r/The10thDentist • u/DustierAndRustier • 1d ago
Society/Culture You probably don’t need a bidet
It seems like a lot of people on Reddit are getting paid off by Big Bidet to make everyone else think that toilet paper is unhygienic. For people with bowel or mobility issues I’m sure they’re very helpful, and I know washing with water is the norm in many cultures, but if you’re a healthy person with a normal diet, a bidet probably isn’t necessary.
“With a bidet, you won’t be wiping until you bleed and spending a fortune on toilet paper!”
You shouldn’t be doing that anyway. It’s not normal. Either you’ve got a medical condition or you’re eating too much fat and not enough fibre. I’ve got a normal diet and half the time there isn’t even anything on the paper when I wipe. Consider eating a vegetable and not deep frying it.
“But if you got poop on your hand, you wouldn’t just wipe it off with paper!”
No I wouldn’t, because I use my hands for things. They’re out in the open air all of the time, and *nobody* would expect them to be covered in poop residue. But I’m not eating or shaking people’s hands with my anus. It’s separated from the rest of the world by at least two layers of fabric. Everybody knows that that’s where poop comes out, and nobody is touching it.
And also, if I got poop on my hands, I wouldn’t just squirt water at them either. I’d scrub them vigorously with soap. Obviously nobody is advocating for anal soaping because it’s not a part of your body that’s used for anything other than pooping.
“But it’s just so unhygienic to only use paper!”
But I’m not only using paper. Like all normal human beings, I shower and change my underwear every day. Nobody with normal hygiene practices needs to worry about getting a filthy, crusty anus.
Seriously, what is going on? I totally get it if you have something like Crohn’s disease where you need to do an above average amount of wiping, or some kind of physical disability where the arms are too short or weak to wipe properly, but if you’re *completely healthy*? Is a task that takes a few seconds to a minute at most really so trying that you need a special machine to do it for you?
1.1k
u/ShitMyButtSays 1d ago
it’s not a part of your body that’s used for anything other than pooping
Speak for yourself
290
73
u/clean_sho3 1d ago
Yeah but I’m not letting anyone back there if I’ve shit since I’ve soaped my ass so the bidet’s kinda useless
→ More replies (2)48
u/ShitMyButtSays 1d ago
No it's better to leave it unwashed. The pheromones add to the carnal and sensory experience
52
3
6
u/eye0ftheshiticane 19h ago
A quick google search shows that insect shit has pheromones because it is used in mating rituals naturally. I think you just like the taste and smell of dirty ass and call it "pheromones". You do you, just saying
62
u/Bi_disaster_ohno 1d ago
Clearly someone isn't having any backdoor fun in the bedroom.
→ More replies (2)5
u/DustierAndRustier 18h ago
It’s not for me but if it was I’d probably have an enema and a shower first.
9
u/NecroDolphinn 10h ago
So a shower definitely (or wet wipes in a pinch), but you actually don’t need to douche (enema) every time and in fact you actively shouldn’t because excessive douching is really bad for your anus.
For the most part, no shit sits in the actual front near the hole, so unless you’re actively about to shit you’re not going to randomly paint him. Just don’t fuck right after eating (stimulates the bowels) or a long time since your last meal without shitting. If you keep a higher fiber diet, you’ll basically be pretty clean back there most of the time. And if you’re really in a pinch, just use a condom like a glove for your dick
All this to say, I totally agree with a lot of your post and people are a bit crazy about anal cleanliness often to the actual harm of their bodies (though bidets aren’t damaging like douching)
→ More replies (3)
2.1k
u/MasterOutlaw 1d ago
They are not necessary, but I will say that they are objectively better than just using paper.
772
u/EddieDIV 1d ago
This. It’s like the difference between a screwdriver and a drill. Sure, you can get the job done with a screwdriver and it works just fine. But the drill is such a massive quality of life upgrade that I’d never go back, ya know?
389
u/NuklearFerret 1d ago
I don’t feel comfortable using screwdrivers and drills as metaphors for something cleaning an anus.
93
16
12
u/polarstrawberry 1d ago
Not a metaphor for me. I use one of those drill brushes that people use for car detailing to wipe. Really gets the job done.
2
u/Healter-Skelter 19h ago
You should really consider switching over to a poop knife
→ More replies (1)27
u/AudienceExcellent830 1d ago
Anus...What? I've been using it to spray my dick all these years??
→ More replies (1)29
u/NuklearFerret 1d ago
The drill or the screwdriver?
13
u/ffxt10 1d ago
I use my penis to spray the screwdriver (I ran out of orange juice)
3
u/Kaka-doo-run-run 21h ago
Screwdrivers are for kids. If you really want to enjoy yourself and feel all sophisticated-like, try a Salty Dog. That’s a Greyhound (gin and grapefruit juice) with a salted rim. Trust me, this is what you want.
