Bidet and Shower Toilets: Why Water Is Replacing Toilet Paper

More and more bathrooms are gaining a helper that was long seen as unusual in the UK: the bidet, or a toilet attachment with a water jet. What has been commonplace in Japan for years is now reaching Europe and changing how people clean themselves after using the toilet. The reason is simple: water outperforms dry paper in almost every respect.

Why water cleaning is clearly superior to toilet paper

Anyone being completely honest soon realises that wiping with dry paper is more of a makeshift solution. It tends to smear rather than remove everything thoroughly. Residue remains even when the paper appears clean. These microscopic traces can later cause itching, odour and irritation.

“Water removes what paper merely spreads – and many people notice this after only their first few uses.”

Dermatologists repeatedly report that discomfort such as burning, redness or persistent itching around the anus is often linked to inadequate cleaning. Dry wiping rubs the skin without genuinely cleaning it. A gentle jet of water simply rinses away residue, without rubbing or pressure.

Particular relief for sensitive and damaged skin

People with haemorrhoids, anal fissures or those recovering from surgery know how painful ordinary toilet paper can be. Every wipe can feel like sandpaper against already irritated skin. Water cleaning removes the pain from the process: no rubbing, no reopening wounds and substantially less inflammation.

Many users say that problems they had experienced for years disappear once they switch to a bidet or a toilet attachment with a shower function. This is not limited to people with medical conditions; it also applies to children, pregnant people and older adults, whose skin can be particularly sensitive.

Fewer germs, less touching, improved hygiene

One frequently overlooked benefit is that with modern bidets and shower toilets, hands barely need to touch the sensitive area. The water jet performs the actual cleaning. This reduces the risk of transferring bacteria and viruses from the toilet to hands, door handles or other surfaces.

This matters especially during waves of colds or stomach bugs. Less contact with contaminated areas lowers the likelihood of spreading pathogens within the household.

Modern bidets: features in the new bathroom standard

The traditional separate porcelain bidet familiar from southern European countries is no longer the only choice. Toilet attachments and fully integrated shower toilets are becoming far more widespread. They look like an ordinary toilet, but contain considerably more technology.

• Infinitely adjustable water pressure for gentle or more powerful cleaning
• Temperature control for comfortably warm water
• Warm-air drying, making toilet paper entirely unnecessary
• Self-cleaning nozzles to maintain consistent hygiene
• Eco and energy-saving programmes for continuous operation

At first, this may sound like luxury spa equipment for the bathroom. In everyday use, however, it is primarily practical: older people need to twist and stretch less, children can manage more easily on their own, and everyone benefits from reliably thorough cleaning.

The underestimated environmental damage caused by toilet paper

Toilet paper seems harmless: a soft, lightweight product that disappears within seconds. Yet behind the scenes, it creates a huge burden for the environment and climate.

“Millions of trees are felled every year for global toilet paper production, alongside chemicals, water consumption and transport emissions.”

Deforestation, water consumption and a chemical cocktail

Vast areas of forest are cleared to produce the pulp used in paper. This destroys animal habitats, worsens the climate and causes soils to dry out more quickly. Even recycled alternatives only partly reduce this issue.

Large quantities of water and energy are also needed to manufacture and bleach the rolls. Ironically, the life cycle of toilet paper uses considerably more water than a bidet used every day. A modern shower-toilet attachment operates with a relatively small jet of water per wash, while each individual roll already requires many litres at the factory.

Bleaching produces substances that pollute rivers and lakes and accumulate in ecosystems. Switching to water cleaning largely removes households from this chemical chain.

Transport, plastic and mountains of waste

Logistics are another consideration. Toilet paper is bulky and lightweight, taking up a great deal of space. Lorries transport pallet-loads of rolls from factories to distribution centres and supermarkets. Every pack is wrapped in plastic, often with additional cardboard packaging. All of it becomes waste after a short period of use.

A bidet attachment or shower toilet is installed once and, ideally, lasts for many years. There is no constant repurchasing, packaging or supply chain. For households aiming to reduce their environmental footprint, the calculation makes sense.

