What’s a Bidet?
Most Americans don’t know what a bidet is, although some of you may have encountered one. In some European countries like Italy, Spain and Portugal they might even be found in modest homes. A bidet (pronounced b-DAY) is a French word for a plumbing fixture that resembles a toilet but includes an upward-facing nozzle that produces a stream of water for washing private parts. Bidets typically come with hot and cold water for adjusting the temperature and are usually installed side-by-side next to a toilet.
A bidet provides top-notch sanitation and reduces the need for toilet paper, and also helps prevent clogged drains. They also prove beneficial to people who suffer from hemorrhoids or other medical conditions, as well as older and very young children who may not be adept at cleaning themselves. Despite their advantages, bidets have never caught on in America. Their benefits also come with extra expense. It is much easier to install their plumbing requirements in newly built homes than to retrofit an existing bathroom.
In the last few decades various manufacturers have come out with combination toilet-bidet fixtures, as well as devices that attach to toilet seats and enable the toilet to also function as a bidet. These attachments are much less expensive than installing a separate bidet. Toilet seat bidet attachments are becoming increasingly familiar in hospitals and health care facilities, especially those catering to the elderly.
These attachments may include a heating element connected to an air dryer as well as to the water jet nozzle, with controls that modulate water pressure, temperature and the direction of the spray. Other options may include heated seats, built-in night lights and built-in deodorizers. Some attachments are placed atop and in back of the toilet seat, while others have under-seat mounting for owners concerned about bathroom aesthetics.
Let us know if you are interested in a bidet or bidet attachment for the toilet(s) in your home. The upfront expense may not be much and the benefits last indefinitely. People who have had them installed often remark that they don’t know how they lived without them!