# Poll: Bathroom Habit **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455 "2009-01-15T17:46:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/21 "2009-01-15T21:08:10Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I’m a woman and my hand doesn’t have to make it around a massive appendage. Neither do the hands of most men. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/22 "2009-01-15T21:16:53Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Neither do the hands of most men. 😛 Oh Snap! ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/23 "2009-01-15T22:09:15Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Wipe while sitting? How the hell do you not end up sticking your hand in the water? Never ever in my personal history of over 40 years of wiping while sitting has this ever happened, nor have I ever been in fear that it might, despite having to reach around my massive appendage. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/24 "2009-01-15T22:14:55Z")
I think what might help end some of the confusion in this thread is the following question to the sitters: Are you wiping between the legs, back to front, or reaching around to your side, wiping front to back? ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/25 "2009-01-15T23:02:56Z")
Lean forward, reach around and wipe front to back. Never never ever back to front, for women that’s a very bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/26 "2009-01-15T23:28:24Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I’m a woman and my hand doesn’t have to make it around a massive appendage. I don’t have that problem, but my partner does. If he’s not careful his junk winds up in the water, even when he’s not wiping. So he has to stand to wipe. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/27 "2009-01-15T23:28:40Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > Lean forward, reach around and wipe front to back. Never never ever back to front, for women that’s a very bad idea. I’m not sure it’s such a great idea for men, either, although I follow your meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_Astronaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bad\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/28 "2009-01-15T23:49:35Z")
A - stand first, although I’ve been aware for a long time that I’m in the minority. See for example [The Scoop on Poop](http://www.heptune.com/poop.html). ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/29 "2009-01-16T02:00:22Z")
I’m a nurse and I’ve seen a lot of people finishing up their bidness lately. Older folks mostly stand, then reach around back and wipe. I think it has something to do with back problems and flexibility. Younger folk tend to remain sitting, and reach around back to wipe. A few remain sitting, reach between their legs and do a back to front wipe and I get to do my “you must wipe front to back” spiel for them. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/30 "2009-01-16T02:04:32Z")
Stand first. I can’t grasp the mechanics of wiping while still seated. It doesn’t seem like you could do a very good job wiping while seated. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/31 "2009-01-16T02:07:58Z")
So, people actually stand to wipe, eh? I have NEVER heard of this. Not that I’m a keen observer of people crapping or anything, but I’m totally confused on this one. This place never ceases to amaze me. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/32 "2009-01-16T02:22:00Z")
Perhaps it depends on the individual butt topography. Maybe the standers have really flat asses or something. > [@gigi](#): > > I’m a woman and my hand doesn’t have to make it around a massive appendage. Do you mean you reach between your legs? That honestly never would have occurred to me. I’m going to try it next time just for fun. (No massive appendages to worry about. Unless you mean my hiney.) ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/33 "2009-01-16T02:27:26Z")
Yeah, I’m confused on the massive appendage thing, too. Unless yours is both massive and on backwards, it wouldn’t seem that you’d have to do any reaching around it. And I sort of half-stand, then wipe, i.e. by bottom leaves the toilet seat, but I don’t stand straight up, either. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/34 "2009-01-16T03:36:30Z")
Stand. Fat woman, short arms. ---
**Author:** ![Telcontar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Telcontar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telcontar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/35 "2009-01-16T04:25:30Z")
This thread was significantly more successful than I had anticipated. This makes me vaguely disturbed. > [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > I’m a nurse and I’ve seen a lot of people finishing up their bidness lately. Older folks mostly stand, then reach around back and wipe. I think it has something to do with back problems and flexibility. Younger folk tend to remain sitting, and reach around back to wipe. A few remain sitting, reach between their legs and do a back to front wipe and I get to do my “you must wipe front to back” spiel for them. Yay, we have an expert in the house! Oh, i imagine back to front is bad (especially for women) because of UTI? ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/36 "2009-01-16T04:41:23Z")
Yeast beasties are the most common reason I’ve heard for the front to back gospel. You standees are weird. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/37 "2009-01-16T04:52:49Z")
> [@Telcontar](#): > > Oh, i imagine back to front is bad (especially for women) because of UTI? Yes And my answer is B. I wonder about the flat butt theory, too. This baby got back. If I stood up I’d just get residuals squished between cheeks. Much more work than necessary. I scoot forward a couple inches and then lean forward for the reach-around and front-to-back wipe. If I were to “stand” it would still be a crouch in order to keep the cheeks spread apart, so really almost the same position but with the effort of doing a squat instead of keeping my weight on the front of the seat - really, easier just to stay on the seat. I also keep flushable wet-wipes next to the TP, very handy and nice, I highly recommend! ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/38 "2009-01-16T04:55:46Z")
Stand…to wipe? Never heard of it and am still having a hard time visualizing it. Weirdies. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/39 "2009-01-16T05:04:31Z")
I stand on my hands and wipe with my toes. Not really, but I thought you might have fun trying to visualize that. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455/40 "2009-01-16T05:09:47Z")
I’m very large, so I stand. When I was slimmer, I sat. Joe [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bathroom-habit/481455.md?page=3)