The ‘festering’ hygiene habit that can give you a UTI — but every woman does it

When did loo roll become such a luxury? (Picture: Getty Images) Raise your hand if you’ve ever had to drip-dry after getting stuck in a cubicle with no loo roll in sight. I can only assume that every woman reading this has both arms firmly up in the air. Whether you’re at a festival or a five star hotel, it’s one of life’s universal hygiene horrors — and almost everyone has their own little survival strategy to avoid soggy knickers. Some women shake, some hover and attempt to air-dry, and others resort to peeling whatever puny scraps are left on the cardboard roll. Drip-drying is just another thing women are expected to ‘deal with’, but it comes with a whole set of consequences. So much shaking going on in these loo-roll-less loos. (Picture: Andy Soloman/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Look beyond the headlines Get a curated list of the most important stories of the weekend every Sunday from our weekend editor Jess Austin. Look beyond the headlines with exclusive articles, emotive interviews and must-read explainers from our expert team of reporters across news, lifestyle and entertainment. Sign up here. Why is drip-drying bad for you? Dr Caitlin Dean is a former nurse and women’s health campaigner. She’s also an avid camper, so is no stranger to a ‘wild wee’ — which inevitably involves drip-drying. She explains that while urine has ‘low levels of bacteria’ that aren’t particularly problematic in itself, the issue begins after you pull your pants up. ‘If you have damp knickers, because of where they sit next to your crotch, the urine doesn’t dry, it festers,’ she tells Metro. ‘If your pants are wet and warm, the bacteria can fester and grow,’ she explains. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. It’s this, Caitlin adds, that then leads to things like yeast infections such as thrush and UTIs. Anyone who regularly goes for a wild wee will relate to this one! (Picture:Getty Images) ‘If I was on an outdoors retreat for a week and regularly drip-drying, I’d invariably get thrush,’ she shares. ‘While our natural discharge helps to keep us clean, urine doesn’t.’ Caitlin is keen to see more research dedicated to how women’s lack of access to loo roll can have real health ramifications. ‘There is evidence to suggest that there are higher rates of UTIs amongst rough sleepers and homeless women who don’t have access to toilet roll, amongst military women on deployment who are having to drip dry more frequently, and after natural disasters where supplies are limited,’ she tells Metro. She believes having access to toilet roll should be a ‘human right’. But more and more, we’re seeing that this simply isn’t the case. A survey published just last month, spearheaded by The Hygiene Bank, revealed that almost one in five adults in the UK have gone without household hygiene products such as deodorant and toilet paper. Hygiene poverty charities, alongside Caitlin, hope this comes as a serious ‘wake up call’ for the UK government. An everyday problem Drip-drying doesn’t just happen in ‘extreme’ circumstances, though. ‘For many women, it’s an everyday problem,’ she tells Metro. ‘Unless you have a very direct flow or a very strong pelvic floor, urine can often sprinkle, drip onto your legs, and sometimes run back down your bum cheeks.’ She continues: ‘Not too long ago, I remember heading up to London on the train for a meeting (I live in Cornwall so the journey was around four hours). Caitlin always takes pictures whenever she comes across a toilet with no loo roll (Picture: Caitlin Dean) ‘After a couple of cups of tea, I needed to wee and there was no toilet paper. ‘I was in a nice skirt and tights and it was just awful — it can really impact your confidence.’ And, it happens in schools too. The School Toilet Report revealed that 87% of children surveyed, aged six to 13, reported neglected toilets, including missing or broken items such as seats or lack of toilet roll. ‘My teenage daughter also says there’s frequently no toilet paper in the girl’s toilets at school,’ Caitlin continues. At her college in Cornwall, another of Caitlin’s children was left scrambling when they discovered that none of the toilet cubicles had any loo roll. Ever found yourself stuck in a portaloo with no tissues at the ready? (Picture: Caitlin Dean) Now, Caitlin is attempting to fix this everyday unpleasantness’ with a ‘simple solution’: the ‘wild wipe’. The mum-of-three invented a small, pocket-sized device designed to help you wipe pee drips away from your body. With antimicrobial properties for maximum hygiene, the wipe was inspired by Caitlin’s own DIY project which involved cutting up an old credit card and shaving down the edges to create a portable tool she could take on trips. It costs £13.99 and comes in three different colours. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Deals of the Day The wellbeing brand behind everyone's favourite candles has launched its biggest sale yet Oodie's £1 sale returns with wearable blankets, dressing gowns and throws up for grabs See London's Christmas lights from an open-top double-decker bus this winter The skincare formula that finally took the guesswork out of my routine Families can save up to 20% on summer 2027 holidays in Club Med's four-day sale Arrow MORE: Can you really find out what it’s like to be a lesbian in just 40 minutes? 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