Anal hygiene
Anal hygiene or anal cleansing refers to hygienic practices that are performed on a person's anus, usually shortly after defecation. The anus and inner buttocks may be wiped or washed in order to remove remnants of fecal matter.
In some cultures—such as many Western countries—cleaning after defecation is generally done with toilet paper only, although some may use wet wipes, until the person can bathe or shower. In Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim cultures, as well as in Southeast Asia and Southern Europe, water is usually used for anal cleansing, using a jet or vessel, and a person's hand. Cleaning with water is sometimes followed by drying the anal region and hand with a cloth towel or toilet paper. On the other hand, in some parts of developing countries and during camping trips, materials such as vegetable matter, mudballs, snow, corncobs, and stones are sometimes used for anal cleansing.
Having hygienic means for anal cleansing available at the toilet or site of defecation is important for overall public health. The absence of proper materials in households can, under some circumstances, be correlated to the number of diarrhea episodes per household. The history of anal hygiene, from ancient Rome and Greece to China and Japan, involves sponges and sticks as well as water and paper.
Toilet paper
The use of toilet paper for post-defecation cleansing first started in China. It became widespread in Western culture.In some parts of the world, especially before toilet paper was available or affordable, the use of newspaper, telephone directory pages, or other paper products was common. The widely distributed Sears Roebuck catalog was also a popular choice until it began to be printed on glossy paper. With flush toilets, using newspaper as toilet paper is likely to cause blockages.
This practice continues today in parts of Africa; while rolls of toilet paper are readily available, they can be fairly expensive, prompting poorer members of the community to use newspapers.
People suffering from hemorrhoids may find it more difficult to keep the anal area clean using only toilet paper and may prefer washing with water as well.
Although wiping from front to back minimizes the risk of contaminating the urethra, the directionality of wiping varies based on sex, personal preference, and culture.
Some people wipe their anal region standing, others wipe theirs sitting.
Water
Water with soap cleansing is a reliable and hygienic way of removing fecal remnants.Muslim societies
The use of water in Muslim countries is due in part to Islamic toilet etiquette which encourages washing after all instances of defecation. There are flexible provisions for when water is scarce: stones or papers can be used for cleansing after defecation instead.In Turkey, all Western-style toilets have a small nozzle on the centre rear of the toilet rim aiming at the anus. This nozzle is called taharet musluğu and it is controlled by a small tap placed within hand's reach near the toilet. It is used to wash the anus after wiping and drying with toilet paper. Squat toilets in Turkey do not have this kind of nozzle.
Another alternative resembles a miniature shower and is known as a "health faucet", bidet shower, or "bum gun". It is commonly found to the right of the toilet where it is easy to reach. These are commonly used in the Muslim world. In the Indian subcontinent, a lota vessel is often used to cleanse with water, though the shower or nozzle is common among new toilets.
Indian subcontinent
In India and the Indian subcontinent, over 95% of the population use water for cleansing the anal area after defecating. Use of toilet paper is rare in this region and is seen only in some urban settings. Toilets commonly also have bidet sprayers. Even when toilet paper is used water-based cleansing is considered essential. The cleaning of hands with soap/ liquid soap after this cleansing process is very important. In places where soap is not available, soil, ash or sand is used to clean the hands. Simpler toilet rooms may not have running water for anal cleansing and hand washing, but buckets, bails, and mugs are used for storage of water and for the purpose of cleaning.Southeast Asia
In Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, house bathrooms usually have a medium size wide plastic dipper or large cup, which is also used in bathing. In Thailand, the "bum gun" is ubiquitous. Some health faucets are metal sets attached to the bowl of the water closet, with the opening pointed at the anus. Toilets in public establishments mainly provide toilet paper for free or dispensed, though the dipper is occasionally encountered in some establishments. Owing to its ethnic diversity, restrooms in Malaysia often feature a combination of anal cleansing methods where most public restrooms in cities offer toilet paper as well as a built in bidet or a small hand-held bidet shower connected to the plumbing in the absence of a built-in bidet.In Vietnam, people often use a bidet shower. It is usually available both at general households and public places.
East Asia
The first "paperless" toilet seat was invented in Japan in 1980. A spray toilet seat, commonly known by Toto's trademark Washlet, is typically a combination of seat warmer, bidet and drier, controlled by an electronic panel or remote control next to the toilet seat. A nozzle placed at rear of the toilet bowl aims a water jet to the anus and serves the purpose of cleaning. Many models have a separate "bidet" function aimed towards the front for feminine cleansing. The spray toilet seat is common only in Western-style toilets, and is not incorporated in traditional style squat toilets. Some modern Japanese bidet toilets, especially in hotels and public areas, are labeled with pictograms to avoid language problems, and most newer models have a sensor that will refuse to activate the bidet unless someone is sitting on the toilet.an and South American countriesEurope and the Americas
The bidet is common in predominantly Catholic countries where water is considered essential for anal cleansing, Some people in Europe and the Americas use bidets for anal cleansing with water. Bidets are common bathroom fixtures in many Western and Southern European countries and many South American countries, while bidet showers are more common in Finland. The availability of bidets varies widely within this group of countries. Furthermore, even where bidets exist, they may have other uses than for anal washing. In Italy, the installation of bidets in every household and hotel became mandatory by law in 1975.Other materials
Wet wipes and gel wipes
When cleaning babies' buttocks during diaper changes wet wipes are often used, in combination with water if available. As wet wipes are produced from plastic textiles made of polyester or polypropylene, they are notoriously bad for sewage systems as they do not decompose, although the wet wipe industry maintains they are biodegradable but not "flushable".A product of the 21st century, special foams, sprays and gels can be combined with dry toilet paper as an alternatives to wet wipes. A moisturizing gel can be applied to toilet paper for personal hygiene or to reduce skin irritation from diarrhea. This product is called gel wipe.
Cloths and paper
Rags or washcloths are sometimes used. They are then washed similarly to cloth diapers and used again. Newspaper may be used instead of toilet paper.Natural materials
In rural areas of developing countries or during camping trips, stones, leaves, corn cobs and similar are also used for anal cleansing. This can be due to the unavailability of toilet paper or water.Examples by region or country
- In East Asian, Western and multicultural societies, the Chinese-style use of toilet paper is widespread. Other paper products were also used before the advent of flush toilets.
- Some European and South American countries use a bidet for additional cleaning.
- In modern South Asia and Southeast Asia, handheld bidets or bidet showers are provided for use in toilets.
- In Ancient Rome, a communal sponge was employed. It was rinsed in a bucket of salt water or vinegar after use.
- In Ancient Greece, fragments of ceramic were sometimes used.
- In Japan, flat sticks were used in ancient times, being replaced by toilet paper as the country became more Westernized. Toilets in Japan may include built-in bidets for anal cleansing with warm water.
- In the Indian subcontinent, traditionally cleansing was done by using the left hand and water. Later the hands were washed thoroughly with water and dried, pulverized cow dung or clay. Today most Indians prefer soap to wash their hands.
History
Roman anal cleansing was done with a sponge on a stick called a tersorium. The stick would be soaked in a water channel in front of a toilet, and then stuck through the hole in front of the toilet for anal cleaning. The tersorium was shared by people using public latrines. To clean the sponge, they washed it in a bucket with water and salt or vinegar. This became a breeding ground for bacteria, causing the spread of disease in the latrine.
In ancient Japan, a wooden skewer known as chuugi was used for cleaning after defecation.