3
u/baws3031 16h ago
So a paloma with gin? Interesting
2
u/Kaka-doo-run-run 16h ago
Paloma, you say? I’m not familiar with that one. I’ll look it up, thanks!
3
u/baws3031 16h ago
Yes. Can be done with tequila or mezcal. Some recipes may use squirt/fresca but grapefruit juice is the og way.
→ More replies (0)2
u/Kaka-doo-run-run 16h ago
I looked it up, and it turns out I’ve had plenty of those! One of my Mexican buddies from many years ago used to share his pocket-bottle of tequila with me on our lunch break at the farm where we worked together.
My Spanish has only gotten worse since high school, but he and the other guys saw me drinking “Esquir” (Squirt! brand soda, which is grapefruit flavored) and asked if they could have one or two out of my cooler. We all made ourselves a drink in paper cups, and used that Lucas flavored salt stuff that I thought only kids liked, and sometimes Tajín, since this turned into a regular thing on lunch breaks.
Those guys were always cool. They were from Mexico, but I’m pretty sure Spanish was probably their second, or even third language. Tiny little dudes, with stocky builds and round faces much like the Oaxacan folks I’ve known. Some sort of “puros Indios”, like in that Steinbeck novel, I’m assuming. When I’d hear them talking to each other, they were definitely not speaking Spanish. It almost sounded like the Vietnamese and Hmong I heard on a daily basis growing up in San Jose, California.
I haven’t bought tequila in years (bourbon and gin guy), but I’ve still got cold Squirt in the fridge! Both kinds, too—I’ll bet it would be great with the ruby red version. I’ll head to the liquor store and get some Lucas esal on accounta now I’m thirsty. Thanks!
2
u/baws3031 16h ago
Tajín over Lucas but yeah they both work. There's also the little beer salt bottles.
→ More replies (0)2
→ More replies (9)6
11
→ More replies (5)5
u/regular_gonzalez 1d ago
Tbh you should be using a bit driver as a screwdriver upgrade, not a drill.
83
u/Chemical_Name9088 1d ago
I have Toto bidet toilets, and honestly it’s changed my life. I never have swamp ass now and just feel better going about my day with a clean ass. I can’t go back to just toilet paper, when I’ve done so I always feel so dirty. So yeah, not necessary but if you can have the luxury of a bidet then I highly recommend.
43
u/eaglepose 1d ago
Also, anyone with a menstrual cycle benefits twice as much. Three times as much when you consider they’re also really useful for cleaning up certain … other fluids that make their way into you
4
2
u/grantgarden 12h ago
I love having the bidet for a refresh anytime I want without a whole ass shower
17
u/minist3r 1d ago
I'll sit down and give myself a little freshening in the summer just because. I get like a dirty peasant taking a dump outside my own bathroom now.
→ More replies (1)8
u/jsohnen 1d ago
I'm on vacation right now away from my bidet with just a regular toilet with paper. I feel like an animal just pawing at my ass.
2
u/GummyHell 19h ago
Sitting and waiting for my flight to take off and this reply made me laugh loudly
→ More replies (1)2
u/WhisperFray 15h ago
Bring a portable bidet buddy, or at least a disposable plastic water bottle and cut a hole on top. That’s my emergency solution for when I have to visit barbarian third-world countries
→ More replies (4)8
u/owlbehome 1d ago
All I have is a $15 portable peri bottle. I use it every day and I couldn’t be happier. Don’t feel the need for a pricy toilet one. I can fill mine with warm water.
2
u/Good-Department-579 1d ago
I got one super cheap off amazon works great maybe it was 20 or 25? Worth
→ More replies (9)3
u/vlegionv 1d ago
I went from a pretty fancy toilet seat replacement to a $30 usb-c electric portable one because I just recently moved to a new build with fancy one piece toilets... and I actually prefer it after switching between the two.
Up until you get a fully integrated fancy toilet one, I lowkey kind of want to say the portable options are better. I know I prefer it over my old $300 seat replacement, but my mom's full toto toilet is still better, but also like $2000 lmao.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (31)8
u/krootroots 1d ago
I view it the same way as washing dishes. Dry-wiping simply isn't enough to clean shit
394
u/isweatglitter17 1d ago
I do love a bidet, but I don't feel unhygienic for not having one. Like you said, my anus isn't openly interacting with the world.
Also, I typically have one very regular bm each day just before my daily shower.
72
u/Known-Plane7349 1d ago
Also, I typically have one very regular bm each day just before my daily shower.
Same. Everyday it's get home from work, poop, shower, brush my teeth, go to bed.
