Bidets: Eliminate Toilet Paper, Increase Your Hygiene
by Justin Thomas, Virginia 
on 04.28.08
Two years ago, I posted an article about bidets, and it generated a lot of healthy discussion. Since that time I've gathered more information on this topic, and I've been testing out a bidet for about three months. I now consider bidets to be a key green technology, because they eliminate the use of toilet paper. They also provide important health benefits. These include increased cleanliness, and the therapeutic effect of water on damaged skin (think rashes or hemorrhoids). But let's look at some figures on toilet paper usage:
We use 36.5 billions rolls of toilet paper in the U.S. each year, this represents at least 15 million trees pulped. This also involves 473,587,500,000 gallons of water to produce the paper and 253,000 tons of chlorine for bleaching purposes. The manufacturing process requires about 17.3 terawatts of electricity annually. Also, there is the energy and materials involved in packaging and transporting the toilet paper to households across the country.
Toilet paper also constitutes a significant load on the city sewer systems, and water treatment plants. It is also often responsible for clogged pipes. In septic systems, the elimination of toilet paper would mean the septic tank would need to be emptied much less often.
Basically, the huge industry of producing toilet paper could be eliminated through the use of bidets. Instead of using toilet paper, a bidet cleans your posterior using a jet of water. Some bidets also provide an air-drying mechanism.
In Japan, high-tech bidets called Washlets are now the most popular electronic equipment being sold -- 60% of households have them installed. In Venezuela they are found in approximately 90% of households.
Many who commented on my first post on bidets were concerned about the electricity and water that bidets consume. However, it seems to me that the consumption is minimal, when compared to the amount of energy, water and chemicals consumed in the production of toilet paper. I'm sure that some of the high-tech bidets with heated seats (or the ones that speak to you in a calming voice) are wasteful, but there are also non-electric models available that are quite efficient. I have been testing a $50 bidet that attaches to my toilet. This model uses no electricity or hot water. After using a bidet, most people find cold water is fine, and not particularly shocking on one's rear. Occasionally, a few sheets of paper are needed to dry oneself. To avoid this, you could get a air-drying bidet that would eliminate toilet paper entirely.
I am also interested in creating a toilet that combines a bidet with a composting sawdust toilet. Since these toilets can cope with urine, I'm sure they could cope with the small amount of water that a bidet produces. See the Composting Toilet Systems Book and Humanure Handbook for more information.
This book is a good source of information on bidets: Everything There Is To Know, From The First and Only Book On The Bidet. The book discusses the different models of bidets, the health aspects and ecological benefits.
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I'm from Argentina and in my country everyone use bidets.
I agree that help to reduce paper consume and also it's more hygienic!!
Having just had surgery on my rear-end...this is actually rather interesting to me...researching your $50 bidet now (I live in a rented apartment and adding a bidet in our bathroom is strictly out of the question...but one that fits over the toilet could certainly work!
How much embodied energy and materials are there in those bidets? It seems that you would need to use many, many years worth of toilet paper to even out that equation.
Bidets today are primarily made out of plastic, so while it is a petroleum-based material, the embodied energy is probably not huge -- I've yet to find a reference where you can look these things up.
Of course, with the addition of electronics and air-dryers, the embodied energy would be more.
The real question is: will it get my bum clean?
And while we're at it, can't we make one out of a more sustainable material? Or at least a recyclable one?
There should be a "Wash, Don't Wipe" revolution... in my opinion (and experience) it's a heck of a lot cleaner.
Not to be gross, but I just can't see how you could clean yourself completely without at least *some* wiping, some of the time... I think bidets would reduce toilet paper usage, not eliminate it entirely.
The cost issue is a major factor too--how many low-income people can afford to spend all that money up front on a bidet? Toilet paper is only a few bucks at a time.
To LMC:
Bidets do clean you completely -- much better than toilet paper in fact.
A basic bidet costs $60 per years, and family of four will spend $48 per year on toilet paper.
I heard these are pretty popular in Japan. Unheard of in North America though.
Redneck Bidet - garden hose through the bathroom window.
