Cleaning Anus after Defecation With Water Better Than Tissue Paper

After defecation, it is a tradition to clean up. It requires cleaning the anus and inner buttocks of any remaining fecal matter. The choice of cleaning material depends on the individual. There are two types. They are water and tissue paper.

A check around the world shows that the choice of a cleaning method varies from location to location. A particular choice is adopted by the majority of people in an area. The reason is that most people follow the crowd. Others follow religious advice.

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In the west and many parts of Europe, tissue paper is widely adopted. In many Muslim community and Asia, water is the main cleaning method. In a related post, it was advised that both should be used after each other.

Water

Health experts advise people to adopt water as a method of cleaning the anus and inner buttocks. They explain that water gives a near perfect clean that does not leave fecal matters that eventually stain underwear. This prevents odour when the underwear touches water from sweat. It is also gentle to the skin, cheap and environmentally friendly. Access to clean water reduces the risk of infection from cleaning the anus with it. One last thing is that it is toilet friendly too as it does not clog the toilet pipes.

Everything that has advantages has disadvantages so they said. With all the benefits of water comes the complaint that it wets the floor of the toilet making it messy. This encourage plant or bacteria growth in the floor and walls. It requires great maneuvering to avoid wetting underwear and clothes too. Also, wet anus and inner buttocks is a breeding ground for infection unlike when the area is dry.

Tissue Paper

Tissue paper in holder inside a toilet

One of the major advantages of tissue paper is that it prevents the hands from touching fecal matter when cleaning the anus and inner buttocks. It can easily be carried  anywhere and makes the toilet clean as they can be flush along with the pool (not in all cases). Some tissue paper comes with bleaching agents like chlorine. Chlorine kills bacteria. Lastly, a dry anus is not a breeding ground for infection. So why the friction can cause infection, the dry environment reduces this possibility.

As we already know, there will come disadvantages. Because it is hard material, it can cause friction with the skin which can irritate the skin. This can lead to infection. It does not also clean it very well because the anus and inner buttocks have crevices paper cannot get to. This is especially made worse in people with anal hair. The remaining fecal matter in the anus will eventually stain the underwear and generate some odour that becomes terrible in the presence of water. Bleaching agents like chlorine found in some tissue paper accumulate in the body and can be toxic.

Wet Wipes

In order to solve the problem of both water and tissue paper, a wet wipe was designed. To describe what wet wipes is, it is a tissue paper that comes with moisture. This prevents the friction associated with tissue paper and offers a better cleaning result compared to tissue paper. But it still has some side effects of tissue paper. It can't be compared to water.

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Best Method

As a Nigerian, I have used all different methods. Many people change depending on many factors. For example, change of environment is the major factor. Coming to a place without tissue paper means you are stuck with what is available which is water. Also, as the world is becoming a global village, views and decisions are being shaped by social media and the internet. Don't want to add peer pressure but we know it is part of it.

Looking at both methods, their advantages and disadvantages, it is better to use both. First is to use water to achieve a thorough clean. Then a dry tissue to dry up the anus and inner buttocks region. Only a few of the disadvantages remain. But truth be told, such a process is bulky in a world where we are trying to bypass stress.