These 3 Things Make Wiping Harder
Picture of white and black bathroom with toilet and sink by Unsplash.
My name is Maria and I’m an occupational therapist. I help people do everyday activities that occupy their time, like getting dressed or brushing teeth.
Basically, the stuff you need and want to do on a daily basis.
One of those occupations is wiping your butt after going to the bathroom.
This isn’t the most glamorous thing I’ve helped people do, but I’d totally argue that this is one of the MOST important things that I help people do!
Believe it or not, there are times in life where wiping your butt can become almost impossible to do!
Sometimes back pain, chronic pain, elective joint surgery, progressive diseases, excessive weight, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, arthritis, or any other reason creeps into your life and BAM!
All of a sudden you can’t wipe your butt.
Being unable to wipe can feel embarrassing and shameful. You feel like you’re the only one with this problem (butt believe me, you’re not!).
You may cancel going out to restaurants or on trips with your friends and family because you don’t want them to know what’s going on with your booty.
My friend, I completely understand how difficult this situation is for you. Yours truly, has been there and done that during pregnancy and back injury!
Not only do I intimately know how hard wiping can be, I’ve also professionally worked with countless people on this issue. I’ve seen a lot of interesting techniques that do NOT make wiping easier.
Allow me to share the don’ts with you so that you can make headway towards confidently cleaning your caboose!
Here are three things people do to make wiping harder:
Maria standing in front of a toilet while holding toilet paper and smiling.
1) Standing up and leaning against the wall with one hand
Me with one hand on the wall leaning over. Don’t do this while wiping!
People get into this position because they think that they’re going to reach better to wipe their bottom more thoroughly.
The problem is you actually don’t reach and wipe easier in this position.
When you lean over while standing, it’s a cinch for you to lose your balance because you’re outside your center of gravity.
You’d reach better if you were seated on the toilet while leaning to wipe. The toilet supports your bottom and legs so that you don’t have to work as hard to keep your balance while leaning and reaching.
Sitting allows you to focus on slowing down while reaching to wipe your bottom. That way you can wipe more thoroughly which also leads to less wiping and skin irritation.
2) Standing with one foot propped on the stool
Me standing next to the toilet with one foot on the stool. Also don’t do this.
Are you sensing a theme? If you said, “yes, the theme is standing”, you get a high five!
Standing doesn’t help you wipe, especially if you have one foot on the toilet seat while doing it.
It’s very impressive that you can balance on one foot while wiping your bottom. It’s also very scary in that you could fall and hurt yourself.
Please don’t do this. It’s a guaranteed ticket to Slam Town and I don’t want to see you there!
Standing on one foot to balance and wipe makes you rush the process because you’re working so damn hard at not falling!
Rushing to wipe means you’re not cleaning yourself thoroughly. So what’s the point to work so hard and not even get the job done right in the first place?
Sit down to wipe after doing the doo!
Me sitting on the toilet holding tongs with a menacing facial expression.
3) Using salad tongs
I’ve seen one too many kitchen utensils in the bathroom.
Salad tongs are mostly used because:
you can pinch the tongs to hold the toilet paper
they reach the bottom easier
most people have them at home
But think about the salad tongs you have in your kitchen and tell me how comfortable you think they’d feel on your backside.
My salad tongs are metal and the ends have hard edges that would probably bruise my booty. Not to mention, there are nooks in mine that may be hard to completely clean after wiping.
With that being said, there are dozens of products out there that can be used in place of salad tongs that are more comfortable, more hygienic, and make wiping easier for you!
If you’re doing any of the strategies listed above, I beg you to take some time to reconsider your approach.
I’m not here to shame you or tell you you’re doing it all wrong. But I’m definitely here to help you work smarter, not harder!
In fact, I made a course called, “Hard Time Wiping? Let’s Talk A-booty It!” that gives you toilet techniques and four options to clean your booty easier. You better believe we go more in depth on different products for you to wipe better!
When you finish this course, side effects may include:
Check out “Hard Time Wiping? Let’s Talk A-booty It!” by clicking on the image.
A totally clean bottom at all times
Smelling good as new
Privacy on the privy
Self-assurance in your ability to take care of yourself
Dignity and confidence after every bathroom trip
Feeling more like yourself!
“Hard Time Wiping? Let’s Talk A-booty It!” is also for you if you’re a spouse, adult child, adult grandchild, or healthcare worker who wants to help your person be more independent in cleaning up after toileting!
Caregivers, you’ll benefit from the course by:
Knowing options exist to help your loved ones wipe easier
No longer straining your back to help with wiping
Worrying less about your family member or client
Having tips for starting the uncomfortable conversation about wiping
Feeling like a badass when your loved one cleans their own booty!
So here’s your action step: Take a look at the course and then let me know if you have any questions by going HERE! I really want you to stop living in shame and secrecy. Don’t let wiping stop you from living your life to the fullest!
Please tell me in the comments below what are three things you’d do if you didn’t have a hard time wiping? Share this blog post with a friend or family member who’s dealing with this issue right now! Do you know a healthcare worker? Send them this blog post haste! You could make a difference in someone’s life, my friend!
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