If you’re a loyal toilet paper user, you’ve probably never questioned exactly how hygienic your wiping is. Here’s why experts recommend mixing up your bathroom habits in favour of a more efficient method.
Here in Australia, using toilet paper is second nature for most of us. Since graduating from nappies, wiping after each visit to the toilet is a habit that’s been drilled into our routines. But worldwide, not every culture is entirely dependent on toilet paper, turning to various hygiene techniques deemed far more effective than our trusty rolls.
In fact, a 2022 study revealed the practice of wiping with toilet paper is far grosser than you might think. Comparing the microbial contamination of toilet paper users with bidet users after visiting the bathroom, researchers found a significantly lower number of microbes in the latter group.
Unless you’ve used a bidet before, you’re probably wondering what’s so special about the electronic toilet seats that spray water. While the idea of a bidet might seem daunting, in reality, the technology is designed to provide a gentle and more hygienic alternative to wiping down there.
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Why are so many people #teambidet?
Regardless of whether this is the first you’re reading about the toilet technology, it’s actually been around since the 1700s, and as Dr Trisha Pasricha shares with The Washington Post, the benefits of bidet use far outweigh the humble two-ply.
“I recommend them all the time for my patients with loose stools, like in irritable bowel syndrome, who find constant wiping makes their skin raw,” Dr Pasricha says. “Bidets are also excellent for anyone who might struggle with balance or coordination reaching back to wipe and especially fantastic for people with haemorrhoids, anal fissures or those who are recovering postpartum.”
If you’re like me and are still haunted by the sheer amount of money spent on toilet paper during your share house years, switching things up with a bidet might be a wise financial decision.
Furthermore, cutting off your paper supply is nothing but great news for the environment, with 450 Millilitres of water used with every bidet flush a vastly better alternative to the 23 litres and 700 g of wood required to produce a single roll of toilet paper.
How popular are bidets around the world?
The Bidet craze rose to popularity in France during the early 1700s, pioneered by society’s elite. But these days, Bidet use extends far beyond French bathrooms.
The practice is pretty standard in a lot of European bathrooms, with some South American countries also embracing the water spurting apparatus, such as Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela. According to the World Population Review, Italians have topped the ranks of global bidet users, unsurprising as the installation of an apparatus in each home is required by law in the country.
How to practice perfect toilet hygiene, bidet or no bidet
Aside from the bleedingly obvious tip of washing your hands after using any toilet apparatus, Dr Pascicha echoes the advice of health experts everywhere, urging us to close the toilet lid before flushing.
“Even if it’s your home bathroom, you probably don’t want aerosolized particles from the toilet landing on your toothbrush,” noted the doctor.
While she herself is a loyal fan of the toilet technology, Dr Pascicha acknowledges the intimate hygiene practice can feel especially strange for first-timers.
“It can be hard to get over the weirdness of trying a new thing in an area where you don’t try new things often,” says the doctor. “But once you experience that level of freshness, it becomes so intuitive that it’s hard to go back to just plain wiping.”