Believe it or not, we’re weird. In fact, much of the world considers us a bit on the “dirty” side as well. Why? We use toilet paper.

Just look at Japan. They are known for their toilet prowess. They are the Rembrandts of the bathroom and have perfected the electronic toilet. The secret? Water. Let me ask you: if you get your hands dirty with mud, do you clean up with just a paper towel? No, we wash with water first. This is the concept behind the bidet — the essential potty tool used in Europe and Japan. Think about them as a car wash for your bum.

Not only are bidets cleaner, but they are far better for the environment. To manufacture ONE single roll of toilet paper it requires from 12 to 37 gallons of water. A normal toilet seat takes on average 4 gallons of water, while a bidet only takes 1/8 of a gallon of water!!!

Americans are freaked out by them though. Senior Rowan Foster said, “I don’t like bidets, they scare me, and they are so weird. I would never consider buying a bidet for myself.”

Junior Lexi Sederopoulos feels the same way. “I’ve never personally used one, and I don’t really plan on it.”

Bidets are not only cleaner than toilet paper, but they are safer and more effective. Who wants a dirty bottom? Not me. Bidets are known to wash away all the unpleasant stuff, and they are far safer than toilet paper, constant wiping can cause irritations, hemorrhoids, or urinary problems.

Some bidets are absolutely luxurious. Imagine a fine hotel for your backside. Bidets can be really expensive, but there are some alternatives that are cheap, and really effective.

There is a very small group of people that do want to try out a bidet, though. Sophomore Valery Kanzler said, “I would really like to have one, or at least try one out. I think they are good and that they could help the world in a significant way.”

It’s clear that bidets are far better than toilet paper in a lot of ways, but why are we still not using them? Well almost every person in the US grew up using toilet paper, and it’s not easy to change thousands of minds and convince them to make the transition from toilet paper to bidets. Also, most of the toilet seats in the US don’t have space or additional plumbing setup that is required to install a bidet.