Team bum gun forever
For a long time I've wanted to write a post about the bum gun ("bidet shower"), but anon0 beat me to it. I recommend reading it first, as it echos a lot of my sentiments.
While living in Japan I became accustomed to using water to wash my behind, as over there they have fancy washlets on most toilets, with an array of configurable options for power, temperature, position, etc. Many even have a heated toilet seat, and extra water sounds to cover up your delicate disposition.
At that time I was gifted a travel washlet, which has henceforth stayed with me. It remains at home, and I sometimes take it with me when I travel.
Since that discovery all those years ago, I've extolled the virtues of washlets to everybody who would listen. But unless people try it themselves, it's hard to change habits ingrained so deeply by our upbringing. According to Statista:
On average, an American can be expected to get through 141 rolls of [toilet paper] per year, equating to roughly 12.7 kilograms. Not too far behind are the Germans with 134 rolls being flushed down the toilet every year. In third place the UK consumes 127.
For the use of dry toilet paper to wipe ourselves, I like this example, as anon0 delicately quoted:
"Imagine you somehow got some shit on your cheek or arm. Would you then grab toilet paper and just rub it off and "clean" it that way?" "Just call it good?" "No, you would not, at the very least water would be involved,... agreed?" "Ok, so why would it be any different with your behind after you go nr 2.?"
At home, I've dilly-dallied for years about buying a Japanese washlet from the likes of Panasonic, but just never got round to it. Instead I just made do with the travel one I had.
Well, last month I finally bought a bum gun for our toilet – looking suspiciously just like the one in anon0's post. It cost $25 and I installed it myself in just a few minutes. Team bum gun forever!
This fridge magnet was gifted to me by an American friend of mine. He also lived in Japan, and many other Asian countries, and lamented the lack of bum guns on a recent trip to Europe.
I hope, as more people travel to Asia and try the ubiquitous washlets and bum guns, that a greater number of people start to realise the benefits of having them at home. At the same time, reducing the amount of toilet paper we use is also good for the environment – not to mention avoiding toilet blockages.