If there is one thing that I will never shut up about, it is bidets! Yes, bathroom hygiene is that important to me, and I am proud to be a bidet enthusiast! 

Bidets, those devices you attach onto or beside a toilet and are used for cleaning up after using the bathroom, aren’t very common in the United States (U.S.) and I believe that to be a major disadvantage for Americans. As someone who grew up outside of the U.S. in a country where bidets were the norm, I have seen the benefits of using them and believe that everyone would benefit from investing in them. I believe that bidets are the superior alternative to bathroom hygiene and I can not for the life of me understand why using toilet paper is the preferred method for cleaning up in the U.S.

Consider this question: Say you just had some chocolate cake; upon finishing your cake, would you simply wipe your plate with a paper towel and put it back in the cupboard, or would you wash the plate before putting it back? If you want a thoroughly clean plate then you are most likely to choose the latter option. I think this is a perfect analogy to describe why bidets are the more hygienic alternative to cleaning up in the bathroom. Our body––or the part of it that expels waste at least––is the plate in this case and we should be striving to keep it as clean as we can before putting it back in the cupboard.

Bidets are not only a more hygienic option but they are also better for the environment. Using a bidet can greatly reduce the use of toilet paper, and reducing the amount of toilet paper we use can save trees, water, and your money. Although one might try and argue that bidets still use up water, toilet paper is actually made using a significant amount of water, with one roll requiring about 37 gallons to make (according to Scientific American)––way more than one would require using a bidet. A mass reduction of toilet paper use in the U.S., a country with over 300 million people, could impact the environment on a massive scale.

I do, to some extent, understand that it is not easy to simply switch to a new way of using the bathroom when all you’ve been taught your whole life is to clean up using toilet paper. There may be hesitations due to the fear of the unknown and the possible discomfort; I get it. However, I think that it’s important to prioritize cleanliness in this case. No matter how well you wipe, toilet paper does not effectively clean you up, especially not when there is a more hygienic option.

If you are unsure where to start with using a bidet or if you’re worried because you don’t know how it feels, please know that you have options. Bidets come in different forms such as stand alone bidets, hand-held bidets, bidet attachments, travel bidets etc. Bidets can have a variety of pressure levels so if you’re worried about water pressure being too low or too high, know that that is often something you can adjust depending on which type of bidet you get.

My hope is that bidets start to become more normalized in the U.S. and people begin to see the advantages that they bring. I do believe that once you experience the benefits of a bidet, you won’t want to go back to using toilet paper, so please go get yourself a bidet!