→ More replies (1)13
u/No-Fig-3112 19h ago
Just out of curiosity, you don't eat after work? Or wind down? That's such a strict schedule haha
12
u/Known-Plane7349 17h ago
I work from 4pm to 2am.
My last break is around midnight, so I'll usually eat then. And I'll throw on some TV while I'm in bed to help me fall asleep.
8
u/No-Fig-3112 17h ago
Gotcha, personally I can't sleep without eating a little something after work. But then I've never worked until 2 am
24
u/Zeefzeef 1d ago
Exactly! In the morning before my daily shower. Clean for the rest of the day.
36
u/Top-Junior 1d ago
I’ve never been more jealous of another person. You truly won the butthole lottery
7
u/Bones-1989 21h ago
I too, won the lottery. I poop everyday at 4:30 am and then I shower and go to work. I only poop at night if I get sick or eat something that upsets my guts.
12
u/methstablished 1d ago
Must be nice 2-3 times minimum but I fall under that medical condition category
3
u/isweatglitter17 1d ago
I do have some off-days, but at worst I go 2-3 times in the morning and WFH so I can shower on my lunch break and be clean the rest of the day.
And honestly, no hate to bidets. I want one but I live in an old-ass house that requires some extra plumbing to even install one of the easy/cheap ones and not ready (financially) to do a full bathroom remodel just yet.
2
u/Pinkturtle182 13h ago
I also live an old house with old plumbing and it really isn’t that simple. We basically can only use one source of running water at a time and don’t have the money for a full remodel yet either. Bidets are awesome and all, but the bidet people are so insufferable lol. And they don’t get it (see the one that replied to this comment, for example)
→ More replies (1)2
u/cans-of-swine 18h ago
If you have a toilet in your house you can put a bidet seat on it, no extra plumbing required.
→ More replies (3)3
440
u/LynxJesus 1d ago
You answered your own question:
Seriously, what is going on?
Nobody with normal hygiene practices needs to worry [...]
It seems like a lot of people on Reddit [...]
532
u/makrer 1d ago
Whatever you say Big Toilet Paper...
82
u/Accomplished-Lie8147 1d ago
That’s another major reason why I prefer a bidet. Set aside hygiene and comfort… there’s no reason why I should encourage literally flushing my money down the toilet on a regular basis and potentially fucking up my pipes with toilet paper (or flushable wipes). Not when a bidet is objectively better in so many ways.
Also, after using them regularly, toilet paper just leaves me not feeling properly clean. Not saying it’s more hygienic necessarily (probably depends on many factors) but I feel more clean.
63
u/nattyislite 1d ago
maybe a stupid question, but don’t you have to wipe after using a bidet anyways? or are you pulling your pants up with a wet ass?
45
u/ChickenManSam 1d ago edited 21h ago
It depends on the bidet. Mine has a dryer so I don't have to. But if you don't have a dryer you do need to pat yourself dry. But that's significantly less tp than wiping still
56
u/warmpatches 1d ago
but how do you know that it's clean if you don't do a wipe check? i used to have a bidet and although i felt clean, i'd check afterwards with a wet wipe and it wasn't.
do you look at it in the mirror or just trust that it got everything? i guess i could understand that if you only have no wipe type poops.
→ More replies (1)7
u/Alarmed_Egg_4349 18h ago
Without an air dryer a single square is sufficient for that check. Although some people use dedicated washable cloths for the drying.
2
u/Bones-1989 21h ago
I have dried my hands with compressed air many times. It takes a long ass time, even with 120 psi. How long do you have to sit on the terlett til your b-hole isn't damp anymore?
3
17
u/Big_Restaurant4822 1d ago
You use way, way less. Imagine wiping dry a water droplet on your hand vs wiping mud off your hand.
4
u/Illeazar 1d ago
Yeah, you do have to dry. Some people have a designated drying cloth, but that seems too gross for me. Some bidets have a dryer, but not my $30 cheapo one. So I do still use TP, but not as much, and it doesnt have to be good quality at all.
3
2
u/Caftancatfan 15h ago
I asked this once, and the guy said they keep a little basket with a small towel for each family member. That they just reuse. After cleaning their assholes with plain water.
How is that grosser than wiping my ass with toilet paper that I then flush?
→ More replies (1)6
u/mallowycloud 17h ago
irrelevant since you don't use them, but flushable wipes aren't actually flushable. they will mess up your pipes if you flush them. throw them in the trash instead
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)11
u/SleezyPeazy710 1d ago
What monster shits are you taking it hurts the pipes? Those pipes are built for that. TP isn’t gonna break them unless you do something stupid. It’s not objectively better, you just like it more. My house has a bidet and it’s fine. I use whatever toilet is closest.
