Please read the following post for important information on how I’ve chosen my recommendations:
TLDR: Bidets are better for the environment, more sanitary than TP, cheaper in the long-term AND easy to install.
Why you should care: We cut down trees to wipe our butts. Trees are saving the world from climate change. WE CUT THEM DOWN for our BUTTS. In Canada alone, loggers clear cut more than a million acres of forest—mostly to feed US demand for toilet paper. Only read this article if you want to be super sad: https://www.nrdc.org/bio/jennifer-skene/toilet-paper-driving-climate-crisis-every-flush
What you should buy: Rinseworks hand held bidet https://rinseworks.com/shop/aquaus-360-hand-held-bidet-sprayer-for-toilet/
I read a LOT of reviews about bidets. Some of them were fairly expensive and had bells and whistles that I was pretty sure I didn’t need. Some people complained about the aim of the water or suggested sitting a certain way to make sure they actually got clean. I didn’t want to deal with any of those shenanigans.
I decided to get a handheld bidet so I could aim where I pleased. This has the added benefit of being able to use it to clean the sink, a dirty cloth diaper or water a nearby houseplant.
I also opted to get a non-heated option. It’s the middle of a snowstorm as I type this and I have no regrets. You don’t really notice the temperature of the water, honestly. Plus, a heated bidet would just require you to run the water in your sink for longer until it heats up, and I don’t have time for that ish.
I wanted a handle made of brass. Brass works better than normal handles or handles coated with “antimicrobial” film because it kills bacteria within minutes by messing up its DNA. That’s great because messed up DNA means the bacteria can’t mutate and cause a superbug. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3067274/
The bidet I recommended comes with this part, but in case you get a different type, please note: “‘Bidet attachments draw water from the same water supply that supplies your faucets. Each bidet attachment should come with a minimum of a one-way check valve to allow water to enter the bidet, but not allow it to go back to your water supply and possibly contaminate it.’
If your device doesn’t come with one, Diciolla said you can, and should, add one for sanitary purposes.” https://www.bhg.com/bathroom/remodeling/planning/best-bidet-attachments/#toc-best-handheld-brondell-cleanspa-luxury-handheld-bidet
But a bidet uses water! So isn’t TP better? Nope, TP actually wastes more water than a bidet. https://betterhomepursuits.com/bidet-vs-toilet-paper/
Extra:
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/bidets-better-than-toilet-paper/
Photo Credit: Michael Bryant