Gel wipe is a moisturizing gel applied to dry toilet paper for cleaning purposes, like personal hygiene, or to reduce skin irritation from diarrhea. It was developed in the 21st century as an environmentally sensitive alternative to wet wipes.[1][2][full citation needed]
Estonian Siim Saat is seen as the inventor of gel wipe in 2011.[citation needed] In 2016, he was among seven entrepreneurs in the world nominated for an award by the Healthcare Startup Society in London at the Healthcare Startup Conference.[3][full citation needed][4] Gel wipe is seen as the solution to wet wipe pollution.[5][full citation needed][6][full citation needed]
Although marketed primarily for wiping bottoms, it is not uncommon to use it against skin rash, in the case of diarrhea or even as a substitute for water and soap on hiking trips.[7][full citation needed][8][full citation needed][9]
Gel wipes began to be marketed as complementary hygiene product for toilet paper by SATU laboratory,[10][full citation needed] as a luxury option by St Joseph's Toiletries[11][full citation needed] or hipster product by Zum Bum,[12][full citation needed] and Zero Taboos that makes Wipegel.[13][full citation needed] Many adults now use gel wipe with toilet paper as an alternative to wet wipes that cause environmental and sewer problems.[14][full citation needed][15][full citation needed] All wet wipes sold as "flushable" in the UK have so far failed the water industry's disintegration tests, the BBC has found.[16] A study by Ryerson University tested 23 wipes with the "flushable" label and found only two that partially disintegrated.[17][full citation needed]