Health experts say washing may be better than wiping(4)

If you aren’t able to find toilet paper in your neighbourhood supermarket owing to the panic buying, it may be a good time to switch to washing instead of wiping.

Although research on which makes a more hygienic method – wiping or washing – is scarce, some experts are advocating the latter.

"Think about using dry toilet paper. You're leaving a residue of stool and bacteria, whereas if you're using a bidet, you’re washing that away," said Dr Phillip Buffington, the chief medical officer of The Urology Group in the US.

As a result, those who wash or use the bidet “are much less likely to have issues with rashes and discomfort and irritation," said Dr Allen Kamrava, a California-based colorectal and general surgeon, in Healthline.