Bidets - why are they not used more?

polo · 15 Jan 2023, 06:06 PM

Hi - I've just been on holiday and in the hotel was a bidet and at the airport toilet was a bidet sprayer. I felt so clean to wash yourself after a number 2! A mini-shower for your privates!

I'm told people even use them to wash after a number 1!

How come they aren't used more in the world?

Surely this 3 step method is more hygienic than the 1 step method of "wiping with dry tissue paper until clean (?)"?

1. Wipe with tissue paper to get the excess off;
2. Wash with water;
3. Dry with tissue paper and check tissue has no color - then you are done!

Thanks!

hadaso · 16 Jan 2023, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polo

1. Wipe with tissue paper to get the excess off;
2. Wash with water;
3. Dry with tissue paper and check tissue has no color - then you are done!

Actually 2+3 is a conditional loop...

A few weeks ago we spent a week in Sicily (vacation). All the hotel rooms there had bidets. It was awesome!

Three years ago we moved into a new house, and we installed bidet showers in the toilets attached to the bedrooms (perhaps we should have installed one in the guest toilets).

webecedarian · 17 Jan 2023, 04:52 AM

Well, traditionally, bidets were separate, and took up more room.

Also, I think they were used more in Europe because they didn't necessarily take daily showers as in the U.S.

And I'm not so sure most people really care about hygiene.

janusz · 17 Jan 2023, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by webecedarian

they were used more in Europe because they didn't necessarily take daily showers as in the U.S.

Can you swear that everybody in the US takes daily shower?

chrisretusn · 17 Jan 2023, 05:11 PM

After I moved to the Philippines some 20 years ago, I learned of the tabo. A small scoop that you fill with water from a bucket, using soap and water to wash your back end.

Now. No toilet paper in our CR (comfort room), we still have a tabo, mostly used for taking a hot bath, poor hot water in to a bucket of cold water, scoop the warm water over your body. We have a "bidet", a hose with a spray thing to power wash your puwet, sort of like the kind you see in American kitchen sinks.

I was first introduced to fancy toilets when I lived in Japan, the manual is a half inch thick, it's more fun to just push things willy nilly as long as you are not standing in front of it.

Toilet with bidets were installed in out local American Legion Post. They provide wash and blow dry. They broke in a few months. They are being replace with standard ones.

These day I will avoid having to use toilet paper if I can, nothing beats a nice clean wash.

polo · 18 Jan 2023, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hadaso

Actually 2+3 is a conditional loop...

I've refined the steps.

1. Wipe with tissue paper to get the excess off; you can tell if you will need more or less water for step 2 by what's on the tissue.

2. WHILE tissue has color THEN

Wash with water;
Dry with tissue paper and check tissue has no color;

3. Smile. You are done.

TenFour · 18 Jan 2023, 04:27 AM

Bidets are not necessarily more hygienic. Lots of germs can be spread around. https://www.healthline.com/health/ar...earch-findings

polo · 18 Jan 2023, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenFour

Bidets are not necessarily more hygienic. Lots of germs can be spread around. https://www.healthline.com/health/ar...earch-findings

This link clears up (pun intended) any misconceptions:

https://www.brondell.com/healthy-liv...-about-bidets/

TenFour · 18 Jan 2023, 05:30 AM

That link is a sales pitch, not a look at the actual health issues like the one I previously sent. Your own poop is not really a health hazard to yourself, assuming you are healthy. Many of us are too clean these days, causing all sorts of health issues.

Bamb0 · 18 Jan 2023, 09:51 AM

They are indeed very useful!!!

polo · 18 Jan 2023, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenFour

That link is a sales pitch, not a look at the actual health issues like the one I previously sent. Your own poop is not really a health hazard to yourself, assuming you are healthy. Many of us are too clean these days, causing all sorts of health issues.

Apologies if you thought that.

Hmmm. If it's routine to wash your hands after the toilet is it not more logical to wash one's privates / bottom?