Actually, #1 change that would lower the waste with regards to this would be switching to squat-style toilets. The area around your anus gets a lot less dirty that way.
Or you could just use a water pitcher filled with warmish water. Ours is an old houseplant watering can (yes, it's plastic). Warm water.
I just discovered the washlet revolution in Japan, although I to wonder about the water consumption. The numbers you are talking about are the gross water consumption for all toilet paper for 400MM Americans, and internationals. I would wonder what the usage is for bidets / washlets if used on that scale....
"17.3 terrawatts"- don't you mean terrajoules? The whole world production of electricity is only ~15 terrawatts, of which a quarter is in the U.S.
After a trip to South Korea, our family got bidets and we love them.
They do clean, much better than toilet paper, like the other guy said, although I still use toilet paper to dry myself, as I don't like to use the air-dryer.
My one problem with it is its electricity usage. In order to keep the seat and water warm for a day, it uses the same amount of electricity it takes to use the dishwasher once, about .35 kilo-watt hours. I'm not sure if that's environmentally better than toilet paper... but it sure is comfortable... lol...
I live in Japan. Since first running into the washlet, I have fallen in love. I REFUSE to do my business anywhere that is not equipped with a rear-end washer. In fact, I am such a fan of the washlet, that for my new apartment, I didn't even consider not getting one (double negative -- so what!?!) I AM debating whether I need air conditioning or not though... and Japanese summers get 90%+ humidity with temps in the high 90s to 100s! THAT tells you how excellent of an invention the washlet is.
Many have energy saving functions. They are too vast to even get in to. Rest assured though, that they are available. Blow driers, in my opinion, are still not quite up to snuff that I would consider totally cutting out the TP. Most models today also have an in-seat deodorizer (duh! why the hell people suck out air from the ceiling when the stink comes from the toilet is lost on me) that pretty much cuts the entire unpleasant aroma out of cutting a loaf. Now you really CAN smell like roses!
I could go one for hours about this device, as I consider it the greatest advance in technology that man has yet come up with. I am 100% serious in that comment.
Also from Argentina, gotta say I can't imagine my life without a bidet (for those who don't know, bidets are set by default in almost every bathroom in this country).
However, I've found when I was a kid that it's actually not healthy for a girl to clean herself with water all the time after "number 1", because the water eliminates some elements of our intimates that are needed for it to stay healthy.
So I'd say the best solution is a combination of bidet and recycled toilet paper.
@ Sirerdrick
The reason the bathroom fans are in ceilings is that they are not installed to handle odours. They are there to vent humid air from toilet evaporation and shower steam. That humid air creates a huge mould risk so venting it is good for health and home.
We have a system like this which I've seen called a "hand bidet". Very popular in Muslim countries where it is an obligation to clean with more than toilet paper. I've found that since it attaches to the cold water it can get pretty cold in the winter here in the mid-atlantic and warm water sounds much better to me.
Justin,
High end stainless steel composting toilets with attached bidet seats already exist. They are made by Seiwa Denko in Japan and their counterpart Seiwa Biodegrader in North America, that is, us. I can supply photos.
Although the Biodegrader toilet is waterless, if you do have a water supply you can stick a bidet toilet seat on top. Both require some electricity. The amount of water entering the compost toilet is negligible.
Note also the first washlet was the Inax shower toilet seat, first marketed in 1976.
Justin is correct, there is an entire range of functionalities. In Japan there are hundreds of models.
Neglected was a calculation of the load on the sewage system of all that toilet paper.
Much obliged,
Chris McLeod
here in Thailand, it's common to see kitchen hose installed right next to a toilet. It's one of those misconceptions of things that happened when the western world came into contact. It's sold as toilet hose, designed as a toilet hose, and I grew up using it, when I went to the UK, I was a bit surprised to find no toilet hose, I even laugh at people who use toilet hose for dish washing, that's was before I learned that that is what it was originally intended for.
I think a simple toilet hose is easier to use and install than a bidet.
I'm all about bidets... however, my experience has been that since poop has a fat component, it's not entirely water-soluble, and so water alone didn't ever seem to get me entirely clean.
