Page 1 of 1 Bidets are primarily used to wash and clean the genitalia, inner buttocks, and anus. They may also be used to clean any other part of the body; they are very convenient for cleaning the feet, for example. Despite appearing similar to a toilet, it would be more accurate to compare it to the washbasin or bathtub. In fact, the bidet is used by some for a baby bath.
Users who are unfamiliar with bidets often confuse a bidet with a urinal, toilet, or even a drinking fountain. It is generally understood that the user should sit on a bidet facing the tap and nozzle but may also sit with back to the tap and wall.
It is a common misconception that bidets (at least in France and Europe generally) are meant to be used as an alternative or addition to toilet paper. Rather, they are more like sinks for one's morning and evening wash known as "toilette" in French. Bidets offer an excellent way to refresh oneself before bed without taking a full shower. Instead, toilettes are performed using a sink to wash face and underarms and a bidet for between the legs and occasionally the feet[citation needed]. This has the virtue of using much less water and not stripping the body and hair of its natural oils. Bidets are also very useful for the elderly or anyone with mobility problems and for people with hemorrhoids. For drying, people usually use a small personal towel.
Bidets are made in several different designs. They may have one tap which pours (usually warm) water into a china basin. The basin can be plugged and filled if necessary, or the water can be allowed to drain away. Other bidets have a nozzle which propels an arc of water up into the air. This jet of water is angled to easily attain the perianal and genital area.
Another design of bidetBidets are common bathroom fixtures in some European countries (especially France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece), some Latin American countries (especially Argentina and Uruguay; there they are found in approximately 90% of households), the Middle East and some parts of Asia (particularly in Japan and South Korea). Although France is the country where the word bidet originated, not every house there is equipped with one, especially the smaller or cheaper flats.
Residents of countries where bidets in private homes are rare may be totally unfamiliar with bidets and have no idea how to use them if they encounter them. It is said that many American men first encountered bidets in French brothels during WWII and thought they were designed for the prostitutes to douche (inside the vagina) after sexual intercourse[citation needed]. This may be a source of resistance against their use in the United States.
Another possible source of resistance to bidet usage in the United States is the perception of the uncleanliness of the device. The nozzle in some old designs was often in the path of the returning (dirty) water. The concern being that the user might be contaminated with the fecal matter and detritus of the previous user. Toilet paper is seen as a less effective, yet more hygienic solution. But as stated above, this stems from the misconception of their intended use as being for cleaning after using the toilet. Such negative misconceptions continue to be widespread and may be difficult for bidet manufacturers to dispel as it remains taboo to discuss toilet habits and personal hygiene in public in many societies. Still, bidets are sometimes found in US private bathrooms but are generally considered a high luxury. Indeed, when sold in the US, they are often several times the price of a comparable sink, which is not the case in Europe.
In contrast, residents of countries where the bidet is found in almost every private residence, find it difficult to change their habits when they travel in countries where bidets are rare. The only alternative to a bidet in such cases is to use the bathtub or a showerhead (if it can reach the toilet).
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