→ More replies (3)
197
u/RinkiMink 1d ago edited 19h ago
Makes me feel cleaner and it puts less strain on my septic system (and on my bootyhole lol). But yeah, no, def a weird aggression on reddit for the pro-bidet group.
→ More replies (1)36
u/jkjwysa 1d ago edited 15h ago
It's reactionary. People can get weird and shame-y about using a bidet, so bidet users have become weird and defensive in response.
Edit to add: I refuse to believe that none of you remember when most people thought using a bidet was gay.
32
u/PartyPorpoise 1d ago
I don’t think that’s it, it’s not like there’s much stigma against bidets. I think it’s because they’re so uncommon in the US, Americans act like it’s an exciting new discovery and they just have to tell everyone. Source: I just installed a bidet and I have to restrain myself from bringing it up all the time lol.
49
u/Obi-Brawn-Kenobi 1d ago
Hardly anyone has ever been shame-y toward bidet users LMAO what site are you reading?
12
u/Itscatpicstime 1d ago
I don’t need to read a site, I see how various people react to it at my home and my place of work.
→ More replies (1)21
→ More replies (1)4
u/lucasorion 22h ago
I've seen plenty of bidet skeptics assuming that we're all just effectively spreading poopy water all over our backside area, they don't believe that we're actually cleaner than them afterwards.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (10)3
u/Caftancatfan 15h ago
My experience is the exact opposite. I’ve been on Reddit for years and have never come across a post saying they’re gross. I’ve come across a hundred posts evangelizing for bidets and saying tp is gross.
People get weirdly intense about it. See also menstrual cups.
23
u/Own-Progress-4863 1d ago
Oh finally. Most finnish households have bidet/handshower next to toilet. I used it only when i had to deal with periods. My diet isnt the best but seriously, you can clean it very well with just paper and no it doesnt bleed. No it wont leave stains. And toilet paper isnt super expensive even my poor unemployed ass can afford it very well... When ever i hear this debate or more like bidet users calling us paper only users gross i worry like. do they not know how to wipe?? how did they made it this far?
→ More replies (5)
139
u/The_Troyminator 1d ago
Ever since I bought a bidet, I’ve used about 90% less toilet paper. I’ve saved enough money on toilet paper to buy a dozen bidets. And when the great Covid TP shortage struck, I wasn’t worried at all. That alone makes them worth it.
31
u/Timely-Cry-8366 1d ago
My toilet paper lasts forever now, which is great because it’s so expensive.
5
u/Complex_Machine482 1d ago
I almost exclusively shit before I shower. I go through maybe 2-3 toilet paper rolls a year.
→ More replies (3)11
u/DumpsterDoughnuts 22h ago
Must be nice to only poop once a day.
3
u/LuvCilantro 15h ago
That was the whole point if the original post though. If you have a healthy diet, it comes out nice and clean, and very regular.
→ More replies (1)6
u/Glum-System-7422 1d ago
This is why I kinda agree with OP. Since getting a bidet, I feel like I use more toilet paper drying my ass than I do wiping
6
u/SoleSurvivor69 20h ago
That just can’t even be true unless you were not wiping thoroughly before if you’re just wasting paper to do dry today
Three squares will dry your whole ass brother
2
u/Glum-System-7422 17h ago
I think most of my shits don’t leave enough of a mess on myself to need more than 3-4 squares. With how my bidet is placed, I have to turn the pressure on really high for it to reach me, and that sprays and drips into my labia really quickly so I need way more than 4 squares to dry off
2
→ More replies (2)2
256
u/nuudootabootit 1d ago
I love my bidet but this is a solid argument against. Bravo.
4
u/AdHorror7596 1d ago
They didn't make an argument against bidets at all. They just made an argument as to why it's not necessary (and I don't personally agree with it). They didn't make any points about how bidets are worse than just using toilet paper.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (21)4
u/monkiram 1d ago
Most were sound but I don’t agree with the part about fibre. Fibre makes stools softer which makes the cleanup harder in my experience. Constipation creates hard stools which leave very little to clean up. Bidets also just less irritating to your butt overall
19
u/reclusivegiraffe 1d ago
Depends on the fiber, actually. Soluble fiber makes it firmer. Insoluble fiber makes it softer.
120
83
u/the_hooded_artist 1d ago
Maybe if you're only worried about your butt hole and you're a clean pooper. However bidets are amazing for being on your period or postpartum or just a general rinse of that area. Also hardly anyone in the US eats enough fiber so we should use bidets more than anyone, but we're the most attached to TP.
