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I always wondered how people used toilet paper to clean themselves as I tried it once before when I travelled to a place where they only have toilet paper and i

I always wondered how people used toilet paper to clean themselves as I tried it once before when I travelled to a place where they only have toilet paper and it is a bad user experience and incredibly messy for me. The amount of paper required to totally clean myself (pardon) properly is massive. I live in a a place where we use a bidet to clean ourself, or the water jet thing if it doesn’t have any bidet. Then we put a soap in our left hand and wipe it (pardon) on the area of interest to clean everything as we wash it with water. Then we wash our hands and its clean and refreshing. Additionally, I combined both. First cleaning with water and soap, then wipe it with toilet paper. I personally think this combination is good, its clean, and it does not waste a lot of paper.

new2628 7y ago
The reverse combination also works: remove the larger particles with paper, use soap and water to finish the job. It's amazing how most of the western world gets by with paper only. Try holding a piece of ... in the hand, then clean it with paper only. No amount of paper will make it clean enough.
- numlock86 7y ago
  There is also the option of wet paper towels, which works also very nice.
  - pan69 7y ago
    Apparently those wet paper towels are a real strain on the sewer system, clogging it.
    - gpmcadam 7y ago
      There's a general conflation of two types of wet towels. 1. "Wet Wipes" which are commonly used to clean babies and young children, these must be disposed of in the bin and can't be flushed 2. "Wet Toilet Paper" which is a far less durable version of the above, and flushes and disintegrates as normal. In the UK, these come with a "Flushable" symbol on the package.
      - evanb 7y ago
        In the US "paper towel" usually refers to kitchen roll. Kitchen roll is designed to be strong when wet, unlike toilet roll, which is designed to dissolve when wet.
      - mcny 7y ago
        I don't know about the UK but if you ever come to the US please don't flush anything that says flushable in the pack. if it has to say flushable on the packaging, it likely isn't.
- jjeaff 7y ago
  Here's the thing though. I don't pick up food or shake hands or touch the doorknob or keyboard with my anus. I agree that a bidet can get you cleaner. But if you are using your bare hand to clean with, you are getting a cleaner rear at the expense of a dirtier hand. No matter how well you wash.
  - premek 7y ago
    Thats why you have two hands
  - yibg 7y ago
    What do you use to clean yourself down there in the shower?
    - mcny 7y ago
      I use my fingers. that and just soap and water like the rest of the body?
  - amelius 7y ago
    I would agree but using paper can also make the hand dirty, except perhaps in an invisible way. I think it might be all in our heads and we need a scientific study to show which method is safer/more hygienic. This also could take into account the question of whether spreading some bacteria could have a positive effect on e.g. our immune systems somehow.
  - pinkfoot 7y ago
    Dramatically reduce your carbohydrate intake. You'll be down to a single square in no time.
- usrusr 7y ago
  As with all culturally different ways to do something, switching costs make individual comparison almost impossible. A lifetime of experience with paper/bidet/whatever will inevitably make you so good at it that it ends up being the best process for you. It's really just like emacs/vi I think.
  - srg0 7y ago
    > It's really just like emacs/vi I think. Do you mean that one of these techniques is a major mode, and the other is hard to quit?
- hycaria 7y ago
  Is your ass that dirty though ? Honestly gotta wonder about diets here. Most of the time I wipe clean or almost, and I am never constipated nor have diarrhoea... Eating lots of greens yada yada
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
yibg 7y ago
I miss the toilets with the spray in Japan so much. Never feels fully clean with just paper.
- lukasm 7y ago
  Ive used one for the first time 5 days ago. Im installing one if I buy a house. The warm seat is amazing
- jsjohnst 7y ago
  You can buy add on toilet seats with bidet functionality for a couple hundred dollars and they are easy to install. If you can turn a wrench, you can install one. As long as you keep the old seat to put it back on when you move out, you can do it in an apartment even and not risk penalty on move out. I highly recommend everyone get one. The brand I have is BioBidet, but I’m sure most are comparable.
  - js2 7y ago
    I bought the basic Luxe non-heated bidet attachment from Amazon for $35 last year. They are closer to $70 now, but you don’t need to spend hundreds.
  - magduf 7y ago
    You can't easily install the nice washlets in many places, because they require power to operate. If a bathroom wasn't designed for it, it's very likely to not have a power outlet near the toilet. In Japanese bathrooms, there's an outlet right next to the toilet just for the washlet. In my American bathroom in my condo built around 15 years ago, the only outlet is on the other side of the sink (meant for plugging in an electric razor or hairdryer), so you'd have to run an electric cord literally across the sink, which obviously is a no-go.
- flanbiscuit 7y ago
  Are these sprays always in the same position or is it something that is off to the side and when you press a button they move into position? I worry about getting matter on it but maybe I'm imagining it to be longer than it really is.
nemacol 7y ago
Having never used a bidet or water jet, I wonder, is the process the same at public facilities or at work? Do you bring your own soap, towel, etc? Water tends to spray _stuff_ around. Do those public facilities need extra or more frequent attention? Does a bidet or water jet change the cleanliness perception of a public or community toilet? Thanks
- adityapurwa 7y ago
  Hi, thank you for asking! Most of the public facilities in my town are equipped with bidet/jet + toilet paper (some might provide soap at the toilet, if not; they always provide soap in the hand sink. In this case, it's better not to touch your private parts with bare hands and use the toilet paper to fully clean it). All of the office that I went to always provides soap and toilet paper. So you don't have to bring your own kit. The shape of the toilet and the positioning of the bidet/jet definitely could reduce the amount of water going outside the (pardon) hole. But there's always some of it that got out. It is advised that we wipe the water on the seat with toilet paper to make it dry. Some also provide a cleaning solution to wipe the seat before using it. Usually, there's a cleaning service nearby that always wipe the floor and clean everything. From my personal experience with toilet paper, I need to use a load of it to make sure its thick enough to protect my hands from touching it directly as there's no water to wash it later except outside in the hand sink. I could easily use half of the roll to fully clean myself and make sure there is no residue at all (further wipes doesn't leave any mark behind the paper). Also, we don't throw the paper into the (pardon) hole, there's a dedicated bin for it and the smells (pardon) when it is opened is a whole new problem (I don't know if the gas is dangerous, but its really something). But then again, as it is not cleaned with soap, I am sure there are some bacteria left behind and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't know what to say about the perception of people, but I do think it does change the perception, I am just not sure how :)
  - ebg13 7y ago
    > I could easily use half of the roll to fully clean myself Uh... In the US only small children do this because they haven't learned any technique yet. The adults who actually pay for the toilet paper and who don't enjoy unclogging their toilets use far less.
stronglikedan 7y ago
Once you get used to it, it takes less than 10 squares to get fully clean, so there's not much wasted paper. That said, there's nothing like the clean feeling of a bidet (or soap or wet wipe) combined with the paper.
HorizonXP 7y ago
(I'm going to assume you're Indian by your username) My parents are from India, but I was born & raised in Canada. I haven't been back to India since I was 10 years old, so nearly 25 years ago. But we did several trips, and I remember my sister and I hated using the latrines in the outhouses. We lived in the village, so squatting while doing our business, and using a lota of well water to wash up was so foreign and bizarre to us. When we returned to Canada, my 4 year old sister ran to the bathroom and hugged the toilet. With the wisdom of age (if you can call me wise at 35), I now realize that toilet paper is inferior in all ways. It's wasteful, and it doesn't accomplish it's purpose. Now that I've had a child, we wash him with soap and water on every messy diaper change. We joke that he has the cleanest bum in the house. You're not wrong, but it's completely cultural. I've experienced both sides of the culture, and I agree with you completely. But we haven't installed a bidet. We're still a TP household. I was considering one before the current crisis. I think this year I might get one.
- adityapurwa 7y ago
  It’s an Indian name but I am not Indian and quite far from India :) It’s an interesting story from your side! Wish for your children to be healthy, and for everyone else that are having crisis of TP and other essentials items to be able to get through it. Stay safe!

