In Europe, the country that uses the bidet the most is Italy. There is even a law in Italy that says that every home has to have a bidet in it. There are a few other countries where they have become popular. For example, Portugal, Argentina, and Japan also commonly use bidets.
The original bidet was introduced in 1710 and included a hand pump that allowed users to spray themselves with water following the elimination process. Today, bidets are considered a standard bathroom item in 80 percent of the world, including Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Asia.
But, like in the US and UK, bidets aren't commonly used here in Australia. We've never developed a culture of using them, instead opting for multi-ply toilet paper instead.
Its popularity spread from France to all across Europe and other parts of the world, except for America. Part of the reason is that bidets got a bad reputation. Americans first saw them in World War II in European brothels, so, many associated them with sex work.
It's clear that the widespread use of bidets in many countries has its advantages. The lack of popularity in the UK and US likely has to do with a combination of factors: unfamiliarity, lack of space, cost, and more.
There are few reasons why most Australians do not use a bidet in their bathroom. The first reason is their geographic location. Australia does not get a lot of rainy days so water preservation is a must for everyone and so using a bidet could be seen as wasteful in times of drought.
If you press the 'Dry' button, provided there is one, the air dryer will dry the area. If you are using the traditional bidet, you can dry using toilet paper or a towel. In most public toilets with bidets, towels are provided on a ring next to it. However, using a paper towel is a more hygienic and safe option.
Bidets haven't ever been widely embraced in American culture. A common origin story for this reluctance is that bidets were seen as lascivious because they were used in brothels as a form of emergency contraception.
Conclusion: Warm-water nozzles of bidet toilets are contaminated with a wide range of bacteria, making them a potential vehicle for cross-infection.
Bidets are more hygienic.
Water is used to thoroughly clean skin surfaces and crevices rather than wiping, which can lead to the spread of fecal matter and bacteria.
If you're Muslim, however, there's an additional bathroom need that has to be met: There must always be a small vessel, to be filled with water, with which to wash your nether regions. For Muslims, toilet paper alone doesn't cut it. Our tech predates it. The vessel can look any number of ways.
Sure, you can wipe first, but most people who use a bidet find it easier and cleaner to just use the bidet. This is because the water pressure will adequately clean your bottom without the need for toilet paper. Some people like to wipe with toilet paper after using a bidet, but it's a matter of personal preference.
As far as historians can tell, the bidet is a French invention. Spearheaded by French furniture makers around the late 17th century, the bidet is a grown-up version of the chamber pot or bourdaloue, which was a small, portable chamber pot classy ladies would take along with them on extended trips.
Bidet. France, Portugal, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Venezuela, and Spain all use bidets, they'll often have toilet paper available in public spaces for tourists, but homes would all have bidets installed. Japan is the one Asian stand-out in that they adopted bidets rather than other ways of washing the bum.
However, excessive bidet use potentially causes anal pruritus and anal incontinence (AI). Physicians are advised to instruct patients with anal pruritus to avoid excessive cleaning of the anus and those with AI to discontinue bidet use.
Ask for bidet permission
This fixture is very much a personal care item. And some homeowners might not be keen to let a guest mess around with it, especially a first-timer. So when you see a bidet and feel like trying it out, take the homeowner aside first. Then politely ask if guests are allowed to bidet or not.
What Are The Advantages Of A Japanese Shower Toilet? Japanese toilets are very hygienic, both for the users and for the household.
Using a bidet instead of toilet paper provides a thorough cleansing that wiping alone cannot. Water is more sanitary than toilet paper because it gently cleans the area instead of just rubbing it with toilet paper.
For centuries, French people have used bidets to clean up, and if you are visiting, you might encounter one too.
Bidets were quite fashionable during the '70s and '80s, but these days it's rare to see them in the UK. Despite this, they are still very popular overseas, not just in Europe but around the globe. In fact, a staggering 97% of homes in Italy are fitted with at least one bidet.
While today the bidet has somewhat fallen out of use in France, it has been adopted as fundamental part of life in Italy. In fact the bidet is now so ingrained into Italian culture that it's a legal obligation to put a bidet in every bathroom that is built on domestic or hotel property.
A Japanese toilet or smart toilet, as it's often referred to, is a toilet built with smart technology. Put simply, this means smart toilets can interact with their user via remote control access. With a press of the button, you can flush, spray and dry. As the name suggests, Japanese toilets originated in Japan.
Another study, involving a Japanese hospital, found that 254 out of 294 bidet nozzles were contaminated with infection-causing organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus spp. Maintenance and cleaning. That's a good reminder of one of the golden rules of bidet ownership: You need to regularly clean it.