One option to help handle toilet paper shortages

Q: With recent events, toilet paper seems to be in high demand. You wrote a past column on high-tech bidet-style seats and how they can save on toilet paper usage. I like this concept, but I don't need all the fancy bells and whistles. Are simple and more affordable personal cleansing toilet seats available? - Brenton, Rhode Island

A: High-tech electronic toilet seats that feature options like a heated seating area, odor control, warm water washing with oscillating wand, drying cycles and even a remote control for easy use have become popular. So popular that spinoff 'basic” cleansing seats are now available at more affordable prices.

These simple easier-to-install manual control seats do provide basic washing, but keep a couple things in mind.

First, most will wash with unheated water.

Second, washing is usually done with hand-controlled valve operation in place of automatic electronic operation.

If you can handle all that, a manual bidet toilet seat can help wipe out your toilet paper anxieties.