How Do You Dry After Using a Bidet? 

Using a bidet regularly makes you feel cleaner and relieves painful conditions triggered by aggressive toilet paper usage, such as anal fissures. However, the biggest issue with bidets is the drying process. How do you dry yourself after using a bidet?

You can dry yourself off with toilet paper or a towel after using a bidet. Alternatively, you can opt for a bidet with a built-in dryer. However, if you use a towel, you should wash it frequently to keep it sanitary and safe.

In this article, I’ll explore how you can dry yourself safely and comfortably after using a bidet and explain the pros and cons of each method.

The Most Sanitary Way To Dry After Using a Bidet

There are different types of bidets on the market, and many come with an attached dryer. For example, modern electric bidets have a convenient “dry” button that dries you by releasing warm air.

At home, this air dryer is probably the most sanitary drying method, especially if you live alone. However, if multiple people use the same bidet, the air dryer button might become unsanitary. In that case, toilet paper or bidet towels might be the better choice.

Using a bidet’s air dryer is a hygienic way of drying yourself off because your hands don’t have to make contact with fecal matter or germs. This method prevents rashes or infections because you’re not using abrasive materials or causing friction on your skin. You just have to position yourself to direct the air to the area you wish to dry, and it will do the work for you.

That said, traditional bidets don’t come with air dryer functions and require you to dry yourself with other tools. While these models lack drying features, they are more affordable and can be more convenient to use.

When using traditional bidets, you should dry yourself with toilet paper. Keeping that area of your body wet could increase the risk of fungal or bacterial infections.

According to Cleveland Clinic, fungal infections are most common in damp areas with a lot of friction. Thus, the groin area is extremely susceptible to fungal infections. If you don’t dry your groin after using a bidet, you could end up with fungal rashes.

In a public area, it could also lead to some embarrassment if you don’t dry yourself, as the water might seep through your undergarments and create a wet patch. While some public restrooms provide towels, you should only use them to dry your hands. You should not use these towels to dry yourself after using a bidet.

It’s best to use paper towels or toilet paper in public restrooms to dry yourself. These are more sanitary options than regular towels. However, you can use a regular towel in your own house. You just need to ensure you clean it regularly to keep it hygienic. If you have multiple people living in the same house, you can reserve towels for yourselves to prevent contamination.

Using toilet paper is a hygienic way to clean yourself. However, your wiping method is important as you don’t want to cause any irritation to your skin. If you wipe too hard, you could cause tears to form in the skin, through which bacteria can enter and cause infections. On the other hand, if you don’t wipe hard enough, you could leave moisture behind, making you uncomfortable and leaving you open to the risk of fungal infections.

The right way to use toilet paper is to lightly pat yourself dry. Try to get into the habit of dabbing at your skin instead of swiping at it. Swiping can irritate your skin or even cause friction burns or anal fissures.

Different Ways To Dry After Using a Bidet

You can dry yourself after using a bidet in three main ways.

• Bidet towels 
• Bidet air dryers
• Toilet paper 

The method you choose usually depends on the type of bidet you have. For example, if your model has an air-dryer function, you might use that instead of towels or toilet paper. However, most people choose their drying method based on comfort.

1. Bidet Towels 

In the comfort of your home, you might choose to keep a separate towel to dry yourself after using your bidet. This towel is known as a bidet towel. While you can use a regular towel, some towels are made specifically for drying off after using a bidet. 

A bidet towel can be hygienic, but it requires more effort than toilet paper because you can’t throw it away or flush it after use. You must maintain and clean it regularly to keep it soft and hygienic.

To ensure that your bidet towel remains hygienic, follow these tips: 

• Always clean your bidet towel after use. Cleaning it after each use will prevent the towel from becoming moldy and smelly from water absorption. After washing it, leave it somewhere to air dry.
• Check the bidet towel’s instructions. Washing the bidet towel according to its instructions keeps it sanitary and soft for longer. Some require hand washing, and some are machine washable.
• Replace your bidet towels every year or two. Although bidet towels last a long time, you should replace them every year or two because they will lose their absorbency within this time.

