Bidet vs toilet paper foam

How each one works

A bidet cleans with a stream of water. In New Zealand homes that usually means a bidet seat that replaces your toilet seat, a non-electric attachment that sits under the existing seat, or a handheld sprayer on a hose. After washing you pat dry, usually with a little toilet paper.

Toilet paper foam cleans with damp paper. You fold three or four sheets of toilet paper, pump a small amount of foam onto them, wait a couple of seconds for it to soak in, and wipe. Then you flush the paper as normal. Foamie Gentle Toilet Paper Foam works this way, and our how to use toilet paper foam guide covers the routine.

Side by side

The two options solve the same problem from different directions. Here is how they compare on the things people usually ask about.

• Setup: a bidet needs connecting to the cold water supply, and electric seats need a power point within reach. Foam needs no setup at all.
• Renting: a bidet usually needs the landlord's permission. A foam bottle doesn't.
• Cleaning method: a bidet uses water, followed by drying. Foam uses lightly damp paper, with no drying step.
• Paper use: a bidet cuts toilet paper use, though most people still use some to dry. Foam uses the same amount of paper you use now.
• Ongoing cost: a bidet's main cost is up front. Foam is a small ongoing cost, around 5 cents a use for Foamie.
• Travel: a fixed bidet stays at home. A foam bottle fits in a toilet bag.
• Upkeep: a bidet nozzle and seat need regular cleaning. A foam bottle needs replacing when it runs out.

When a bidet is the better choice

If you own your home, have a power point near the toilet or are happy with a non-electric model, and like the idea of washing with water, a bidet seat is a good long-term option. Once it is in, there is nothing to buy each month, and it cuts how much toilet paper you go through.

Bidets also suit people who find wiping difficult, since the water does most of the work. If that is your reason, look at seats with adjustable pressure and temperature, and check how the controls are positioned before you buy.

When toilet paper foam is the better choice

Foam wins on simplicity. There is nothing to install, nothing for the landlord to approve, and nothing to leave behind when you move. It works in any bathroom, including at work, at a bach or on holiday, because you take it with you.

It also suits households where several people share a toilet and only some of them want a damp clean. The bottle sits on the shelf for whoever wants it, and everyone else carries on with plain paper. For toilet training, a pump is easy for small hands to use, which we cover in our toilet training guide.

And if you are moving off wet wipes, foam is the smallest change. It feels similar to a wipe, but what you flush is ordinary toilet paper, which Watercare lists as one of the three things that belong in the toilet.

Can you use both?

Yes, and plenty of people do. A bidet at home and a bottle of foam for the gym bag, the car or travelling is a practical mix. Foam can also be handy in a second bathroom where fitting a bidet isn't worth it.

Either way, neither option replaces washing your hands with soap and water after using the toilet.

The bottom line

Choose a bidet if you own your home and want a water wash as a long-term fixture. Choose foam if you want a damp clean today, with no installation, in any bathroom you happen to be in. Both are better for your pipes than wet wipes, which utilities ask people to bin rather than flush.

If foam sounds like the better fit, Foamie Gentle Toilet Paper Foam is on the product page. A 60 ml bottle is NZ$19.95 and gives roughly 400 pumps. The page also has a sign-up to hear when stock is back if it has sold out. For more options, see our wet wipe alternatives guide.

Questions people ask