Indian culture • Bathroom customs • Travel guide
Why Do Indians Wash Their Bottoms with Water Instead of Toilet Paper?
Imagine going to the toilet, wiping yourself with dry paper and walking away perfectly satisfied. Now imagine somebody telling you that you haven't really cleaned yourself.
For many people in India, washing with water after a bowel movement is so normal that relying entirely on dry toilet paper can seem rather strange.
But why? Is it about religion, cleanliness, tradition or simply the way Indian bathrooms are designed?
And what exactly are you supposed to do when you enter an Indian toilet and find a little jug of water instead of a roll of paper?
Many Indians use water to clean the anal area after defecation because it is an established personal hygiene custom. Water can rinse away faecal residue, and Indian bathrooms often provide a small water jug, a tap or a handheld bidet sprayer for the purpose.
Traditionally, the left hand may help with washing, followed by thorough handwashing with soap. Customs vary between households, communities and individuals, and some people use toilet paper as well.
Imagine the Conversation
A British tourist arrives in India and visits a friend's home.
After using the toilet, he looks around. There is no toilet roll.
There is a tap, a bucket of water and a small plastic mug.
He comes out looking slightly puzzled.
"Where's the toilet paper?" he asks.
His friend looks equally puzzled.
"Why would you need paper? There's water."
And there, in that tiny exchange, is a surprisingly interesting cultural difference.
One person thinks paper is the obvious way to clean yourself. The other thinks water is the obvious way.
Neither has spent much time questioning the habit because, growing up, it was simply what people did.
That is what makes the subject fascinating. Even something as private and ordinary as cleaning yourself after using the toilet can reveal how differently people approach everyday life.
Why Water Rather Than Toilet Paper?
Think about what happens when something unpleasant gets onto your skin.
Suppose you accidentally put your hand in mud. Would you be satisfied with wiping it a few times using dry tissue?
Most people would probably look for water.
That comparison helps explain why water washing feels natural to many Indian households.
Water can help remove material from the skin, whereas dry paper relies mainly on wiping and friction. The effectiveness of either method depends on how carefully it is used.
It does not follow that everyone who uses water has better hygiene than everyone who uses paper. Nor does using water eliminate germs from the hands.
Personal cleanliness depends on the whole routine: adequate cleaning, sanitary facilities, clean water and proper handwashing afterwards.
Nevertheless, if you grew up washing with water, the idea of using dry paper alone may feel incomplete.
What Is That Little Jug Beside the Indian Toilet?
In many Indian bathrooms you will find a small jug, mug or water container beside the toilet.
A traditional water vessel used for washing is often called a lota.
Other bathrooms may have a handheld water sprayer, sometimes called a jet spray, health faucet or handheld bidet.
Explore the Equipment
Tap one of the options below to learn how it is normally used.
How Do Indians Actually Wash After Using the Toilet?
There is no single technique followed by every household. However, the traditional jug-and-water method is worth understanding, especially if you are visiting India for the first time.
- Prepare the water. Make sure the jug or sprayer is accessible before using the toilet. Use clean water.
- After passing stool, rinse the anal area. With a jug, water is poured carefully over the area. With a handheld sprayer, a gentle stream is directed towards it.
- Clean away remaining residue. In traditional hand-assisted washing, the left hand is used to help clean the external area while water is poured. A sprayer may allow cleaning without direct hand contact.
- Rinse thoroughly but gently. Avoid excessive force, harsh rubbing or directing a high-pressure spray into the anus. Wash the external skin only.
- Dry if desired. Some people use a small amount of toilet paper or a clean personal towel to pat the area dry. Drying gently can help reduce moisture and irritation.
- Wash your hands with soap. This last step is essential, whether you used water, paper or both.
Why Is the Left Hand Traditionally Used?
This is another question that often surprises foreign visitors.
Across many Indian households and communities, the right hand has traditionally been associated with eating, greeting and offering or receiving things.
The left hand is more commonly associated with personal cleaning after using the toilet.
This distinction is not observed identically by everyone, but it helps explain why a visitor might be encouraged to eat with the right hand during a traditional Indian meal.
It does not mean left-handed people are inherently dirty. Nor does it mean washing with the left hand makes handwashing optional.
The important hygienic distinction is between hands that have been washed properly and hands that have not.
If you are eating with your hands in India, it is a good idea to wash them before eating. In more traditional settings, using your right hand for food may also be considered polite.
Is Washing with Water More Hygienic Than Toilet Paper?
There is a tempting answer to this question: water must always be better because it washes things away.
But the reality is slightly more complicated.
Water can help remove faecal residue and reduce the repeated rubbing associated with dry wiping. However, the hygiene of the process also depends on water quality, the cleanliness of the equipment, and the person washing their hands afterwards.
Contaminated water or a poorly maintained sprayer can introduce other concerns.
Meanwhile, somebody who uses toilet paper carefully and washes their hands thoroughly afterwards may have good hygiene.
The key public-health principle is that germs from faeces can spread through contaminated hands and surfaces. Proper handwashing with soap and clean water reduces this risk.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing hands after toilet use and scrubbing with soap for at least 20 seconds.
So the more useful question is not simply "water or paper?" It is "Are you cleaning properly and washing your hands afterwards?"
Why Don't All Indian Bathrooms Have Toilet Paper?
Many Indian bathrooms were designed around water rather than dry wiping.
