# Which way should you wipe? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 7, 2006, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351 "2006-03-07T06:32:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mathemagician](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mathemagician](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mathemagician)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/1 "2006-03-07T06:32:00Z")
Hi, I’ve been with my husband for 5 years now, and in that time we’ve had many frank conversations – as you do, once the initial googy-eyes stage is over and you start actually talking about stuff. So anyway, I don’t know how we started talking about this, but we have different methods for wiping after ‘number 2s’. I go from back to front - it’s how I’ve always done it. And yes, I know there is more chance of getting thrush and other UTIs, but I’ve found that as long as you’re careful and don’t cross contaminate, it’s all okay. And I’d find any other way to be physically awkward. But my husband goes from front to back and says this is the ONLY way to do it. He thinks any other method is too risky. But I think lots of women go from back to front and I just figure men don’t because of certain appendages that probably get in the way. This has been weighing on my mind for a while now, especially since we’ll be having kids soon – and I don’t know which way to teach them! Is there one ‘right’ way of doing it, or does it depend?? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/2 "2006-03-07T06:41:49Z")
For women, the “right” way, is front to back, for the reasons you stated. For men, I don’t think it matters. ---
**Author:** ![Spezza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Spezza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spezza)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/3 "2006-03-07T06:43:38Z")
> [@mathemagician](#): > > This has been weighing on my mind for a while now, especially since we’ll be having kids soon – and I don’t know which way to teach them! Is there one ‘right’ way of doing it, or does it depend?? 😕 Why teach them either? Just say “wipe” and see what way they go. ---
**Author:** ![mathemagician](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mathemagician](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mathemagician)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/4 "2006-03-07T06:46:39Z")
> [@Spezza](#): > > Why teach them either? > > Just say “wipe” and see what way they go. Ahhh, experimentation! I like it! I’ll probably have to have several kids to ensure all the appropriate controls are in place (gender, etc). Hmmmm … this could be quite an interesting little project! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/5 "2006-03-07T07:50:08Z")
Having just engaged in this behavior, I noted that I did not have a vagina. ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/6 "2006-03-07T07:59:27Z")
Wash, don’t wipe. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/7 "2006-03-07T08:04:31Z")
I find I have to wipe one way and then wipe again from the opposite direction. Repeat until clean. Which direction I start in is determined by which direction starts out messier. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/8 "2006-03-07T10:13:57Z")
Front to back. It is the right way, and it has been shown to influence rates of UTIs and thrush. If you want to do the best thing for your daughters, teach them properly. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/9 "2006-03-07T13:38:31Z")
Guy checking in. Front to back until clean, then back to front until clean, alternating occasionally (it’s surprising how one direction could come up clean but the other direction come up dirty). I don’t find either direction to be more physically awkward than the other. The appendages don’t get in the way. In fact, they provide a natural indicator that I’ve wiped too far- _if you hit sac, go back!_ ---
**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:** [March 7, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/10 "2006-03-07T14:10:29Z")
I couldn’t answer this question without actually going into the bathroom and doing it. Result: front-to-back. I tried it back-to-front, and it felt like I’d be pushing the poop back in. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/11 "2006-03-07T14:47:52Z")
**McNew** hit it. I go back to front, then front to back. Repeat as necessary. The last pass at home is made with a wet-wipe, so I can face the new day squeaky clean. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/12 "2006-03-07T15:01:09Z")
> [@gouda](#): > > Wash, don’t wipe. Dumb question: even with a bidet, don’t you _have_ to wipe, or at least pat dry? What do you do with the towels–heck, are they even _real towels_ or are they just TP? Tripler I know, it’s kind of a sh\*tty thing to ask, iddin’ it? ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/13 "2006-03-07T15:01:19Z")
My wife and I match the OP exactly. In fact, I have had this as a thread idea for a while now. Google ads are talking about yeast infections. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/14 "2006-03-07T15:02:53Z")
Do the front-to-backers and back-to-fronters correspond to the reach-around-behinders and the reach-between-the-legsers, respectively? Or is there no correlation? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/15 "2006-03-07T15:22:32Z")
I wouldn’t think so. I’m a “reach-around” guy, and I go both ways. (This is GQ, so chuckle quietly to yourselves and keep the discussion focused on the OP.) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/16 "2006-03-07T15:30:05Z")
As a female, my mother taught me front-to-back, so as to avoid getting anything in the girly bits. Wet wipes are excellent, for a ‘fresh’ feeling after, says my husband, who’s a fan of them. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/17 "2006-03-07T15:35:58Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The last pass at home is made with a wet-wipe, so I can face the new day\*\* squeaky\*\* clean. Huh. Does that happen when you walk or what? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/18 "2006-03-07T15:53:56Z")
> [@Savannah](#): > > As a female, my mother taught me front-to-back, so as to avoid getting anything in the girly bits. > > Wet wipes are excellent, for a ‘fresh’ feeling after, says my husband, who’s a fan of them. Yeah I don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere unless I first fold up the TP and wet it a little in the sink. I often wonder how many people are just wiping with dry TP. I’m a dude too BTW, just a bit of a clean freak. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/19 "2006-03-07T15:58:27Z")
So nobody else wipes in-out, in-out with a bottle brush, then? ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351/20 "2006-03-07T16:04:01Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > So nobody else wipes in-out, in-out with a bottle brush, then? OK, this was funny. Still laughing. Speaking only for myself, there’s no difference in approach between back-to-front and front-to-back. Both styles employ the left leaning reach-around, dry paper only. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-should-you-wipe/347351.md?page=2)