If you’re interested in purchasing a bidet towel, you can purchase the Brondell Bamboo Bidet Towels, available on Amazon. These come in a pack of six, so you can use them for almost a full week before running out. They’re made of 100% rayon from bamboo, which is soft and smooth in texture. The pack also comes with a mesh laundry bag to prevent damage during washing.

Bidet Towel Pros

• You can reserve towels for your bidet. If you use a bidet at home, you can reserve towels for drying yourself after using the bidet. Or, you could purchase a pack of towels, so you have one bidet towel for every day of the week before you need to wash them for the following week.
• Bidet towels are soft and smooth. You can purchase soft bidet towels if you find toilet paper too rough on your skin. These will be gentler on your skin and prevent the irritation common with toilet paper usage.

• Bidet towels are better for the environment. Making toilet paper uses a lot of resources. Toilet paper manufacturing is an incredibly wasteful process and is one of the driving reasons behind the degradation of forests. Bidet towels are sustainable and usually made of natural materials like bamboo.
• Bidet towels save you money. Unlike toilet paper that you have to purchase regularly, a set of bidet towels will last much longer before needing to be replaced. Toilet paper is a single-use item that you dispose of frequently. However, you can use the same bidet towel repeatedly.
• Bidet towels are absorbent. A bidet towel is more absorbent than toilet paper. This absorbency means you remove excess water from the area without wiping aggressively. It also prevents irritation.
• Bidet towels don’t break apart. If you’re using toilet paper to remove excess water, it can easily tear apart and leave bits of paper behind. Bidet towels are more durable and don’t have this problem.

Bidet Towel Cons 

• You have to wash bidet towels frequently. It’s easy for a bidet towel to become unhealthy and unsanitary because it’s wet or accumulates bacteria. Therefore, you have to take the time to clean your bidet towels regularly. The need to wash it regularly can be inconvenient for those who don’t have the time to wash it regularly.

• Bidel towels can be impractical. If you’re using a bidet outside of the home, you must always remember to pack a towel to use it wherever you are. If you forget to clean your bidet towels, you’ll have to use a different method to dry yourself.
• Bidet towels aren’t always convenient. Unlike toilet paper, which is usually available next to the toilet, bidet towels aren’t always available. Most public places only stock toilet paper or paper towels because they’re more convenient.

Washing Bidet Towels

You should wash your bidet towels with a mild detergent in hot water. Never use fabric softener, as this will clog the bidet towel’s fibers and make them less absorbent. The more you wash your bidet towel, the shorter its lifespan becomes.

Ideally, you should wash your bidet towel after one day’s use. If you use only one bidet towel, you must wash it daily. Since this schedule will shorten its lifespan, I suggest getting a pack of bidet towels and using a different one each day. Then, you can wash and dry them only once every few days, letting them last longer.

2. Bidet Air Dryers

Many electric bidets on the market include air dryers, and you can activate them easily when you’ve finished using the bidet. Simply press a button on your bidet’s control panel or side panel.

These air dryers work by producing warm air. It can take a few minutes for them to work, but some bidet models have seat sensors that sense when you’re dry and automatically stop. These sensors prevent contact with the unit and reduce the spread of germs and bacteria.

Air Dryer Pros

• Bidet air dryers are convenient. Instead of using toilet paper or a bidet towel to dry yourself after using a bidet, you can simply let the warm air dry you. This method is easy and convenient, whether you’re using the bidet at home or in public.
• Bidet air dryers keep your hands clean. Air dryers negate the need to make contact with your skin or fecal matter. This process is more hygienic and prevents germs from spreading, especially if you’re the only person using the bidet’s control panel.
• Bidet air dryers prevent skin irritation. Toilet paper is quite rough on the skin, which can cause small tears on your skin, allowing bacteria to enter. If you have sensitive skin or a painful health condition like hemorrhoids, not making contact with your skin is more comfortable and can speed up your healing.

