WHAT IS A BIDET
There have always been two basic means
of cleansing after a bowel movement; "Washing" and "Wiping".
Over the centuries, washing has always been the preferred method.
However, water has not always been conveniently available for
the purpose and wiping has, out of necessity, been the back-up
procedure for maintaining personal hygiene.
Read more about bathroom tissue
as well as earlier, more primitive, methods of wiping one's
rear end in the "The
History of Toilet Paper".
Bidet, pronounced Bee-Day, is a French word which originally
meant small horse or pony. The name probably
evolved from the method of using a bidet which is to straddle
it much like one would ride a pony. Originally,
bidets were essentially small portable lavatory basins that,
like the chamber pot, were usually kept in the bedroom.
Bidets were used for washing the anus, rectum, vulva, vagina,
perianal area, and genitals once or twice a day, a custom referred
to by the French as their "toilettes ".
Modern Bidets cost anywhere from around
$500 to $1,000 or more, and take up precious bathroom space.
To install one in an existing home is usually out of the question
since it requires as much space as the toilet itself.
As the rest of the World tries to catch up with the European,
Asian and Middle Eastern countries in personal hygiene habits,
the Toilet Bidet, or Washlet, is becoming increasingly popular
as a simple attachment to the existing toilet, requiring no
additional bathroom space and costing a fraction of the price
of a full bidet.
Read more about bidets and other means of washing one's private
parts in the "The History
of The Bidet"
HISTORY OF THE BIDET
There have always been two basic means
of cleansing after a bowel movement; "Washing" and "Wiping".
The use of water for ablution after bowel movements probably
dates back to before ancient Rome. However, the
earliest recorded use of a device to apply water for personal
hygiene was in "Roman Times" 2,000 years ago when a sponge on
the end of a stick was to be found in many toilet facilities
along with a brine bucket filled with s water. The
use of water to clean the anal region has long been a cultural
and religious custom in the Muslim world and the Indian subcontinent
where a cup of water would be kept next to the toilet so that
the anus could be cleaned using the left hand. When
modern plumbing systems later came about, this method was largely
replaced by hand held spray bidets - the Shattaf, Muslim Shower
or Indian Shower. The history
of Bidets, as we know them today, is referenced in French literature
as early as 1710, bidets being originally small portable lavatory
basins that, like the chamber pot, were usually kept in the
bedroom. In the early 1900s plumbing facilities had improved
and bidets were moved into the bathroom as a permanent fixture
connected to the water and drainage system. The
Bidet was installed adjacent to the toilet or water closet (commode)
and it became the custom to use a bidet for cleansing one private
parts regularly after passing urine, feces, stools and other
fecal residue, rather than just once or twice a day as was the
custom with the portable bidet. It also became popular
to clean and prepare one's body before sexual intercourse for
male/female and gay partners alike. Sex, especially
gay sex, became a more pleasant experience knowing that you
and your partner were clean. Un bidet or mon bidet, as
the French would say, was a way of life. One day,
we believe, some form of bidet will be in every home around
the World and "Wiping" will be a part of history.
HISTORY OF TOILET PAPER
We cannot say for sure when our ancestors
first began to take care regarding their personal hygiene.
At first, it was probably a simple rinsing off in a small stream
or creek. It likely wasn't too long before special attention
was being given to those parts of the body soiled during defecation.
However, water would not always have been conveniently available
so it was almost surely a case of just grabbing the nearest
broad leaf.
Voila, this was the first use of toilet
"paper" (doesn't paper
come from vegetation anyway
).
Even though "Washing" has always been
the first choice, "Wiping" was often a necessity, being the
only convenient option. The Viking Age (700AD -
1000AD) saw the use of discarded sheep's wool being used for
wiping one's buttocks and, even though Romans were using primitive
bidet devices as early as 500BC, we know that by the late "Middle
Ages" (1000AD - 1500AD) wiping was prevalent. hough
there are references to the use of paper in China as early as
589, in 1391 we have the first documented use of paper produced
solely for this purpose. By royal decree, the Bureau
of Imperial Supplies in China began producing 2' x 3' sheets
of toilet paper for use by the Imperial Court. Non-the-less,
other parts of the world lagged behind and in Colonial America
in the 1700s corn cobs were regularly being used for cleaning
one's bottom. The
first printed forerunners of the newspaper appeared in Germany
in the late 1400's. The first true newspaper
in English was the London Gazette initially published
in 1666. At the end of the US Civil War in 1783 there
were forty-three newspapers in print in America and at some
point in time the "read and wipe" era took hold around the world.
