Bring back the bidet! A germs expert shares the dirty truth about loo paper

When the author of a book called You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong says ‘a lot of people are not ready for that conversation’, you know it’s time to brace yourself. But Dr Trisha Pasricha knows her stuff. She’s an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a gastroenterologist. So when she spoke to Mel Robbins (who recently shared some wisdom of her own with GH), we had to listen. And here’s her argument: ‘A bidet is going to change your life.’

On the Mel Robbins Podcast, Dr Pasricha explains that many of us are simply using loo roll all wrong. ‘There’s a proper way to wipe,’ she says. ‘Women are sometimes taught that it should be front to back.’ That’s to minimise the risk of transferring bacteria and causing urinary tract infections. In fact, says Dr Pasricha: ‘The best way to wipe, up front, is a gentle dab.’ Do the same at the back, if you can reach easily, she says. This method stops you from creating microscopic tears in your delicate tissue.

There’s more, however. Whether it’s a simple nozzle attachment that uses a stream of water to clean you, or a modern luxury bidet complete with heated seat, ‘a bidet will clean your bum in ways that toilet paper can’t,’ Dr Pasricha says, pointing to a 2023 study which suggested that, after a bowel movement, your hands will carry more microbes if you’ve used toilet paper, compared with using a bidet.

There is a counterargument, however. In 2017, a Japanese study found that 254 of 292 bidet toilets were contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus spp. or other organisms.

So what would a microbiologist recommend? ‘Inadequate cleaning after a bowel movement can cause soreness or irritate haemorrhoids, so it is important to keep the bottom clean,’ says Dr Primrose Freestone from the University of Leicester. ‘Wiping alone does not remove all the bacteria: remaining traces are still present, which are then transferred to our underwear. For most of us, this isn’t a problem, but it does add to the necessity to change your underwear daily to help reduce incidences of urinary tract infections.’

Would she recommend a bidet? ‘I tried one, and it was rather uncomfortable for me,’ she admits. ‘I personally prefer flushable wet wipes. The moisture in wet wipes makes them more effective than toilet paper alone in keeping the bottom area clean and fresh, and can be used after dry toilet paper cleaning.’

Bidets are, of course, more environmentally friendly. But perhaps the best thing is not to worry too much. Total hygiene is an unhelpful goal, Dr Freestone suggests: ‘The nature of the gut microbiome and the high bacterial content of faeces makes it impossible remove all bacteria and this is not usually a problem – it is a feature of humanity’s gut microbiology. I would emphasise the need to wash your hands thoroughly after using the loo.’