How Effective Is Toilet Paper Over Water?

Is toilet paper really the answer, or a bidet toilet seat?

Ask yourself this question; if you were cleaning yourself after a bowl movement with toilet paper and you accidentally got waste on your hand, would you simple just wipe it away with toilet paper and go? Of course you wouldn’t! You would wash your hands thoroughly with plenty of soap and water to make sure that they were clean. So think about it, we know that toilet paper is not the most effective way to clean, so why after a bowl movement would you want to use it at all? Ok, so I hear you say, why do people use it then? Well I agree at times it can be convenient especially in public places such as bars, restaurants and shopping malls where toilet tissue is your only option, but even in those circumstances a wet wipe would be far more effective. If they were available! But if your options are limited and dry toilet paper is all that you have, then you have to use it. It is better than using nothing at all, and at least you can always finish the job off when you get home. Another reason people tend to use toilet paper over water is because you have to remember a lot of us have been conditioned from child hood to do so, even though it is not right! Many of us have been taught to clean ourselves in different ways after bowl movements. Thorough cleaning needs to be moist to be effective, however have you ever tried to moisten toilet tissue? What you end up with is a soggy and sloppy mess. Water and tissue is not a good combination really is it? And if you have ever heard of a ‘sticky situation’ be prepared to end up in one! Let’s give another fine example. Imagine walking into a hospital to see staff, patients and visitors using dry paper towels ( and NO WATER!) to clean their hands in aid of helping reduce the spread of infections.  You would be absolutely mortified, be honest! No way would this be effective, paper cannot kill bacteria, it may be able to wipe dirt away but it cannot kill germs, it will only spread them around. This theory is ridiculous really yet we still insist on wiping our undersides with something that can only be useful at spreading bacteria around, putting ourselves at risk of infection. Surely the best option would be to just wash it away. It seems apart from North America, where Americans use 36.5 billion rolls of toilet paper every year, the rest of the world including Europe and Japan already see the Bidet as the more effective way to clean. Other cultures have always seen water as the most effective way to clean after bowl movements and some simply do not have the choice, especially poor populations. The fact is Toilet paper has no real effectiveness over water and is only use full for convenience purposes.