To wipe without toilet paper, the most hygienic and effective method is to use water, followed by a quick pat-dry. Popularized globally, this can be done using a bidet, a squirt bottle, or simply by taking a quick shower.
The best alternatives to toilet paper range from reusable cloths and bidets to household paper products and natural foliage. Crucially, never flush anything other than actual toilet paper and human waste, as items like paper towels and baby wipes will severely damage your plumbing.
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.
Around 70% of the world doesn't rely on toilet paper in the way we do, turning to water before tissue.
For a zero-waste or emergency substitute, the best options include using water (like a bidet or peri bottle), reusable cloth wipes, or household paper products like tissues and paper towels. For outdoor emergencies, soft vegetation such as mullein leaves can be used.
Muslims use water instead of, or in addition to, toilet paper to clean themselves after using the restroom. This practice, called Istinja, is rooted in Islamic hygiene and purity laws.
The most advanced washlets can mix the water jet with soap for an improved cleaning process. The washlet can replace toilet paper completely, but many users opt to use both wash and paper in combination—although use of paper may be omitted for cleaning of the vulva.
Europeans primarily use toilet paper, but they heavily supplement or enhance it with water for superior hygiene. In many countries, bidet fixtures, bidet showers, or wet wipes are utilized to clean up before drying with paper.
In China, the primary method of cleaning is toilet paper rather than water. Chinese people commonly carry their own small packets of facial tissues or wet wipes, as many public restrooms do not provide toilet paper. Used paper is typically placed in a trash bin rather than flushed to avoid pipe clogs.
Around 70% to 75% of the world's population does not use toilet paper as their primary method of personal hygiene. That translates to roughly 4 to 5 billion people who rely on alternative methods.
Leaves and Grass: This was the most common solution globally. Large, soft leaves from plants like mullein (often called "cowboy toilet paper") were especially prized.
Amish wedding nights prioritize community, tradition, and practicality over the modern idea of a private honeymoon. On their wedding night, the bride and groom typically return to the bride’s parents' home, where the newlyweds must wake up early the next morning to help clean the house after the large celebration.
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.
Toilet paper alternatives – the washing options
Using a wet sponge on a stick – apparently the Romans used to do this (and they use to share them – soaking them in salt water between uses). Get in the shower – good option, but water intensive. The water pistol/ spray bottle method (I think this one is a winner!)
Most people wipe after using the toilet by reaching behind their back or between their legs to clean from front to back using dry toilet paper. This method is crucial to prevent the spread of bacteria from the anus to the urethra. While many sit to wipe, some stand up, and others utilize bidets, especially outside of North America.
If you are trapped on the toilet right now, do not panic. The easiest fix is to hop in the shower if you are at home. If you are in a public stall, look around for alternatives or call out for help before making your next move.
Eating any food while on the toilet is forbidden. After defecating, the anus must be washed with water using the left hand, or an odd number of smooth stones or pebbles called jamrah or hijaarah (Sahih Al-Bukhari 161, Book 4, Hadith 27). Many jurists agree that toilet paper suffices in place of these stones.
The number one cause of death in China is cardiovascular (heart) disease, followed closely by malignant neoplasms (cancers). Together, these chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for a vast majority of total mortality in the country.
In China, showing cleavage is generally considered a cultural faux pas, and revealing necklines are rarely seen in everyday day-to-day wear. Modesty guidelines for the chest are strict, and state media and censors heavily regulate or blur exposed cleavage in television and public entertainment.
For a zero-waste or emergency substitute, the best options include using water (like a bidet or peri bottle), reusable cloth wipes, or household paper products like tissues and paper towels. For outdoor emergencies, soft vegetation such as mullein leaves can be used.
Toilet Paper Fun Facts *About four billion people don't use toilet paper. About 70% - 75 % of the world's population does not use toilet paper.
Before modern toilet paper, humans used readily available natural materials—including leaves, moss, sand, seashells, snow, and sticks—or water to clean themselves, depending on their environment and social status. Historical options ranged from Roman sponges on a stick (tersorium) to corn cobs, old rags, and, later, newspapers.
The Japanese do shave their faces, arms, legs, and pubic areas. Those with hairy pubic areas are considered sexy. However, as the Western culture has influenced the country, this practice has become more accepted in Japan. A Japanese woman who is hairless is not considered sexy – she is like a neutered man.
The "5-minute rule" in Japan refers to a strict cultural practice of punctuality where you are expected to arrive at least five minutes before a scheduled meeting or appointment. Arriving "exactly on time" is often viewed as late, while being too early can also be seen as an imposition.