new2628 7y ago

The reverse combination also works: remove the larger particles with paper, use soap and water to finish the job. It's amazing how most of the western world gets by with paper only. Try holding a piece of ... in the hand, then clean it with paper only. No amount of paper will make it clean enough.

numlock86 7y ago
There is also the option of wet paper towels, which works also very nice.
- pan69 7y ago
  Apparently those wet paper towels are a real strain on the sewer system, clogging it.
  - gpmcadam 7y ago
    There's a general conflation of two types of wet towels. 1. "Wet Wipes" which are commonly used to clean babies and young children, these must be disposed of in the bin and can't be flushed 2. "Wet Toilet Paper" which is a far less durable version of the above, and flushes and disintegrates as normal. In the UK, these come with a "Flushable" symbol on the package.
    - evanb 7y ago
      In the US "paper towel" usually refers to kitchen roll. Kitchen roll is designed to be strong when wet, unlike toilet roll, which is designed to dissolve when wet.
    - mcny 7y ago
      I don't know about the UK but if you ever come to the US please don't flush anything that says flushable in the pack. if it has to say flushable on the packaging, it likely isn't.
jjeaff 7y ago
Here's the thing though. I don't pick up food or shake hands or touch the doorknob or keyboard with my anus. I agree that a bidet can get you cleaner. But if you are using your bare hand to clean with, you are getting a cleaner rear at the expense of a dirtier hand. No matter how well you wash.
- premek 7y ago
  Thats why you have two hands
- yibg 7y ago
  What do you use to clean yourself down there in the shower?
  - mcny 7y ago
    I use my fingers. that and just soap and water like the rest of the body?
- amelius 7y ago
  I would agree but using paper can also make the hand dirty, except perhaps in an invisible way. I think it might be all in our heads and we need a scientific study to show which method is safer/more hygienic. This also could take into account the question of whether spreading some bacteria could have a positive effect on e.g. our immune systems somehow.
- pinkfoot 7y ago
  Dramatically reduce your carbohydrate intake. You'll be down to a single square in no time.
usrusr 7y ago
As with all culturally different ways to do something, switching costs make individual comparison almost impossible. A lifetime of experience with paper/bidet/whatever will inevitably make you so good at it that it ends up being the best process for you. It's really just like emacs/vi I think.
- srg0 7y ago
  > It's really just like emacs/vi I think. Do you mean that one of these techniques is a major mode, and the other is hard to quit?
hycaria 7y ago
Is your ass that dirty though ? Honestly gotta wonder about diets here. Most of the time I wipe clean or almost, and I am never constipated nor have diarrhoea... Eating lots of greens yada yada