Think about this:

If you got poo / mud / dirt / etc on your hand / arm / face do you:

Wipe off with tissue;
Then WAIT until your next shower to wash off

or

Wash immediately then and there (and optionally wipe before)

???

polo · 30 Jan 2023, 03:12 AM

Why is it that babies get their butts cleaned with "baby wipes" but the parent doing the cleaning uses "dry tissue paper" on his/her own butt

?

So for the first few years of a person's life baby wipes are used but when they start cleaning themselves they use dry tissue paper.

Does it make sense?

Bamb0 · 31 Jan 2023, 03:40 AM

No the wet stuff works better!!

hadaso · 31 Jan 2023, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polo

Why is it that babies get their butts cleaned with "baby wipes" but the parent doing the cleaning uses "dry tissue paper" on his/her own butt

?

You can buy wet toilet wipes for adults. It's not the same as washing with running water (not much better than spitting on dry toilet paper). With my younger son, when he was a baby, we washed his butt under running water every time.

polo · 31 Jan 2023, 02:05 PM

Analogy:

Eat a bowl of soup.
Now "clean" it with dry kitchen tissue paper.
Is it clean?

Now compare when you dry wipe your butt.

The person who told the world to "dry wipe your butt" needs to be corrected!!!

15 Jan 2023, 06:06 PM	#1
polo Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 60	Bidets - why are they not used more? Hi - I've just been on holiday and in the hotel was a bidet and at the airport toilet was a bidet sprayer. I felt so clean to wash yourself after a number 2! A mini-shower for your privates! I'm told people even use them to wash after a number 1! How come they aren't used more in the world? Surely this 3 step method is more hygienic than the 1 step method of "wiping with dry tissue paper until clean (?)"? 1. Wipe with tissue paper to get the excess off; 2. Wash with water; 3. Dry with tissue paper and check tissue has no color - then you are done! Thanks!

17 Jan 2023, 04:52 AM	#3
webecedarian Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 479	Well, traditionally, bidets were separate, and took up more room. Also, I think they were used more in Europe because they didn't necessarily take daily showers as in the U.S. And I'm not so sure most people really care about hygiene.

17 Jan 2023, 05:11 PM	#5
chrisretusn Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Philippines Posts: 843	After I moved to the Philippines some 20 years ago, I learned of the tabo. A small scoop that you fill with water from a bucket, using soap and water to wash your back end. Now. No toilet paper in our CR (comfort room), we still have a tabo, mostly used for taking a hot bath, poor hot water in to a bucket of cold water, scoop the warm water over your body. We have a "bidet", a hose with a spray thing to power wash your puwet, sort of like the kind you see in American kitchen sinks. I was first introduced to fancy toilets when I lived in Japan, the manual is a half inch thick, it's more fun to just push things willy nilly as long as you are not standing in front of it. Toilet with bidets were installed in out local American Legion Post. They provide wash and blow dry. They broke in a few months. They are being replace with standard ones. These day I will avoid having to use toilet paper if I can, nothing beats a nice clean wash.

18 Jan 2023, 04:27 AM	#7
TenFour Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: USA Posts: 1,722	Bidets are not necessarily more hygienic. Lots of germs can be spread around. https://www.healthline.com/health/ar...earch-findings

18 Jan 2023, 05:30 AM	#9
TenFour Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: USA Posts: 1,722	That link is a sales pitch, not a look at the actual health issues like the one I previously sent. Your own poop is not really a health hazard to yourself, assuming you are healthy. Many of us are too clean these days, causing all sorts of health issues.

18 Jan 2023, 09:51 AM	#10
Bamb0 Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,871	They are indeed very useful!!!

30 Jan 2023, 03:12 AM	#12
polo Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 60	Why is it that babies get their butts cleaned with "baby wipes" but the parent doing the cleaning uses "dry tissue paper" on his/her own butt ? So for the first few years of a person's life baby wipes are used but when they start cleaning themselves they use dry tissue paper. Does it make sense?

31 Jan 2023, 03:40 AM	#13
Bamb0 Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,871	No the wet stuff works better!!

31 Jan 2023, 02:05 PM	#15
polo Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 60	Analogy: Eat a bowl of soup. Now "clean" it with dry kitchen tissue paper. Is it clean? Now compare when you dry wipe your butt. The person who told the world to "dry wipe your butt" needs to be corrected!!!