In homes where a tap, jug or sprayer is already available, keeping large supplies of toilet paper may not seem necessary.
It is also a matter of habit. Families teach children how to use the bathroom, and those habits often continue into adulthood.
That said, it would be inaccurate to say Indians never use toilet paper.
Many hotels, offices, shopping centres and modern homes provide it. Some people wash with water and then use paper for drying. Others prefer a handheld sprayer and rarely use paper.
India has an enormous range of households, income levels, regions and personal preferences. There is no single Indian bathroom experience.
The Indian Squat Toilet: Another Surprise for Travellers
If you're visiting India, the method of cleaning may not be the only thing that surprises you.
You might also encounter an Indian-style squat toilet rather than the sitting toilet you use at home.
Some public and traditional toilets have a ceramic pan set into the floor, with two places for your feet.
A jug of water or tap is usually close by.
Squat toilets and water washing are related in many traditional bathroom settings, but they are not the same thing. You can use water with a sitting toilet too.
For detailed instructions, read my earlier article: How to Use the Indian Squat Toilet.
What Should Foreign Tourists Do If There Is No Toilet Paper?
First, don't panic. Check whether there is a handheld sprayer, a small water jug or another water source intended for personal washing.
If you're uncomfortable using water alone, carry a small supply of tissues or toilet paper for drying. A travel-sized pack can be useful at railway stations, roadside stops and public toilets.
Check the signs before disposing of paper. Some plumbing systems are not intended for large amounts of toilet tissue, and other paper products or wet wipes should not be flushed unless local instructions specifically allow it.
Never put used paper in a bin unless that is the designated disposal method. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
What to Carry for Indian Public Toilets
- A small packet of toilet tissue.
- Soap or access to handwashing facilities.
- Hand sanitiser for situations where handwashing is unavailable.
- A small pack of tissues for drying.
- A sealable bag for storing clean supplies and managing emergencies appropriately.
For more preparation advice, see my Essential Travel Items for India guide.
Is This Practice Unique to India?
Not at all.
Water-based cleaning after using the toilet is common in many parts of South Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and elsewhere.
In Japan, sophisticated electronic toilets often include built-in washing functions. In parts of Europe, bidets have long been familiar bathroom fixtures.
What varies is the equipment and the social custom, not the basic idea of using water for personal cleaning.
Indian households have their own familiar combination of jugs, handheld sprayers and sometimes traditional squat toilets.
Once you realise that washing with water is a widespread practice, what initially seemed like an unusual Indian custom starts to look like one of several ways human beings approach the same everyday need.
Test Yourself: Indian Bathroom Customs Quiz
A Book for First-Time Visitors to India
Essential India Travel Guide: Travel Tips and Practical Information
If this bathroom custom is something you hadn't expected, imagine how many other everyday details can surprise you on your first visit to India.
My book Essential India Travel Guide: Travel Tips and Practical Information is designed to help visitors prepare for practical situations, from food and transport to health, accommodation and everyday customs.
Explore My India Travel GuideIndia Travel Survival Guide for Women
Travelling independently in India involves its own practical questions about transport, accommodation and personal safety. Find my women's India travel guide alongside my other books.
Explore My Travel BooksMore Useful Articles About Everyday Life in India
- How to Use the Indian Squat Toilet — practical guidance for visitors.
- Traveller's Diarrhoea in India and How to Prevent It — a related guide to hygiene and travel health.
- Essential Travel Items for India — things worth packing.
- My India Travel and Culture Books — further reading before visiting India.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Indians use water after pooping?
Water-based washing is a long-established hygiene custom in many Indian households. People may use a jug, tap or handheld bidet sprayer to clean the external anal area after defecation.
Do Indians use toilet paper at all?
Yes. Some use paper for wiping or drying, sometimes alongside water. Availability and personal preferences vary widely.
Do Indians use their hands to wash?
Traditional washing methods may involve using the left hand with water. Other people use handheld bidet sprayers that reduce or avoid direct contact. Thorough handwashing with soap is essential afterwards.
Why is the left hand used?
In many traditional settings, the right hand is associated with eating and social activities, while the left is used for personal cleaning. The custom varies between households.
Is washing with water hygienic?
Water can help remove faecal residue when used properly. Hygiene also depends on clean equipment, appropriate water and thorough handwashing with soap after using the toilet.
What is the spray next to an Indian toilet called?
It is commonly called a jet spray, health faucet or handheld bidet.
Should tourists carry toilet paper in India?
A small packet can be useful, particularly for public toilets and travel between cities. Follow local disposal instructions and do not flush wipes or unsuitable paper products.
Final Thoughts: Perhaps the Strange Part Is What We Get Used To
What makes this subject interesting is not really the water, the paper or even the little jug sitting beside the toilet.
It is the way something completely ordinary in one country can seem bizarre in another.
Someone who grew up using toilet paper may find washing with water unfamiliar. Someone raised using water may wonder why dry paper would be enough.
Both are looking at the same everyday task through habits learned in childhood.
When you travel, these small differences can teach you as much about a place as its famous monuments.
You don't have to adopt every local custom. But understanding why people do things differently is one of the pleasures of discovering another culture.
And who knows? After trying a good jet spray, you might find yourself wondering why your bathroom back home doesn't have one.
Published by shalusharma.com. A cultural and travel hygiene guide. For evidence-based hand hygiene advice, see the CDC handwashing guidance.
