What is a bidet?

Most people use toilet paper as a hygiene product after visiting the toilet. However, more and more often in apartments you can find an alternative to this “dry” method of treating leather - a bidet.

What kind of hygiene item is a bidet?

This is a plumbing device intended for washing the genitals and anus after emptying the bladder and rectum. This is a more hygienic process, during which a thorough but gentle cleansing of excrement occurs without the risk of injury to the mucous membranes.

In different countries, attitudes towards this plumbing item vary. In Korea, Japan, the Middle East, central Europe (France, Spain) and South America, they are in great demand and are installed even in public toilets and government buildings, not to mention the residential sector and hotels. In North America, Eastern Europe and Russia, the device is used much less, but every year it becomes more and more popular.

Who invented it?

The right to be considered the birthplace of the bidet is disputed by several countries. Some historical documents indicate that it first appeared in Italy, others attribute its invention to the French.Representatives of the Arab world do not agree with them, for whom water procedures have long been an integral part of toilet etiquette.

The word "bidet" translated from French - "le bidet" - means "grasshopper". Perhaps because of its original design, or perhaps because of the posture taken by those who wanted to use it.

There is a version that the idea of ​​this device came to the mind of one of the French cavalrymen - participants in the Thirty Years' War in the 1740s. Spending most of their time on horseback, they needed to sanitize parts of the body that were constantly in contact with the saddle.

It is reliably known that in Europe in the 18th century, bidets were used by both nobles and courtesans. The French king Louis XVI did not disdain them either. An object in the form of a bathtub on legs, which was accompanied by a jug of water, was usually located in the bedroom.

Only at the beginning of the twentieth century The bidet has moved to the bathroom and was equipped with a drain into the sewer. Then there were taps and a fountain at the bottom of the bowl. This model is sometimes found today.

Appearance and principle of operation

A modern unit is most often made from sanitary ware or porcelain. He is something between a toilet bowl (external outline) and a bowl in the form of a bathtub with a drain hole, leading to the sewer, which can be plugged. There is a device for supplying water on it so that the stream reaches the right places.

There are many options for its modifications, both mechanical and electronic:

• a classic valve or lever valve with a straight or curved gooseneck, mounted in the side. Water pours from it at a slight angle into the bowl, washing the contaminated areas of the sitter’s body;
• nozzles located on the rim spray streams of water upward or horizontally towards the user;
• shower head connected to the mixer with a flexible hose, fixed in close proximity to the base.

Attention! If the water flow is controlled manually, do not turn it on at full power until the temperature has been adjusted.

Who is it intended for?

It is recommended to use a bidet everyone regardless of age and gender. It makes it much easier to maintain intimate hygiene. But there are some categories of people who simply need this plumbing item. Among them:

1. Women. This is especially true during the menstrual and postpartum periods, as well as during pregnancy, especially in the later stages, when it is difficult to use the bathtub (the sides of the bowl are high, the bottom does not always have an anti-slip coating). There is a possibility of hitting, slipping, etc.
2. Kids. They need to be washed after each change of diapers, onesies or diapers so that urine and feces do not irritate the delicate skin. In a bathroom sink, a faucet with a low spout is usually not suitable for this purpose, and in the bathroom there is a risk of dropping a child, especially if he is mobile and weighs more than 5 kg.
3. Bedridden patients. They, just like small children, need wet treatment at least once a day, if, of course, it is possible to take them to the bathroom.
4. Having problems with mobility, for example, due to venous insufficiency, thrombosis, atherosclerosis, diabetes. Sore feet are often an insurmountable obstacle even to using the shower.
5. Suffering from irritable bowel syndrome and hemorrhoids. For them, toilet paper is comparable to sandpaper.
6. Elderly people.Over the years, the body accumulates a lot of toxins, so all discharge from the body (especially feces) is accompanied by a specific smell, the older you get, the more pungent it is. In addition, muscle weakness, dizziness and other age-related ailments often occur that interfere with water procedures. A bidet is the best option for them, which will help them regularly maintain cleanliness and freshness.

How to use this plumbing fixture?

