Toilet paper spray in New Zealand
A toilet paper spray is a liquid you put on dry toilet paper so it cleans like a wet wipe, then flushes as ordinary paper. In New Zealand the products sold under that name come as either a fine spray mist or a pump foam, and they do the same job. The differences that matter are how easy they are to control, what is in them, and how quickly you can get them delivered.
What people mean by toilet paper spray
Search for toilet paper spray and you will find a few names for the same idea: toilet paper spray, toilet paper foam, foaming toilet paper, foam wash and bidet in a bottle. They all describe a small bottle of mild cleanser that you apply to dry loo paper just before you use it.
The point is to get the damp, fresh feel of a wet wipe while only ever flushing toilet paper. Wet wipes, including many labelled flushable, are designed to stay strong in water, which is why Watercare and other NZ utilities ask people to put them in the bin rather than the toilet.
Spray mist or pump foam: what is the difference?
A spray uses a nozzle that breaks the liquid into a fine mist. A foam uses a pump that mixes the liquid with air and puts a small dome of foam exactly where you press it. Both end up as a slightly damp patch on the paper.
In practice, foam is easier to aim. You can see where it has landed, it doesn't drift past the edge of the paper, and one pump is one measured dose, so you are less likely to soak the paper until it tears. A mist can be quicker to spread over a wide area, but it is harder to tell how much you have used.
Foamie Gentle Toilet Paper Foam is the pump foam kind. One pump on three or four folded sheets is the dose, and the foam soaks in within about two seconds.
What to check before you buy in NZ
Whichever format you choose, a few practical checks will tell you more than the label on the front.
- The full ingredient list. It should be printed on the bottle or the product page. If you prefer to avoid fragrance, check for parfum or fragrance in the list.
- How many uses are in a bottle. A cost per use is more useful than a price per bottle.
- Where it ships from and how long it takes. Something sent within New Zealand by NZ Post usually arrives in one to three business days. Imported items can take much longer.
- Clear directions and warnings. A cosmetic cleanser should say it is for external use, to avoid the eyes, and to stop using it if irritation occurs.
- What you actually flush. With a spray or foam it should only ever be toilet paper.
Is toilet paper spray safe to flush?
The paper is what goes down the toilet, and toilet paper is one of the three things utilities say belong there. Watercare's guidance is to flush only the three Ps, pee, poo and toilet paper, and to bin everything else, including wet wipes.
That is the main reason to choose a spray or foam over wipes. When Consumer NZ tested 11 wipes sold as flushable, all of them stayed intact apart from the occasional small tear, while toilet paper started to break down within minutes. Water New Zealand has estimated that wipes and other non-flushables cost at least $16 million a year in cleared blockages. Our flushable wipes NZ guide covers the testing and the newer flushable standard in more detail.
What a toilet paper spray costs in New Zealand
Prices vary by brand and bottle size, so work it out per use. As an example, a 60 ml bottle of Foamie costs NZ$19.95 and gives roughly 400 pumps, which is about 5 cents a use. That is roughly 90 days for one adult, or four to six weeks for a household sharing a bottle.
Shipping is part of the cost too. Foamie sends from Auckland by NZ Post, free nationwide on orders over $25. Below that, standard delivery is $4.99 to Auckland metro and $5.99 to the rest of the country, and rural delivery addresses are $8.99. Auckland metro orders can also choose a same-day courier for $20. Australian orders are a flat NZ$25, tracked, taking five to seven business days.
Getting Foamie in NZ
Foamie Gentle Toilet Paper Foam is blended, filled and labelled in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. It has a mānuka, cedar and fig scent and is vegan and cruelty-free. The product page lists the full ingredients and directions, and has a sign-up to hear when it is back if stock has run out. If you are new to the idea, our guides on what toilet paper foam is and how to use toilet paper foam are a good place to start.
Questions people ask
Is toilet paper spray the same as toilet paper foam? +
They do the same job. A spray puts the liquid on as a mist, and a foam puts it on as a measured dome of foam from a pump. Either way you end up with damp toilet paper that you flush as normal.
Can I make my own toilet paper spray? +
People do mix their own, but a homemade water-based mix has no preservative, so it can grow microbes once it has been sitting in a warm bathroom. A commercial cosmetic product is formulated and preserved to stay stable once opened.
How long does delivery take within New Zealand? +
For Foamie, standard NZ Post delivery is estimated at one to two business days for Auckland metro and one to three for the rest of New Zealand. Rural delivery is two to four business days.
Does toilet paper spray work with any toilet paper? +
It works with ordinary toilet paper. A thicker two or three ply paper holds together better once damp, and folding three or four sheets into a pad gives the foam something to soak into.
