Toilet paper foam for toilet training

Why wiping is the tricky part

Toilet training tends to happen in stages. KidsHealth NZ says you may see signs that a child is ready from around 2 years old, with some ready from as early as 18 months and others later. Signs include dry nappies for more than 2 hours and being able to pull their pants up and down.

Wiping usually comes later than sitting on the toilet, and it is where wet wipes tend to creep in. That creates a second lesson to learn: wipes go in the bin, never the toilet. Watercare and other NZ utilities ask everyone to flush only pee, poo and toilet paper, because wipes don't break down the way paper does.

A foam on paper avoids that second lesson. The wipe is the toilet paper, so it all goes in the toilet.

A simple routine for small hands

Keep the steps the same every time, so they become habit. With Foamie Gentle Toilet Paper Foam the routine is:

• Tear off three or four sheets of toilet paper and fold them into a pad.
• Press the pump once onto the middle of the paper. One press is enough.
• Count to two while the foam soaks in.
• Wipe, with an adult helping as needed.
• Drop the paper in the toilet and flush.
• Wash hands with soap and water.

Supervise, and keep the bottle in your hands

Toilet paper foam is a cosmetic product for external use, and its label says to keep it out of reach of children and away from the eyes. So in practice the adult holds or hands over the bottle, the child presses the pump onto the paper, and the bottle goes back up high afterwards. A shelf above the toilet or a high cupboard works well.

If foam does get into eyes, rinse with clean water. Stop using the product if it irritates. And it never replaces washing hands with soap and water after the toilet, which is worth making part of the routine from day one.

Teach the three Ps

The simplest rule to give a child is the one councils use: only the three Ps go in the toilet, pee, poo and paper. Everything else goes in the bin.

Children like rules that are easy to say out loud. It helps to name the things that don't belong in the toilet too, such as wipes, cotton buds, toys and anything else that isn't paper. Watercare lists wet wipes, sanitary products, nappies, dental floss and cotton buds among the things that belong in the rubbish.

If you have a septic tank, a long drop at the bach or older clay pipes, getting this right early saves trouble later. Our wet wipes blocking pipes guide explains what wipes do once they are flushed.

Make it easy to succeed

KidsHealth NZ suggests a footstool to help a child get up to the toilet seat, and a smaller seat that fits inside the bigger seat so they can sit comfortably. Keep the toilet paper and the foam where you can reach them easily from beside the toilet, so wiping doesn't turn into a stretch or a balancing act.

KidsHealth also recommends giving praise when your child uses the toilet, and expecting accidents along the way. Its advice is to reassure your child that it's OK and to stay positive, calm and patient. The same goes for wiping. It takes practice, and an adult usually needs to finish off for a while.

Cost and what you need

You need ordinary toilet paper, a bottle of foam and somewhere high to keep it. A 60 ml bottle of Foamie is NZ$19.95 and gives roughly 400 pumps, which is about 5 cents a pump. How long it lasts depends on how many people in the house use it.

Foamie is sent from Auckland by NZ Post, free across New Zealand on orders over $25. You can find it on the product page, which has a sign-up to hear when stock is back if it has sold out. For a wider look at options, see our wet wipe alternatives and how to use toilet paper foam guides.

Questions people ask