There are general rules for using bidets for men and women. Necessary:

• sit on the bowl depending on which part of the intimate area needs treatment. If the bidet is with a shower head, then there is no difference at all;
• turn on the water supply, adjusting the temperature and then the pressure, or set a program for “smart” equipment;
• at the end of the ceremony, turn off the unit if this is not done automatically;
• blot wet areas with a towel, preferably a disposable one (or paper).

Attention! It is better for a woman to position herself facing the faucet or nozzle so that fecal residues do not fall into the perineum and pathogenic bacteria do not cause such an unpleasant disease as cystitis.

Types of bidets

It can be an “independent” plumbing product that performs only its main function. By design, like toilets, there are models:

• floor;
• hanging.

It is quite possible to install the first ones on your own, it is not difficult, but they require additional space (about the same as for a toilet), and this is problematic in standard apartments. Second places take up less, but their installation is more complicated, so it is better to resort to the services of professionals.

Understanding the difficulties of installing two similar units in one bathroom at once, Manufacturers often offer consumers a “two-in-one” - a toilet with a bidet function, in which you can both recover and wash. The price of such a toilet varies depending on the “filling” in the form of additional amenities.

To get by with “little blood”, you can purchase an additional accessory for the toilet, which can be installed without outside help:

• bidet pad - a device that is attached to the same holes as the lid, equipped with a mixer and a movable nozzle;
• bidet attachment - a bar with a tap with a small shower head, which is mounted to a vertical surface (wall).

This industrial life hack without any bells and whistles costs about 4 thousand rubles.

By the way! Sometimes a hygienic shower is attached to a bidet pad on the side instead of a nozzle inside the toilet.

Another option is a bidet lid (or bidet seat). It is presented in two versions: mechanical and electronic. The first one is equipped with only basic functions: adjusting temperature, pressure and direction of the jet. The second (alas, not budget) – options for increased comfort.

Additional items

If you have a certain amount of free funds, you can afford a bidet with advanced functionality:

1. The microlift on the lid guarantees a smooth lowering and not “slamming” of the seat.
2. The thermostatic regulator allows you to set the desired outlet water temperature.
3. A carbon filter purifies water, while an ionic filter both purifies and enriches it with oxygen.
4. Electronic control using a display or remote control allows you to set one or more existing programs. You can run a full cycle of all functions in the desired order, from pre-wetting to automatic “cleaning”, disinfection of the bidet, cleaning of nozzles after the end of the procedure.
5. The sensor for detecting and fixing a person on the device prevents the “idle” start of electronic bidets. The cleaning cycle begins only after the photocell is activated.
6. Heated seats will come in handy for those whose bathrooms are cool.
7. An instantaneous or hybrid water heater eliminates the “downtime” of the unit if the hot water is suddenly turned off. In houses where there is no centralized hot water supply, this is an indispensable function.
8. The “turbo” function increases the power of water supply, and the jet helps to quickly wash away all contaminants without residue.
9. The built-in hydromassage system operates in different modes: vibration, pulsation, waves.
10. The backlight is useful for users with poor vision.
11. A blow dryer eliminates the need for a towel.

What to look for when choosing?

If you decide to install a bidet at home:

• decide where to place this device so that it does not interfere with the rest of the plumbing and furniture;
• if there is enough space in the combined bathroom, you can choose a free-standing floor model; if the dimensions are small or the toilet is located separately from the bathroom, it is better to get by with a special lid or a hygienic shower head;
• provide for the supply of water and drainage to the required location;
• choose sanitary porcelain or sanitary ware, but with a high-quality, preferably water- and dirt-repellent coating;
• read the documentation carefully, ask for a quality certificate and warranty card;
• check the entire package of the product;
• if you are not sure that you can install the plumbing yourself, invite an experienced specialist;
• Before use, read the instructions, especially if it is an expensive model with remote control and additional options.

The presence of a bidet in the bathroom, according to the unanimous opinion of doctors, helps prevent the development of inflammation in the intimate area, diseases of the genitourinary system and rectum. Take care of yourself and your loved ones, because proper hygiene is the key to your long and healthy life.