• Bidet air dryers prevent incorrect wiping. If you don’t wipe yourself properly after using the toilet and bidet, you can end up with skin irritation or health conditions such as anal fissures or tears. Using an air dryer instead of aggressively wiping will prevent these problems from occurring.
• Bidet air dryers use warm air. While some electric bidets don’t release warm air, models that do can increase your comfort. Warm air is soothing to the skin and can temporarily relieve pain if you suffer from a health condition like hemorrhoids.

Air Dryer Cons

• Not all bidet air dryers are powerful. Some bidet air dryers release a slow burst of warm air that might not dry you properly or quickly. You might still need toilet paper or a towel to dry yourself fully, even after using the air dryer.
• Bidet air dryers can be expensive. The air dryer function is only available on electric bidet models, so you should ask yourself whether it’s worth the cost. Generally, you’ll have to pay at least a few hundred dollars for an electric bidet.
• Air dryers may not always be as hygienic as toilet paper. Research has found that hand air dryers spread more germs than paper towels. This research could also be true of bidet air dryers.
• You have to position yourself to dry properly. Drying yourself with a bidet air dryer can be cumbersome because you have to position yourself properly to ensure you’re fully dry. If you don’t position yourself well, parts of your body might remain wet.

3. Toilet Paper 

Toilet paper is convenient because you can use as much or as little as you want. It’s also easy to dispose of, and you probably have some at home already. However, it can also be irritating and expensive to buy in large quantities.

Toilet Paper Pros

• It works with all types of bidets. You can use toilet paper if you don’t have an electric bidet with an in-built air dryer. Most households already have a lot of toilet paper, and it’s easily available in local supermarkets.
• Toilet paper is easy to dispose of. Toilet paper disintegrates into tiny fragments in water, so you can flush it without worrying about it clogging your drainage system. This disposal method also reduces the clutter in your bathroom since you don’t need to keep a rubbish bin nearby.
• With the right application, toilet paper doesn’t cause irritation. While toilet paper can be abrasive, you can use a dabbing motion to reduce irritation. This dabbing or patting motion makes it comfortable to use.
• You can choose softer toilet paper. Softer rolls available on the market aren’t as harsh on your skin. I’d recommend the Cottonelle Ultra Clean Toilet Paper on Amazon. It uses Active Cleaning Ripples Texture that keeps you clean while removing more dirt with fewer wipes. It’s also free of dyes and fragrances, so it’s safe for sensitive skin.

• Toilet paper can reach difficult areas. You might not always feel completely dry with bidet air dryers. Directing the air where you want it to go can be difficult. Using toilet paper allows you to get into hard-to-reach areas and dry them properly, reducing your risk of skin irritation. 
• You can use eco-friendly toilet paper to reduce its environmental impact. In some places, you might find recycled toilet paper made from old newspapers, textbooks, office supplies, etc. Unlike regular kinds, recycled toilet paper doesn’t cause widespread logging and is especially good to consider if you use toilet paper frequently.

Toilet Paper Cons 

• You might be allergic or sensitive to toilet paper. Most types of toilet paper on the market contain various unhealthy ingredients, such as chemical scents. In addition, white toilet paper usually contains bleach, which can irritate your skin, especially in the anal or vaginal areas.
• Toilet paper makes micro-cuts on your skin. Toilet paper has tough fibers that irritate your skin and can produce tiny cuts on sensitive skin. These cuts make it easier for bacteria and germs to enter your skin and cause infections. They can also be painful and cause discomfort.

• Toilet paper can move dirt around. Sometimes toilet paper simply spreads dirt instead of removing it. In this case, you should consider using it in combination with a bidet’s air dryer or using damp toilet paper before going in with dry sheets.
• Toilet paper can be expensive. Air dryers and bidets are one-time purchases that last a long time. Toilet paper is a single-use product, so you’ll have to make repeat purchases. According to the New York Post, people in the US spend an average of $182 on toilet rolls per year.

Final Thoughts

Bidets are convenient and hygienic, but you must thoroughly dry yourself after using them. Your preferred method will depend on your budget and needs. The most common drying methods are:

• Using toilet paper or paper towels.
• Using a bidet towel or any other towel reserved for your bidet. 
• Using the bidet’s in-built air-dryer function.