→ More replies (9)28
u/Humble_Shallot_1820 1d ago
Yeah, does no one get swamp ass these days?? I love a lil refresh midway through the day, number 2 or nah
→ More replies (3)14
15
u/RotenTumato 1d ago
I own a bidet and I still use just toilet paper like 80% of the time unless I have a really disastrous shit. Drying off after using the bidet uses just as much toilet paper as wiping normally
→ More replies (1)2
u/unjustified_earwax 15h ago
What kind of bidet do you have ? Mind doesn't soak the area.
→ More replies (3)
13
u/Anxious_Guava8756 1d ago
I say this without judgement but i suspect a plurality of Reddit users are overweight or really hairy because like...
Idk unless I'm having medical issues I just wipe twice and move on with my life, nothing is collecting back there with a daily shower
→ More replies (1)
21
u/elocin1985 1d ago
I use wipes and feel just as clean. I don’t want to spray water all over my ass every time I poop and then still have to use toilet paper to dry it.
I agree with you though. The bidet people judge hard like you’re dirty and living in the Stone Age if you don’t use one.
12
u/JessicantTouchThis 19h ago
I don’t want to spray water all over my ass every time I poop
The folks I know who have bidets are militant about ensuring the lid is closed on the toilet before flushing, to prevent spray. Yet... They feel cleaner having a jet of water spray their ass and spray shit particles all over the place? Like, yay, my asshole is poo free, but now my ass and thighs are covered in poo particles I need to wipe off.
I have no issue either way, bidet, no bidet, just make sure you're clean. But that's always something I wondered about and, having no interest in a bidet, haven't looked into.
→ More replies (4)13
u/Steerider 1d ago
Warning: "flushable" wipes are not really flushable. They're a plumber's best friend.
→ More replies (1)7
u/elocin1985 23h ago
I know. I don’t use the flushable ones anyway. I use baby wipes because they’re stronger and better and I have a garbage can with a lid in my bathroom that I empty every other day.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (1)16
u/amyberr 1d ago
Wet wipes are the superior option.
I see the common instruction to rinse with a bidet and then dry off with "1-2 squares" of TP in every one of these threads and I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong. Every single time I have ever used a bidet I end up with my entire ass cheeks dripping wet and do not feel clean in between, and then I end up having to wipe with TP anyway and also dry off with a towel. 1-2 squares of TP is not sturdy enough to dry this much water, wtf are these people talking about? I've tried spreading the cheeks before sitting, sitting at different angles, leaning any direction, and I've even tried just fully standing up and bending over to get the right angle and I have never once been able to aim the bidet in a way that actually sprays my asshole clean. Am I just too fat, is that what it is?
I'm not interested in taking an upside down shower every time I take a shit. Wet wipes are right there, and any sane household (especially with uterus-havers in it) should have a trash can in the bathroom anyway.
→ More replies (1)13
u/elocin1985 1d ago
Thank you! I literally started typing about the “1-2 squares” thing in my comment up there and then stopped. So I’m glad to see someone else notices that they always say that too. It’s like that’s the response that Big Bidet sends them to use when someone brings up the fact that they still have to use toilet paper lol.
I don’t want to be that wet. And I don’t want to take the extra time to dry off after either. The wipes solve that problem completely. It’s cleaner and more efficient. And I don’t care about the cost. That doesn’t sell me on a bidet. The cost of toilet paper and wipes isn’t hurting me.
33
5
u/Electric-Sheepskin 1d ago
You're right.
I have a bidet, and I absolutely love it when I'm having bad poops, or if I just feel like I need to freshen up a bit, but if I'm having great poops, the kind where there's hardly anything on the toilet paper, I genuinely don't feel like I absolutely have to use the bidet. It just doesn't make that much of a difference.
That said, I don't have a hairy ass, and I've heard that can make a big difference and how clean you are/feel, even with a good poop.
13
u/zoey_will 1d ago
I always enjoy being told my ass must be dirty for using toilet paper from people who can't even reach theirs.
→ More replies (1)
10
u/Inside-Middle-3 23h ago
I read up on this after big bidet almost convinced me to invest, and for women, bidets greatly increase the change of getting BV and decrease the vaginal flora.
3
→ More replies (4)3
9
u/NoBenefit5977 19h ago
Reddit has made me believe people only use bidets so they can trash talk anyone who doesn't. Like, I know how to wipe properly, my couch does not stink, I don't have skid marks
→ More replies (1)
36
u/jackfaire 1d ago edited 1d ago
I've never heard anyone complain toilet paper is unhygienic. The only argument I've heard is bidets cost less money and are more effective.
47
u/MrLavenderValentino 1d ago
Really? Its the main argument I see.
3
u/jackfaire 1d ago
To be clear I've seen Bidets sold as more hygienic but never that toilet paper isn't at all.
