
This may be a little different for a children’s bathroom, or perhaps a smaller cloakroom suite, but generally around 25-30cm is ideal placement for your toilet roll holder.
Should Toilet Paper Hang Over Or Under?
It is personal preference as to which way you hang toilet paper over your toilet roll holder, but there is science behind the correct way to hang it, and the safest way to hang your toilet roll is “over”, with the paper facing out into the room.
When using the toilet, the moment when bacteria is most likely to be spread is when the user reaches for the toilet roll.
When the toilet roll is hung “over”, the user’s fingers will only touch the paper that they will be using, and which will subsequently be flushed down the toilet.
However, if the roll is placed “under”, the chances of a deposit of bacteria being left behind when the user’s fingers brush the wall are very high.
This then means that every subsequent toilet user runs the risk of not only picking up bacteria left behind by the previous user, but also increases the chance of them leaving bacteria behind for the next person too.
So, for safety and cleanliness reasons, the correct way to hang your toilet roll is over and NOT under.
Shop Bathroom Accessories Online With Big Bathroom Shop
Now that you know what to look for, you can shop toilet roll holders and all sorts of other bathroom accessories online with Big Bathroom Shop.
Or if you would like any further help or information about making the right choice for your bathroom specifically, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team. You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below, or contact us via Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
John has a background in sports journalism, and lists content writing amongst his primary passions. He provides expert bathroom trends commentary and analysis, as well as offering meticulously researched answers to the most frequently asked bathroom posers.
