page_title: Anal hygiene
section_title: Water
hierarchical_section_title: Anal hygiene / Water
caption_attribution_description: English: The so called bidé shower for personal hygiene, mainly available in Nordic countries only. Suomi: Bidé-käsisuihkuja on käytössä pääasiassa vain pohjoismaissa.
context_page_description: 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.
context_section_description: Water with soap cleansing is a reliable and hygienic way of removing fecal remnants.
caption: A bidet shower or "health faucet"
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