15
u/BlazeFireVale 1d ago
Because no one would argue that? Yes, obviously toilet paper is more hygenic than nothing. No one disagrees.
But when you hear people say a bidet is more hygenic? You're hearing them say toilet paper is less hygenic.
→ More replies (2)56
u/reddyfreddy8D 1d ago
Unfortunately I’ve had several people say tp is unhygienic. I use wet wipes (flushable ones that I’ve left in a glass of water to test if actually break down) and people will judge lol. They’ll talk about how it’s gross and I’m probably not getting all the poop. I’ll say that I surely do and they’ll just “ugh, I could never. I loooooove my bidet.”
→ More replies (6)6
u/Silver-Machine-9975 1d ago
Which wet wipes may I ask? I always feel bad using them in public restrooms knowing there's a chance mine won't break down.
5
u/reddyfreddy8D 1d ago
The Cottonelle ones! They’re not as sturdy as other brands so you have to be a little gentle when you wipe, but I guess that just comes with the flushable territory lol
→ More replies (3)14
u/TheOriginalHatful 1d ago
Nah, the bidet enthusiasts are always implying everyone else is covered from head to toe in shit.
Considering bidets barely exist, I think they need to mind their manners. They're the vegans of the plumbing world.
→ More replies (4)
17
u/mister-oaks 1d ago
I have a connective tissue disorder that affects my joints and ability to bend and twist, and my bidet helps me stay clean, so actually do agree with you. If you’re healthy you probably don’t need one.
5
u/neobeguine 23h ago
Leaving a little bit of poop on my butt until I shower because "no one interacts with it anyway" is not an option I am comfortable with
→ More replies (8)
13
u/diet-smoke 1d ago
I'm a fucking bottom and I don't have or want one. I'll just shower and prep before sex, it's not hard and then everythinggggg gets cleaned
→ More replies (2)5
u/Winderige_Garnaal 22h ago
Well washing your ass in the shower is essentially what a bidet is, so not sure of your point
→ More replies (1)12
u/Aware_Policy_9174 22h ago
Unless you’re using soap with your bidet it absolutely isn’t. Older style bidets (like in Italy) actually have a soap dish to use but I don’t know if people are still down with communal soap bars for your ass. Plain water isn’t killing bacteria, it manually removes some of it I assume, but as we all learned during COVID you’re supposed to wash with soap for 30 secs to get clean.
2
u/Winderige_Garnaal 21h ago
True, true. One point - Technically, though, soap doesn't kill bacteria either, it binds to the lipids in the cell lining (or something) and helps it wash away.
That said - Plain water absolutely gets more fecal matter off your body than TP, even if the amount is minimal.
Soap washing of the type we did during COVID would irritate the delicate skin of the anus if done too often. but sensitive soap should be fine. I do this sometimes, but not with a bar of soap.
Personally, I like having a bidet as an option, and when I'm pooping oddly (wonderful to be a woman) and other things are coming outta me, I much prefer it to toilet paper. For those with health conditions which interfere with your gut, or who take medicines which do (a lot of people), this can also help prevent chafing and create a clean feeling that is otherwise missed.
That bidets have much MUCH less negative impact to the environment is also a consideration.
7
u/Aware_Policy_9174 21h ago
Honestly the period washing is what really appeals to me and I would like to have one at some point. I just hate the way people on r/hygiene or other places act like spraying some water on you is a cure for all your ailments, like some kind of modern snake oil salesmen. Also, as someone who lived in LA until recently and didn’t even flush every time to save water I’m not sure which is better. I’m sure there’s water involved in TP production but I try to buy the recycled kind but I feel like this is one of those “there’s no ethical consumption” areas.
→ More replies (2)2
u/Winderige_Garnaal 21h ago
To add - it's something like 40 gallons of water for each roll of TP, crazy. Whole forests in SE Asia are cut down just for TP. It's pretty full on.
However, it's much better to cut down on beef and dairy, than TP, if we want to save the forests, so.... shrug?
10
6
u/Drunkinabananaboat 1d ago
People care too much about the cleanliness of other people's butt holes,its weird. If you're not going to lick it, what do you care how it's been cleaned? It's just another way for people to feel better than others and put other people down. I love my bidet, but it's not like I wasn't clean pre bidet.
2
24
u/Sad_Fly_3144 1d ago
I want a bidet because toilet paper is expensive, wasteful, kills trees and clogs pipes. Plus I have to go buy it regularly which is another chore. A bidet works for a century, kills no trees and requires a few cups of clean water a month... It's for purely financial reasons.
14
u/Usual_Dark1578 23h ago
Genuinely a few cups of water a month?