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

yibg 7y ago

I miss the toilets with the spray in Japan so much. Never feels fully clean with just paper.

lukasm 7y ago
Ive used one for the first time 5 days ago. Im installing one if I buy a house. The warm seat is amazing
jsjohnst 7y ago
You can buy add on toilet seats with bidet functionality for a couple hundred dollars and they are easy to install. If you can turn a wrench, you can install one. As long as you keep the old seat to put it back on when you move out, you can do it in an apartment even and not risk penalty on move out. I highly recommend everyone get one. The brand I have is BioBidet, but I’m sure most are comparable.
- js2 7y ago
  I bought the basic Luxe non-heated bidet attachment from Amazon for $35 last year. They are closer to $70 now, but you don’t need to spend hundreds.
- magduf 7y ago
  You can't easily install the nice washlets in many places, because they require power to operate. If a bathroom wasn't designed for it, it's very likely to not have a power outlet near the toilet. In Japanese bathrooms, there's an outlet right next to the toilet just for the washlet. In my American bathroom in my condo built around 15 years ago, the only outlet is on the other side of the sink (meant for plugging in an electric razor or hairdryer), so you'd have to run an electric cord literally across the sink, which obviously is a no-go.
flanbiscuit 7y ago
Are these sprays always in the same position or is it something that is off to the side and when you press a button they move into position? I worry about getting matter on it but maybe I'm imagining it to be longer than it really is.

nemacol 7y ago

Having never used a bidet or water jet, I wonder, is the process the same at public facilities or at work? Do you bring your own soap, towel, etc? Water tends to spray _stuff_ around. Do those public facilities need extra or more frequent attention? Does a bidet or water jet change the cleanliness perception of a public or community toilet? Thanks

adityapurwa 7y ago
Hi, thank you for asking! Most of the public facilities in my town are equipped with bidet/jet + toilet paper (some might provide soap at the toilet, if not; they always provide soap in the hand sink. In this case, it's better not to touch your private parts with bare hands and use the toilet paper to fully clean it). All of the office that I went to always provides soap and toilet paper. So you don't have to bring your own kit. The shape of the toilet and the positioning of the bidet/jet definitely could reduce the amount of water going outside the (pardon) hole. But there's always some of it that got out. It is advised that we wipe the water on the seat with toilet paper to make it dry. Some also provide a cleaning solution to wipe the seat before using it. Usually, there's a cleaning service nearby that always wipe the floor and clean everything. From my personal experience with toilet paper, I need to use a load of it to make sure its thick enough to protect my hands from touching it directly as there's no water to wash it later except outside in the hand sink. I could easily use half of the roll to fully clean myself and make sure there is no residue at all (further wipes doesn't leave any mark behind the paper). Also, we don't throw the paper into the (pardon) hole, there's a dedicated bin for it and the smells (pardon) when it is opened is a whole new problem (I don't know if the gas is dangerous, but its really something). But then again, as it is not cleaned with soap, I am sure there are some bacteria left behind and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't know what to say about the perception of people, but I do think it does change the perception, I am just not sure how :)
- ebg13 7y ago
  > I could easily use half of the roll to fully clean myself Uh... In the US only small children do this because they haven't learned any technique yet. The adults who actually pay for the toilet paper and who don't enjoy unclogging their toilets use far less.

stronglikedan 7y ago

Once you get used to it, it takes less than 10 squares to get fully clean, so there's not much wasted paper. That said, there's nothing like the clean feeling of a bidet (or soap or wet wipe) combined with the paper.

HorizonXP 7y ago

(I'm going to assume you're Indian by your username) My parents are from India, but I was born & raised in Canada. I haven't been back to India since I was 10 years old, so nearly 25 years ago. But we did several trips, and I remember my sister and I hated using the latrines in the outhouses. We lived in the village, so squatting while doing our business, and using a lota of well water to wash up was so foreign and bizarre to us. When we returned to Canada, my 4 year old sister ran to the bathroom and hugged the toilet. With the wisdom of age (if you can call me wise at 35), I now realize that toilet paper is inferior in all ways. It's wasteful, and it doesn't accomplish it's purpose. Now that I've had a child, we wash him with soap and water on every messy diaper change. We joke that he has the cleanest bum in the house. You're not wrong, but it's completely cultural. I've experienced both sides of the culture, and I agree with you completely. But we haven't installed a bidet. We're still a TP household. I was considering one before the current crisis. I think this year I might get one.

adityapurwa 7y ago
It’s an Indian name but I am not Indian and quite far from India :) It’s an interesting story from your side! Wish for your children to be healthy, and for everyone else that are having crisis of TP and other essentials items to be able to get through it. Stay safe!