The toilet paper alternative readers are writing in about

Each Friday, we feature a reader-inspired tip as our Travel Tip of the Day. Two weeks ago, a reader tip recommending this toilet paper alternative drew support from a surprising number of readers, including Jeff M. from Tasmania, Australia, who says:

“Aside from the advice about using a bidet toilet attachment to reduce toilet paper use in your tip on April 11, this device is inexpensive, portable and lightweight (essential for travel), can attach to a wide range of plastic bottles, and allows for warm water use (also very important!). It’s also available from eBay and other suppliers.”

The device my friend Dan says is “so much better than toilet paper”

My friend Dan Nainan, a comedian who’s written for me before, also wrote up a longer-form endorsement of this portable bidet. Says Dan:

“Going to the bathroom isn’t something I’d envisioned discussing publicly, but these are challenging times, to say the least. For some crazy reason, people around the world seem to be hoarding toilet paper, and in some cases, fighting over it in stores. This is something I cannot comprehend. Is there a sudden shortage of trees?

“What if there was a way you could avoid using toilet paper, or at least cut your usage by 95%, while at the same time being cleaner ‘down there’ and helping the environment?

‘In my travels to 60 countries on five continents, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen every type of solution. There is regular old toilet paper, wet wipes, the cup of water in India, bidets in Europe, Toto washlets in Japan, and a garden hose in various countries in the Middle East and Asia.

“Each method has its own disadvantages. Toilet paper costs money, harms the environment and doesn’t really get you clean. Wet wipes get you cleaner, but Google ‘fatberg’ and you will see that wet wipes are clogging sewage systems around the world and can become the size of an airliner. In India, they use the cup of water to wash with their left hand; that’s all I want to say about that. Bidets and Toto toilets, as well as add-on attachments and hoses, get you a lot cleaner, but the problem is that these cost money, and you can’t take them with you.

“For about five years, I’ve been caring a portable plastic bidet bottle around the world with me. Not only does it make you much cleaner ‘down there,’ you also save a ton on toilet paper. You fill the bottle, wash with the nozzle, which never touches any part of your body, and then you dry off with maybe three squares of toilet paper. That means one roll of toilet paper can last the average person a month or more.

“Here is why the bidet bottle is so much better than toilet paper: suppose you got feces on your arm. Would you wipe it off with toilet paper, or would you wash it off? Of course you would wash it off instead of just wiping it. That’s what makes this such a fantastic solution. The bottle weighs about the same as an empty water bottle and comes with a waterproof carrying bag.

“Again, I’ve taken it all over the world, and of course I use it at home. I have to say that the bidet bottle is one of the best travel products I’ve ever owned. And best of all, it costs about $15.”

Dan’s device is sold out all over right now, but he says that as of this morning it’s still “available at Trip You, whatever that is, but it looks like it is 20 pounds to ship it from overseas.” It’s also listed on Amazon here for future reference. He also shared this article reviewing four different models of the same type. Thanks, Dan! And thanks, Jeff!

 

 


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