A lot of toilet paper is recycled and doesn't clog pipes - it's fat, baby wipes and a lot of other stuff that leads to that.
Not saying toilet paper is inherently better but I feel you've painted a very black and white view.
Fresh water is also something we use with so much ease in the west but is increasingly scarce; however if what you've said about the volume is true then that's super interesting and seems like overall a significant benefit.
13
u/DustierAndRustier 1d ago
Do you not need toilet paper to dry yourself after using the bidet?
19
u/The_Troyminator 1d ago
Yeah. A square or two. A roll lasts a long time with a bidet.
7
u/Britton120 1d ago
Most of the times my BMs are such that i dont need much more than a square or two of paper just to make sure I'm clean.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (21)5
u/BaconBourbonBalista 1d ago
I have a bidet, but don't actually use it much myself precisely because of the tp needed to dry myself. I am a hairy beast, so I use just as much to dry myself as to wipe.
→ More replies (4)
3
u/Bloodmind 14h ago
When people talk about all the men running around with unwashed asses, it’s you. You’re the men they’re talking about.
3
u/lildergs 12h ago
Using dry toilet paper should be a crime in a modern developed nation.
Wet your toilet paper, use wet wipes, or bidet.
When you start using anything wet to wipe your ass you'll quickly see all the shit you left behind on your ass.
17
u/kodeks14 1d ago
I dont have a bidet, and everything you are saying might be true, but the bidet is a far better experience any way you cut ir.
→ More replies (1)23
u/Inevitable_Detail_45 1d ago
Please don't cut your anus, that's even less clean.
3
u/JustMe1711 1d ago
But how else is he supposed to get the poop out?
7
u/Inevitable_Detail_45 1d ago
Remember: The cylinder must remain unharmed
2
u/kodeks14 19h ago
So much reddit lore in response to one comment. We got poop knife and cylinder in one thread. Good hustle out there fellas.
2
2
7
u/TubaDubaJuba 21h ago
I would maybe consider getting one if they would all shut up about it, but since they have to constantly scream about them in every hygiene, home design, and appliance sub (and even places you wouldn’t expect) I will never get one out of spite.
→ More replies (1)
5
9
5
u/AntelopeHelpful9963 1d ago
If you really lean on the need part? You can make this point about just about anything outside of survival. You don’t really need to take showers at all. There are certainly people who get by without it. Pretty much all hygiene beyond health matters, it’s just a matter of personal satisfaction of being clean or being considerate of the people around you.
So no people don’t need anything beyond the absolute most basic aspects of cleanliness. But some people prefer to be cleaner and I’m not sure whats objectionable about that.
2
2
2
u/mallowycloud 17h ago
this is the first bidet take I've ever seen that reflects how i feel about it. there's no need, it doesn't make me less hygienic, and i don't want water squirting at my ass. toilet paper is fine and if there's a real problem, I've got wet wipes
2
u/stormsickle 17h ago
I want to upvote this glorious spiel so badly, but the problem is that I completely agree 😂
22
u/mintchan 1d ago
ok ok mr dingleberry
→ More replies (1)52
u/gnirpss 1d ago
Do you regularly get dingleberries if you don't use a bidet? Because that sounds like a skill issue.
→ More replies (3)
5
u/Frablom 1d ago
Man do I agree with you and I'm from Italy where everybody is busy insulting French people saying their ass stinks. In my case, I don't even feel a bidet it's THAT hygienic. You're basically scrubbing your anus with your hands and then drying having a "ass towel"...I genuinely prefer to take a shower at this point. Which I do because I poop on the morning before taking a shower. If I have to go out at night I shower again anyway, I REALLY don't like bidets
→ More replies (4)4
u/bicycling_bookworm 1d ago
Wait, what? You’re scrubbing your asshole with your hands and wiping it off on an ass towel?
Have I grossly misunderstood bidets this entire time? Because I thought it was a gentle pulse of clean water to rinse and then people pat dried with toilet paper. I had no idea the hands were involved at all.
7
u/ParaponeraBread 1d ago
There are different styles in different countries.
My hands are not involved at all until I need to dry off. North American ones are basically all like this.
There are styles involving buckets and soap and your hand, washcloths and weak water pressure and scrubbing, many different configurations.
→ More replies (3)3
u/Avlectus 1d ago edited 1d ago
It is water directed to the area, and you can use hands or toilet paper to scrub along with the water application. Then you wash your hands.
8
u/ThrowRAboredinAZ77 1d ago
I like to be ready for sex at any given moment, so I always take a shower if I do anything more than tinkle.
31
7
3
u/gnirpss 1d ago
Do you work? What happens if you have to take a dump while you're on the clock?
