Guides › Do you use toilet paper with a bidet? Yes, a little, to pat dry

Do you use toilet paper with a bidet? Yes, a little, to pat dry

Yes, most people still use a little toilet paper with a bidet, but only to pat dry. The usual routine is to rinse until you feel clean, then press a few squares of paper or a towel on the skin to take off the water. You don't wipe. Most people say they go from a long wad of paper to two or three squares, and some switch to a cloth or a dryer and use none.

New to all this? Take the one-minute quiz, leave your email at the end, and we'll send a short first-timer's routine you can keep on your phone.

What is toilet paper for when you have a bidet?

Water does the cleaning. Paper does the drying. If you walk away wet, you'll feel it in your underwear within a minute, and damp skin can chafe. So paper stays in the bathroom, but its job changes from scrubbing to blotting. That is why a roll lasts longer in a home with a bidet, and why the question in the title has a quick answer and a longer one.

The routine, step by step

Do your business. Stay seated.
Rinse. Turn the knob slowly until the spray is a gentle stream. Use it for about 15 to 30 seconds. Move your body slightly to aim.
Stop and let the water drain. Turn the knob fully off before you stand.
Pat dry. Fold two or three squares and press, don't rub. Do it twice if needed.
Check. Look at the last square. If it is clean, you're done.
Flush and wash hands. As always.

The exact timing varies with your pressure and your body. If it is your first week, see first time using a bidet for the set-up of the very first use.

Do you wipe first, or rinse first?

Most guides say rinse first. A rinse takes off most of what's there, and paper then has little to do. Some people wipe once first when the mess is heavy, because they don't like a lot of water doing the work. Either is fine. If you wipe first, you use more paper, which loses part of the point. Try rinse first for a week and judge for yourself.

How much toilet paper do you need?

Two or three squares for most visits. Four or five when you're new to it and learning how wet is too wet. After a few weeks many people notice they use far less than before, although how much less depends on you and on your habit. Our bidet vs toilet paper page does the math on what that saves over a year with a stated set of assumptions.

What can you dry with instead of paper?

Option	Cost	Good for	Watch out
A few squares of toilet paper	Pennies a day	Everyone, simplest	Rubbing instead of patting
A small cloth towel kept for this	A few dollars	People who want no paper	Wash it after each use or two; keep it separate
Disposable wipes (not flushable)	A few dollars a month	Travel	Fragrance can irritate; bin them, don't flush
A bidet seat with a dryer	A seat costs $200 and up	No paper at all	Slow, needs power
Air dry with a pause	Free	When you have the time	Slow; you may still feel damp

See how to dry after a bidet without toilet paper for a longer look at each, including how to wash a cloth.

Is it ok to flush toilet paper after a bidet?

Yes. Paper that has been used to pat dry is lighter and thinner than a wad, and it flushes as usual. What not to flush is wipes, even those labelled flushable, and cloth. Plumbers regularly advise against flushing wipes because they don't break down like paper does. If you use a lot of water and little paper, your toilet may even clog less often.

Do you use toilet paper with a bidet if you're a woman?

The routine is the same, with one difference in direction: rinse and pat from front to back. Spray angle matters too, and a gentler second nozzle, where there is one, is meant for the front. We cover this in how to use a bidet as a woman. For men, see how to use a bidet as a man.

What if you can't dry well, or you feel wet all day?

Use more pat, not more rub. Press and lift, twice.
Lower the pressure. A strong spray leaves more water to remove and can splash. See bidet water pressure too high.
Wait ten seconds after you turn the knob off. Water drips off on its own.
Try a cloth. A small cotton towel dries better than paper for some people.
Check the fit. If water runs backwards or sideways, the nozzle may be misaligned. See do bidets spray back to front.

Common mistakes in the first week

Starting at full pressure. Always open the knob slowly. It's the most common first-time shock.
Rubbing with paper afterwards. Skin is wet and softer, so rubbing irritates it.
Using the cloth twice without washing. That defeats the point.
Flushing wipes. They can block pipes.
Expecting no paper at all on day one. It is a habit that takes about a week to settle.
Stopping at the first splash. Wet floors and wet seats are normal until you learn your aim. See do bidets spray poop everywhere.

Skin care and when to ask a doctor

Water on skin is usually gentle, but very strong or frequent spraying can irritate. Pat, don't rub; skip perfumed products in the area. If you have pain, bleeding, a rash that doesn't go away or a medical condition that affects this area, ask a doctor or a pharmacist before changing your routine. A bidet is a hygiene tool, not a treatment.

Does a bidet change how much toilet paper you buy?

Most owners report that a roll lasts longer, and that the change is the main reason people start. We can't give you a number that fits every home, because it depends on how many people use it and how they dry. Use our payback table with your own numbers. For a sense of what an attachment costs, see bidet attachment cost.

A simple week-one plan

If you're starting out, treat the first week as practice and not as a test. On days one and two, rinse first and use your normal amount of paper as a safety net. On days three and four, cut to four squares and notice whether the last square is clean. On days five to seven, aim for two or three, and try a small cloth once to see whether you like it. By the end of the week you will know how much pressure suits you, how long you rinse, and how you like to dry.

Guests, kids and shared bathrooms

In a shared home, keep a roll within reach for everyone who doesn't use the bidet. Guests who have never used one often won't touch it, and that's fine. If you use cloth towels, keep a clearly separate one for this and a small lidded bin or hamper close by so it doesn't end up on the hand towel rail. For children, a lower pressure and an adult nearby for the first few tries is sensible; we don't give age advice here, so ask a paediatrician if you're unsure.

Where ASSJET fits

ASSJET is an under-seat attachment: one knob, no plug, cold water, about five minutes to put on, for people who've never used a bidet. You'll still keep a few squares nearby, and that's normal. It isn't on sale yet; the waitlist is on the quiz.

FAQ

Do you still need toilet paper with a bidet?

Most people keep it for patting dry. You use far less, and some people replace it with a cloth.

Do you wipe before using a bidet?

Not needed. Most people rinse first and pat after. Wipe first only if you prefer.

How many squares of toilet paper do you need after a bidet?

Two or three for most visits, a few more when you are learning.

Can you flush toilet paper after a bidet?

Yes. Don't flush wipes or cloth.

Can you use a bidet without toilet paper?

Yes, with a cloth, a dryer on a seat or an air-dry pause. Expect to feel damp at first.

Does a bidet get toilet paper wet and clog the toilet?

Paper that only dries skin is light and flushes normally. Clogs come from wipes and from using too much at once.

More plain answers in our bidet guides, or find your bathroom god.

Sources

Google autocomplete for "do you use toilet paper with a bidet", checked 2026-11-11.
How to use a bidet, brand how-to pages from Tushy and Brondell, read 2026-11-11.
Plumbers' guidance on flushable wipes, general trade advice, read 2026-11-11.