# The Wiping Hand Poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 15, 2010, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wiping-hand-poll/546756 "2010-07-15T06:52:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wiping-hand-poll/546756/1 "2010-07-15T06:52:49Z")
When I was a little left-handed kid, I was told several times that you should only shake with your right hand because people wipe with their left. Well, maybe **you** do… So, which hand do you wipe with, your dominant hand, or your non-dominant hand? For purposes of this thread, your dominant hand is the one you write with. There will be no poll options for ambidextrous considering those folks claim not to _have_ a dominant hand. Anyway, I’m left-handed and there are only three things I usually do with my right-hand and wiping is one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wiping-hand-poll/546756/2 "2010-07-15T07:49:28Z")
Generally speaking, I wipe with toilet paper. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wiping-hand-poll/546756/3 "2010-07-15T10:46:30Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Anyway, I’m left-handed and there are only three things I usually do with my right-hand and wiping is one of them. 1. nose-picking 2. preparing hors d’oeuvres?