Parent shares genius toilet paper roll hack to keep your children safe: 'Good to know'

Dear parents, TikToker Anna Knows (@anna.viktori) just showed how people can repurpose used toilet paper rolls that often go in the trash. When checking for potential choking habits, the opening of a toilet paper roll is the perfect tool to use.

The scoop

"Do this simple toilet paper roll test. May your children always be safe," wrote the TikToker. 

In the video, Anna Knows drops tiny toys one by one into the hole of a toilet paper roll. The point of the test is to show which ones fall through the hole and which ones get stuck. 

Anything small enough to fall through the hole can pose a choking risk for your little one. However, if it gets stuck, then it's something your child won't be able to choke on if they put it in their mouth.

How it's helping

According to the New York State Department of Health, over 12,000 children end up in the emergency room annually from food-choking injuries. However, toys and household objects are also common culprits. Luckily, something simple and free can protect your child from a potential life-altering hazard while playing or even eating.

Knowing your recycling options with cardboard products can save money on fertilizers and help your lawn and garden thrive organically. Avoid wasting a biodegradable item that adds nutritious organic matter to soil that attracts earthworms and prevents weeds when you use it as mulch or compost. Gather those rolls and toss them in the compost pile, or place them in the brown layer of lasagna mulch. 

If you crochet, use these rolls to organize loose yarn. Are you a gardener? Skip the now expensive egg cartons and start your seed germination by using the rolls as individual pots you can place right in the ground — remember, they're biodegradable.

Microplastics dominate ocean pollution, but cardboard products can also add to debris when people don't properly dispose of them. They can eventually wash into waterways when people litter them near coastlines. This material can dissolve much faster than plastic, which takes up to 500 years to break down, per the World Wildlife Fund. However, marine species can still swallow and choke on it before that happens.

When unsure how to repurpose used items, you can call various services for pickup and possible funds. Organizations like GotSneakers will take old sneakers and Trashie takes old clothes and accessories in exchange for store credit or cash. 

What everyone's saying

Unsurprisingly, the comments overflowed with compliments for the simple safety hack to help keep innocent children safe. 

"Good to know," wrote one user, while another praised, "That's a must to know with small children."

One commenter proclaimed, "Your mom hacks are the BEST!"

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