What Are Bidets?

A mere hygienic device, the bidet has had a long and hilarious history in the bathroom. Its usage is confusing to many of the general populace and often provokes a squeamish response. But there is nothing unsavory about bidet, oft-lauded and oft-misunderstood.

What Is a Bidet?

A bidet is a bathroom device designed to cleanse the genitals after urination or defecation and is an alternative to toilet paper. It is usually located next to the toilet in most bathrooms. To use one, all one has to do is sit on it, turn on the taps, adjust the temperature and direct the stream toward wherever one needs it.

History

Bidets were first seen in 18th-century France. The word "bidet" itself was once a French term for a pony. As the party in question had to sit astride a bidet, just as he would his horse, the concept is not much of a stretch.

Early bidets were usually located in the bedroom, and the water was fed through a hand-held pump. Once indoor plumbing became the norm, however, they were installed in bathrooms, where they can be seen today.

Types

Bidets come equipped with either a faucet, a spray or both, and in a wide variety of designs. Most current bidets are designed to resemble a basin or toilet. For smaller bathrooms, there is a bidet attachment that can be purchased that fits directly onto the toilet itself. A handheld, portable bidet is also available.

Advantages

The bidet has many advantages over toilet paper alone, and its usage is seen to be more sanitary. One is that it actually cleanses the genitalia, whereas toilet paper cannot do a thorough job of it and is more irritating on the skin. Bidets are also helpful to those who suffer from hemorrhoids and urinary tract infections.

Popularity

While bidets are everyday bathroom fixtures in parts of Europe and elsewhere, they are virtually unheard of in the United States. There are many theories for this. The most common is that the vast majority of Americans grow squeamish over the thought of touching their own genitalia in that capacity. While its closest equivalent, the sitz bath, is recognizable and commonly used in nursing homes and elsewhere, there have been many cases of Americans and others mistaking and subsequently using the bidet for something else (a foot spa, among other things).