Approximately 70% of the world's population does not use toilet paper, relying instead on water, bidets, or other local cleansing methods for personal hygiene[2][3][6].

This statistic is frequently cited across several sources and reflects the norms in large regions of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and parts of southern Europe, where water-based cleaning is considered more hygienic, cost-effective, or culturally appropriate[2][3][6]. In contrast, toilet paper is a primary hygiene product mainly in North America, Western Europe, and some parts of East Asia, with Americans, Germans, and the UK population consuming the most per capita[5][10].

The widespread use of alternatives to toilet paper can be attributed to factors such as:

• Cultural and religious preferences: In many Muslim-majority and South Asian countries, water is traditionally used for cleansing after toilet use[3][2].
• Economic considerations: In regions where disposable income is lower, toilet paper is often not a feasible ongoing expense[2].
• Environmental concerns: Many societies consider water-based cleaning more sustainable and less wasteful than producing and disposing of toilet paper[2][3].

Thus, only about 30% of the world's population uses toilet paper as their primary method of post-toilet hygiene[2][3][6].

Roughly 60% of the world’s population doesn’t regularly use toilet paper. Estimates vary by definition and source, ranging from about 50% to 70%, since many people in South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and much of Africa primarily use water or other methods instead.

Estimating the percentage of the world population that doesn't use toilet paper is challenging due to varying cultural practices, access to resources, and limited global data on personal hygiene habits. However, we can make an informed estimate based on available information about sanitation, cultural norms, and access to toilet paper or alternatives.

Key Factors to Consider:

1. Cultural Practices: In many parts of the world, particularly in Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa, water (often with a bidet, lota, or hand-held sprayer) is traditionally used for cleaning after using the toilet instead of toilet paper. For example, in countries like India, Pakistan, and much of the Middle East, water-based cleansing is the norm.
2. Access to Sanitation: According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, as of recent data (2020-2022), about 3.5 billion people—roughly 43% of the global population—lack access to safely managed sanitation services. Many of these individuals may not have access to toilet paper due to poverty or lack of infrastructure and may use alternatives like leaves, rags, or nothing at all.
3. Economic Factors: Toilet paper is a commercial product that may be unaffordable or unavailable in low-income regions. Even in areas with access to sanitation, alternatives like water or reusable cloths are often preferred due to cost or tradition.

Rough Estimate:

• Regions Where Toilet Paper Is Less Common: Approximately 70-75% of the world's population lives in regions where toilet paper is not the primary method of cleaning (e.g., South Asia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and parts of Africa). This includes countries like India (1.4 billion people) and China (1.4 billion people), where water or other methods are more common, though toilet paper usage is growing in urban areas.
• Lack of Sanitation: Of the 3.5 billion people without proper sanitation, a significant portion likely does not use toilet paper due to unavailability or irrelevance (e.g., open defecation, which affects about 494 million people as of 2020).
• Global Population: The world population is approximately 8 billion (as of 2023). If we assume that 70-75% of people live in regions or conditions where toilet paper is not the primary choice, that translates to roughly 5.6 to 6 billion people who may not use toilet paper regularly.

Conclusion:

Based on cultural practices and access to sanitation, it's estimated

That's an excellent question, and the answer is often surprising to people in Western cultures.

While an exact, single percentage is impossible to calculate, credible estimates suggest that somewhere between 70% and 75% of the world's population does not use toilet paper.

This means that only about 25-30% of the world, primarily in North America, Western Europe, and Australia, rely on toilet paper exclusively. For the vast majority of humanity, other methods are the norm.

Here’s a breakdown of why this is the case and what other methods are used:

1. Cultural and Religious Norms: The Water Method

For a huge portion of the world's population, using water is the standard for cleaning after using the toilet. This is seen as far more hygienic than simply wiping with dry paper.

• Bidets: Common in Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal), Japan, and South America. Japanese toilets, known as "washlets," often have advanced bidet functions with heated water and air-drying.
• Handheld Bidet Sprayers (Shattaf): Extremely common throughout the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia (India, Pakistan), and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia). These are small, shower-like heads next to the toilet.
• Ablution Jugs (Lota/Tabo): In many parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia, a small jug or dipper is used with water for cleaning.
• Religious Practice: In Islam, cleansing with water after using the toilet (known as Istinja) is an integral part of ritual purity. This practice influences the habits of nearly 2 billion people.

2. Economic Factors and Accessibility

For billions of people, toilet paper is an unaffordable and recurring luxury.

• Cost: In many developing nations, a family's daily income might be just a few dollars. Spending money on a disposable paper product is not a priority compared to food, water, and shelter.
• Availability: In vast rural areas of Africa, Asia, and South America, toilet paper is simply not sold in local shops.

3. Infrastructure and Plumbing

Many plumbing and sewage systems around the world are not designed to handle flushed paper. Flushing toilet paper can easily cause clogs and damage to older or less robust infrastructure.

• This is why you'll often see small trash bins next to toilets in countries like Greece, Turkey, Mexico, and many parts of Asia and South America. You are expected to put used paper in the bin, not the toilet. For locals, using water avoids this problem entirely.

4. Lack of Basic Sanitation

According to the WHO/UNICEF, about 3.5 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation (a proper toilet). People in these situations do not have the infrastructure for toilet paper and instead use whatever is available.

• Alternative Materials: In areas without access to running water or commercial products, people use natural materials like leaves, corn cobs, coconut husks, stones, or sand.

In Summary: A Global Perspective

So, far from being the global standard, toilet paper is actually a culturally specific product used by a minority of the world's population.