If a bidet could add soap to the mix, that would go a long way in solving it, I would think. Anyone else have issues with this? Maybe I just have a high-fat diet.
I agree with Piriya...we lived in Bangkok for 2 yrs. You don't need a bidet. Just have a dish or shampoo sprayer installed next to where your toilet paper used to be! We're installing one in our remodel!
We love our bidet seat. We had used a hose and watering can prior to the bidet but some of us in the family kept getting our clothes and floor wet. We ended up getting this bidet seat and we love it!
In response to Avicari there are some bidets that have an energy saving mode. I too was concerned about the energy usage that these bidets would require. I compared many different bidets and found the COCO bidet to be the most energy effecient electric bidet. When I place it on economy mode, the COCO bidet only heats the seat and water when I am sitting on the toilet. I can truly say that I feel much more clean and proud to have done my little part to help the environment when using it.
When I'm home, a hand-held shower on an extra long hose works fine, though a bit time consuming.
Out on the road or in the woods, I carry TOTO's Portable Washlet - Model HW300, and sometimes a large bottle of water...
The best bidget is a garden type pump sprayer.
They cost $9.00 for a 1gallon size and they have a long wand that reaches to the exact area.Keep one by the tiolet alaways they get you so clean you can dry off with a cotton cloth that you launder like any wash cloth.
Electronic bidet seats are getting increasing more popular here in the USA, as people are beginning to understand what they are and recognizing the comfort and hygienic improvements the product offers. Our product replaces existing toilet seats and provides a complete, hygienic, and refreshing cleansing. Features of the product include a warm water posterior wash, heated seat, warm air dryer, patented enema wash, massage, deodorizer, and more!
I'm so glad to read the positive feed back on BIDETS. Everyone needs to try one for a week. I've sold over 400 bidet seats .I don't care if you use a $70.00 or $1,200.00 model. Water works better. I know most people think they can't work as good as some of us say, but trust us you are wash cloth clean every time. My only regret is not trying one until I was 40. a few of my family members suffered from poor mobility, they couldn't reach to wipe and a few suffered from horrible hemroids. A seat mount bidet would have served them so well.
The 1st seat mount bidet I saw was over 20 years ago and I was to ignorant to see the benifits.
Take care Mike
Very interesting article. Thanks for sharing. I myself am a bidet person, and I too appreciate the health and environmental benefits of the bidet! If everyone were to use a bidet there would be more trees in the world.
bidets in Italy are a must have. We use toilet paper too, but less than you do when you don't wash yourself afterards.
We have classical ceramic ones, no electricity, no rubber, nothing, just plane ceramic and steel for the robinet. Ecological. Simple.Working.
You can get a hand held hose bidet sprayer for around $40 from the Sanicare site. I have the Sanicare 300. My butt is always shiny clean. You dab a bit of paper on it to make sure you have no remaining residue and rewash if you do.
I am always fresh as a daisy. Combined with tee teeing in the sink you can minimize water usage and use less paper with a wonderful bidet that you will not regret having.
A hand held bathroom bidet sprayer is better and this is why: 1. It's less expensive (potentially allot less) 2.You can install in yourself = no plumber expense 3. It works better by providing more control of where the water spray goes and a greater volume of water flow. 4. It requires no electricity and there are few things that can go wrong with it. Available at http://www.bathroomsprayers.com
I have been staring at the design of the washlet and searched through the FAQs but I am still very worried about one important factor. It appears to spray water towards your body FROM BEHIND. How does this not spatter a few germs into your lady parts? All little girls are taught during potty training FRONT TO BACK or you will be sorry! Can anyone reassure me? Can you be 100% sure no tiny sprinkle from behind migrate forward at all? If not, this sounds like a horrible idea.
Here in Brazil almost everyone I know has a water hose next to the toilet. We use it to clean ourselves and then we use toilet paper, albeit a lot less than if we hadn't previously used the hose. It's even better than a bidet, which is a standalone piece taking unnecessary space, and cheaper than the high-tech gadget pictured above.