As the coronavirus continues to spread, stores are putting up signs limiting toilet paper purchases to avoid having customers buy in bulk and empty their supply. However, many store shelves have already been cleared, leaving some to turn to an alternate method: bidets.
![bidet]()
If you were raised in the United States, you likely grew up using toilet paper and may not be aware of other options. Toilet paper may be standard in the U.S. but it isn’t necessarily the top choice for cleaning yourself after using the restroom.
A bidet works by aiming a small stream of water around your anus to rinse off any material that’s left after you’ve had a bowel movement. There are several styles ranging from simple and inexpensive models that attach to your toilet, to fully automated fixtures with “antimicrobial sanitizing technology and motion-sensing lids.”
Some toilet paper may be necessary for patting your bottom dry after using a bidet, but not at the rate Americans are burning through it. CleanTechnica reports the average person in the U.S. will use 141 rolls in a year, or roughly 2.7 rolls of paper a week. One variable that isn't often considered is how many mature trees must be cut down so paper can be flushed away. What is cheap and convenient on the store shelves is creating a rising debt the planet is unable to pay.
A bidet is refreshing in a way toilet paper could never be, is gentler and less irritating than wiping with paper, and practically eliminates potential hand contamination. But more importantly, it cleans your bottom far more effectively than simply using dry toilet paper. Plus, a bidet pays for itself in no time with the money saved on toilet paper, and helps save valuable environmental resources while reducing pollution.
Can’t find a store stocked with toilet paper? Consider a bidet.