After the coronavirus pandemic forced my family into self-isolation, the last place I thought I'd find solace was my bidet. Then again, I never thought the first thing to go in a crisis would be toilet paper.
My first trip to the grocery store with the intention of stocking up for a possible stay-at-home order was on March 12, three days before the Centers for Disease Control recommended canceling all gatherings of 50 or more people. As news circulated about the impact of the coronavirus spreading across the U.S. — including closures of thousands of businesses — people quickly flocked grocery stores with carts chock-full enough for an apocalypse.
Out of respect for my fellow Americans, I didn't buy the items flying from the shelves: toilet paper, hand sanitizer, canned beans (OK, I bought beans but I happen to enjoy chili). I still had a pack of eight extra-large toilet paper rolls at home and that was plenty for my family of four (two adults and two kids, one of whom was still in diapers) — even if we were to be forced inside for two weeks or so. At least that's what I assumed.
In some unforeseen ploy from the powers that be, my 2-year-old mastered potty training during the first few days of our time at home. This was cause for celebration ... until it wasn't. By the morning of March 24, we were down to two rolls of toilet paper. By the afternoon of March 24, we were down to one — Atlas decided putting an entire roll into the potty was a fine idea. My husband and I disagreed.
Luckily, like a glistening beam of hope during dark times, we realized we had the solution all along: our bidet! With no toilet paper at any grocery store or pharmacy in our area and the soonest possible online delivery being late April, we had no choice but to turn to our Tushy.
Tushy Classic Bidet
Tushy is an attachable bidet that connects to your toilet without any additional plumbing or electric hookups. Unlike traditional standalone bidets, this version is an attachment that simply clicks onto the toilet. There is a nozzle that sits beneath the back of the seat that gently hoses down what you need it to. Beside the toilet, there is a switch that adjusts the angle in which the nozzle sprays. If you opt for the upgraded Spa model, you can even adjust the water temperature.
Tushy's mission, aside from cleaning tushies, is to alleviate environmental waste by reducing toilet paper use. The company also sells bamboo bum towels, which are intended for drying off after using the bidet. If you're not ready to go completely TP-free, they also have bamboo toilet paper that's sourced from natural fibers with a lower ecological impact than regular toilet paper. We ended up getting the whole line of bamboo bath towels because they are basically the softest things I've ever felt. Seriously, it's like drying off from a bath with cashmere.
Now, our kids love the Tushy, too, and usually have a good laugh every time they use it; they say it tickles their bums. I feel great knowing I'm doing something good for the environment during a difficult time.
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So if you find yourself without toilet paper, want to feel like you're on a European vacation or are looking for an easy way to reduce your environmental footprint, try a Tushy. I promise, your booty will thank you.
For more stories like this, check out:
- Bidets are becoming more popular than ever — and medical professionals approve
- Here's how much toilet paper a family of 4 needs for 2 weeks
- These 20 items are TODAY editor essentials for working from home
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