March 25. Is it ok to use paper napkins, paper towels or strips of Cornelius Today to prepare one’s derriere for what looks like a pandemic of toilet paper shortages?

In the interest of sanity, sanitation and humanity as we know it, we asked that question of toilet

DICKERSON

expert Randy Dickerson, owner of Randy Dickerson Plumbing.

The Cornelius-based plumbing professional says no, don’t flush that stuff.

Toilet paper is designed to dissolve; napkins and paper towels aren’t.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting wave of self-quarantining and work-from-home orders have caused panic buying in the paper aisles.

The last thing you want is to clog your pipes with things not designed to be flushed.

Facial tissue is the No. 2 choice in the absence of toilet paper.

Dickerson said you can use it in small amounts if you flush frequently.

If worse comes to worse, plumbers are considered an essential business under the county-wide stay-at-home order which goes into effect tomorrow.