Japan as a model: how technology reinvented the bathroom

People who have visited Japan often remember its toilets first. Few countries have modernised this private space as radically. Shower toilets – often called “Washlet” there – are standard equipment in many homes, much like a dishwasher is in the UK.

“In Japan, the mundane everyday object known as the ‘toilet’ became a high-tech appliance combining cleanliness, comfort and sustainability.”

Manufacturers combined precise water jets, personalised temperature settings, warm-air dryers and often even heated seats. As a result, toilet paper plays only a supporting role in many Japanese households, or disappears completely.

The trend is now spreading to Europe. Architects are including shower toilets from the outset in new-build homes. In existing properties, residents are choosing retrofit solutions that can be fitted directly to the current toilet.

Installation: often easier than expected

The prospect of extensive renovation puts many people off. In reality, simple attachments usually require only a T-piece at the isolation valve, a flexible hose and a little DIY ability. Only models with seat heating or a warm-air dryer require electricity.

Anyone who has replaced a tap or changed a shower head can generally fit a bidet attachment as well. Those who are unsure can call in a plumber once, then enjoy years without further hassle.

The cost question: does switching really pay off?

Perhaps the most important question is whether the investment makes financial sense. The short answer is that, in many cases, it does – and sooner than people expect.

• Basic non-electric attachments: often available for a two-figure price
• Comfort models with water heated by the unit: mid-range pricing
• Fully featured shower toilets with drying and seat heating: higher initial cost, but designed for long-term use

An average household uses surprisingly large quantities of toilet paper each year. Once several people and rising prices are factored in, the total over a few years can easily cover a good toilet attachment. Many users report that the device pays for itself through lower paper purchases within one to two years.

The real obstacle: mindset rather than technology

Installation is rarely the biggest barrier; personal habit is. From childhood, people in the UK have been taught to reach for the roll after using the toilet. Water cleaning can initially seem unfamiliar or even strange to some.

Interestingly, attitudes in households that take the step often change very quickly. After a few days, the water jet feels normal; after one or two weeks, many describe going back to paper alone as “unthinkable” or “unhygienic”.

Practical tips for beginners

Anyone wishing to make the change at home is best advised to take a practical approach:

• Try a small, inexpensive cold-water attachment first – ideal for a downstairs toilet.
• Set the water jet to a lower level initially, then increase it gradually.
• Initially, use toilet paper only for patting dry.
• Consider changing to a model with warm-air drying if paper is to disappear completely.
• Introduce family members to the controls calmly, ideally with a brief demonstration.

Water cleaning is particularly suitable for children because they intuitively understand that “rinsing” is cleaner than “wiping”. Older people and those with restricted mobility benefit because they need to turn and stretch less.

Frequently asked questions: hygiene, health and everyday practicality

Many concerns focus on germs and water quality. The nozzles in modern devices rinse themselves automatically before and after use. In most models, they are concealed inside the housing when not in use. The mains water coming from the spray has the same quality as the water used for washing hands or brushing teeth.

From a medical perspective, there is much to support water cleaning: less friction, fewer micro-injuries and less strain where anal conditions already exist. For people with chronic bowel problems or frequent diarrhoea, this can provide noticeable relief.

Those currently using moist toilet paper not only save money with a bidet, but also reduce the risk of fragrance allergies and problems in the sewer system. Wet wipes block pipes and wastewater treatment facilities, even when marketed as “flushable”.

Bathroom of the future: water instead of paper as the new standard

In some countries, combining a toilet with water cleaning has long been standard; in the UK, this change is only beginning. Yet the arguments are mounting: less irritation, a stronger feeling of cleanliness, a significantly lower environmental impact and, over time, often lower costs.

Anyone already planning to modernise their bathroom should at least allow for a shower-toilet connection: electricity near the toilet, an easily accessible isolation valve and perhaps a seat that can be adapted easily. Even if the high-tech toilet is not installed immediately, the option remains open.

Whether it is a simple attachment or a fully integrated system, more and more households are gradually moving away from the roll as the bathroom’s main player. Water takes over – quieter, more thorough and often more convincing than people expect before trying it for the first time.