You do not need to do a traditional wipe, but you do need to dry. Instead of wiping away residue with toilet paper, the water stream washes you clean. You then have two main options to dry off:
You don't wipe in the traditional sense, but you do still need to dry off. After using the bidet's water stream to clean, most people either use a dedicated, reusable "butt towel" to pat dry, or use 1-2 squares of toilet paper to dab away the remaining moisture.
With a bidet, you'll get clean with just a few button presses – no wiping, reaching or mess involved. In fact, many doctors and patients recommend adding a bidet to your surgery recovery toolkit.
While bidets offer excellent hygiene and reduce toilet paper waste, they come with a few notable drawbacks. Potential cons include high upfront costs for electric models, tricky installations, potential disruptions to vaginal flora, and extra bathroom cleaning duties.
Bidet Etiquette in Europe
Remember, after using it, you should dry yourself with the dedicated small towel provided or toilet paper before leaving the bathroom. France: While not as ubiquitous as in Italy, bidets in France are often considered a sign of a well-appointed home.
Doctors say bidets can support comfort and hygiene, but only if used properly. Learning to use a bidet properly helps prevent irritation, infection, and overuse.
To use a bidet as a woman, sit normally on the toilet, facing the wall. If using a standalone bidet, you can straddle it facing the controls. Lean slightly forward to center your body, select the gentle "feminine" or front-wash setting, and use toilet paper or a bidet towel to pat dry.
Many people find bidets gross due to the mental image of water causing unsanitary splashing, the fear of unclean shared nozzles, or the perceived awkwardness of air-drying or manually drying off afterward.
Yes, Japanese bidets are widely considered highly sanitary. They are actively engineered for maximum hygiene, utilizing streams of fresh, continuous tap water for washing rather than dry wiping, which physically lifts and removes bacteria more effectively than toilet paper.
Because of the importance of bathroom hygiene and proper cleaning of soiled areas after bowel movement, the demand for bidets has increased. However, inappropriate use of bidets can damage the colonic mucosa. Here, we report a case of rectal mucosal damage due to inappropriate bowel cleansing habits using a bidet.
The Don'ts
Peeing frequently after a hip replacement is very common and usually temporary. It is typically caused by the body flushing out excess IV fluids given during surgery, swelling reducing as the body heals, or side effects from pain and muscle relaxant medications.
There are just a few steps to take so that you don't experience unnecessary pain or discomfort: Lean on your non-operated hip for support. Support yourself even more with your arm/elbow on the same side. Use your free hand to reach behind you to wipe.
The most hygienic way to clean your bum is using a bidet or rinsing with water, followed by patting the area dry with toilet paper. Water thoroughly cleans delicate skin without the micro-tears or irritation caused by abrasive, dry paper.
Proper bidet etiquette requires a simple routine: use the toilet first, gently wash with the bidet's stream (or a cupped hand), and finish by drying with a dedicated towel or air-dry. Always start with low water pressure to avoid splashing, never use the bidet as a toilet, and leave shared spaces tidy.
If a bidet doesn't fully clean, start by learning to properly use a bidet: adjust the water pressure to a comfortable level and check that water pressure is enough, plus tweak water temperature for a more effective rinse, and you can wipe before using a bidet to remove bulk residue first—this rinse before and after use ...
In Japan, the "5-minute rule" (known as gofun mae kōdō, or "5-minute prior action") dictates that you should arrive and be completely ready 5 to 10 minutes before any scheduled meeting, appointment, or shift begins. Arriving exactly on time is often considered late.
Yes, it is surprisingly common for Japanese couples—surveys suggest anywhere from 26% to 40%—to sleep in separate beds or separate bedrooms. Rather than a sign of marital trouble, this is viewed as a practical, healthy choice to prioritize uninterrupted sleep, personal space, and different daily schedules.
Italy uses standalone bidets the most, with usage rates estimated at over 97% of households. It has been a legal requirement to install a bidet in every Italian home since 1975.
Many traditional Amish communities consider manufactured toilet paper an unnecessary luxury and use resource-saving alternatives instead. In outhouses, families often repurpose old newspapers, magazine pages, or catalogs (like the Sears and Roebuck catalog). To make the paper soft enough to use, they crumple it vigorously multiple times.
Bidets do not inherently cause infections in women, but improper use can disrupt the natural vaginal microbiome and spread bacteria. Incorrect water pressure, poor cleansing direction, or using an unsanitary nozzle can increase the risk of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) or Bacterial Vaginosis (BV).
Yes, an estimated 70% of the world does not use dry toilet paper to wipe. Instead, many cultures across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Europe prioritize washing with water.
Muslims use bidets—or water-based cleansing—because personal hygiene and ritual purity (Taharah) are foundational to the Islamic faith.
A bidet's rear wash targets the anus, whereas the front wash is designed for the vulva. The rear spray is more direct and slightly stronger for thorough cleansing after a bowel movement. The front wash is gentler, using a wider spray angle specifically tailored for feminine hygiene and menstruation.