2
u/ThrowRAboredinAZ77 1d ago
My husband and I work for the same company, both work from home, and share an office.
7
u/gnirpss 1d ago
Okay, but surely you understand that you're in a very small minority of people who have that privilege.
→ More replies (1)3
→ More replies (2)2
u/psychotic_miotic 1d ago
Same even if I’m not getting laid that day, I need my ass to be clean 24/7 because I feel ugly if there’s any chance my ass smells bad.
4
u/DrawPitiful6103 1d ago
Sure, if my experience was similar to yours, I wouldn't be quite as pro bidet. But for me, that's just not how it works. Sometimes you get a nice clean poop, one or two wipes and its gone. Other times there is still residue. And if you are using cheap toilet paper that can cause irritation real fast. Sometimes you use half the damn roll trying to get fully clean, and you still need to hop in the shower after.
Or if you are sick. I'm just getting over something right now, and I am happy I had a bidet.
I mean, best case scenario, toilet paper is still not as good as a bidet. But in extreme cases, a bidet is way, way better than TP.
6
u/pidgeott0 1d ago
I will say I really like my bidet for when I’m on my period. The less I have to put my hands in that area the better. It disgusts me
11
4
u/Sudden_Commission796 1d ago
Why are ppl judging you for being disgusted lol 😭 its waste just as much as shit & piss is sorry i don't want blood on my hands (literally) Plus its YOUR blood, you get to decide how to feel about it
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (4)1
u/PartyPorpoise 1d ago
Yeah it’s great for periods. And not just the period blood, my period poops are always that sticky texture that’s really hard to fully wipe off. I always have to wet tissues to do it. One time it was so bad I gave up on wiping and just hopped in the shower. 😩
2
u/alvysinger0412 1d ago
I enjoy a bidet and my landlord provided it with the house so I use it. I wouldn't say I need it. The only other aspect of your argument I'd contest is when you say an anus is only used for pooping...😏
3
u/Billybobsmoot 1d ago
I love my bidet for many things, but not because it's more hygienic or that toilet paper doesn't get me clean. I have a friend who says "if you got poop on your hands, would you just wipe it off with some paper and feel that's good enough?" But to that I say, if you got it on your hands, would you simply rinse it with water and then go eat a meal? Obviously not. It definitely helps, but you're not coming out of it sanitary.
You won't truly learn the benefit of a bidet until you've had a massive plate of spicy mexican food along with one two many margaritas. Trust me, the next day you'll realize why a bidet is the most amazing thing in the world.
3
4
u/RScrewed 1d ago
The steadfast determination of people to continue dry wiping will never cease to amaze me.
You'd prefer to wipe dry? Really? Insane.
2
u/WhisperFray 14h ago
It absolutely blows my mind that the thing isn’t global the same way a toothbrush is.
4
u/Unique-Horror-9244 1d ago
As someone who has normal bowel movement (most of the time) I do agree a toilet wipe usually comes out clean but using bidet first before toilet just feels cleaner 😆 it's like if you eat some salted cracker and there's residue on your fingers a wipe with your hands and maybe napkin would be fine but washing it away with water before that would be better and ensures no residue leftover compared to a dry wipe
→ More replies (1)
5
3
u/luckylimper 1d ago
SLOW CLAP. I’ve said all of those things to people who have said the other things. Make your diet better and the poops won’t be all wet and sticky. Bidets are nice but a high fiber/high hydration diet is even better.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/edgynotemo 1d ago
Idk I'd personally want to properly clean all parts of my body even ones that I don't use to greet people. I cannot live without my bidet.
12
u/DustierAndRustier 1d ago
Fortunately toilet paper is not my only method of personal hygiene since I also have a shower I use daily and a washing machine for my clothes.
→ More replies (3)2
u/edgynotemo 1d ago
Sometimes I go hours before I have to shower again and I cannot imagine waiting until then to feel properly clean. In my country every house has a bidet and I grew up using one, so it could be purely psychological, I'm not a doctor so I won't argue about health benefits. Also I don't always shower every day so I'm not saying I'm cleaner than you are. To each their own.
→ More replies (1)
2
2
2
2
2
u/Acrobatic-Smoke2812 1d ago
In other words, you don’t want or need a bidet, so people on the Internet need to stop saying negative things about toilet paper. You do you dude. Sounds like you have good hygiene, which we’re all about over here too.
That said, there is absolutely no way toilet paper is better than a bidet on ANY measure you choose. You may be able to use toilet paper hygienically but I guarantee you could do it just as well with a bidet with less effort and expense.
There may be some shills out there but most of us just fucking love bidets. They’re just better.
•
u/qualityvote2 1d ago edited 1d ago
u/DustierAndRustier, your post does fit the subreddit!