Newspaper was routinely used in the Western World, even until
quite recently in some parts of the World. In 1880,
the first use of toilet paper (sheets) in England is recorded
and in the 1920s Northern Paper Mills in the USA began production
of toilet paper in "roll" format.
Whilst the use of a bidet of some form
was common place around the world for washing after going to
the bathroom, some "civilized" countries - the U.S.A. and U.K.
in particular - found little room for the bidet in the bathroom
and the use of paper continued, even though "Washing" is clearly
more sanitary than "Wiping". Today, we are seeing a change,
except that there is simply no room to install a full bidet
in existing bathrooms and the cost of doing so is quite high.
The change comes in the form of the Toilet Bidet or Toilet Washlet,
a device that can be installed at reasonable cost in almost
any bathroom.
BIDET OR TOILET PAPER
What would you do if you were to get “doggy-do-do” on your
hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ?
Right, you would wash it off.
You wouldn’t use a piece of tissue to spread it thinly over
your hand, would you ? That wouldn’t clean it off
would it ? No, it would merely spread it more thinly
over your hand, rubbing it into the creases, crevices and the
pores of your skin. OK, so if you would wash it
off your hand, why wouldn’t you treat the more private and personal
parts of your body the same way ?
For centuries, European, Middle Eastern
and Asian countries have been using the bidet to ensure personal
hygiene, avoiding bacterial infection, soothing hemorrhoids,
providing regular personal feminine hygiene, even easing uncomfortable
irregularities such as diarrhea and constipation. In up
to 90%, or more, of the homes in many of these countries the
bidet is a standard bathroom fixture, never an optional extra,
never to be questioned. In these homes the bidet is A
WAY OF LIFE. You can now enjoy
the same benefits and refreshing, comforting spray with a Toilet
Bidet that essentially converts your water closet into a combination
toilet/bidet. You don’t need the extra bathroom space that a
bidet requires and it won’t cost you more than the cost of a
second toilet, as the full bidet would do.
It’s easy to install, usually you don’t
need a plumber, and it’s easy to use. It can be fitted
to most toilet bowls, under the existing seat, within minutes.
So why do we use toilet paper ?
Good question It's expensive - A Boston newspaper
tells us that a typical family of 4 in the USA will spend as
much as $150 a year on toilet paper, enough to buy five Toilet
Bidets. Read this article in
"The High Cost of Toilet Paper".
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WHY USE A BIDET
It has been said that wiping is not cleaning.
This is very true. The use of bathroom tissue or
toilet paper after going to the Loo or the John, as they say
in England, does not clean the same way that washing does.
The truth of it is, wiping does little more than spread the
fecal remains more thinly over the private body parts adjacent
to the anus or rectum, in fact rubbing the bacteria laden remains
into the crevices, creases and pores of the skin.
The Bidet is used for effectively cleansing one private
parts regularly after the everyday bathroom routines of urinating
and bowel movements. The use of paper for
this purpose has in fact been banned in some cultures and religions.
One newspaper article about the use of toilet paper also states
that a typical family of four in the U.S.A. can spend as much
as $150 a year on toilet tissue. Read this article
in
"The High Cost of Toilet Paper".
Bidets are also effective for women during
menstruation. Cleanliness during the monthly
period can be important and feminine hygiene is a definite benefit
of the Bidet. The Bidet offers many personal hygiene
benefits; avoiding bacterial infection; soothing hemorrhoids;
even easing uncomfortable irregularities such as diarrhea and
constipation. The Bidet is also popular for cleansing
and preparing one's body before sex by male/female and gay partners
alike, particularly when oral sex and other kinds of intimate
foreplay are anticipated. Both regular and gay sex
can both be a more pleasant experience knowing that you and
your partner are clean.
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WHO USES BIDETS
Who uses Bidets ? Where can Bidets be found around
the World ?
Bidets are commonly associated with France. However,
bidets and similar devices have been in use in many other parts
of the World for many decades as well as in France.
Bidets are often found in bathroom facilities throughout Europe
and Asia as well many parts of Latin America. In
countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Argentina,
Brazil, Panama and Uruguay, el bidet is common.
In nations such as India, Pakistan,
Thailand, Korea and many countries in the Middle East a similar
device is traditional. This is the hand held bidet
spray, a flexible hose connected to the water supply with a
spray nozzle on the end, somewhat similar to a kitchen sink
sprayer or portable bath shower.
In Japan, the Complete Toilet Bidet Seat
is becoming very popular. This device, like the
simple Toilet Washlet Adapter, can be attached to almost any
conventional toilet bowl. It is a toilet seat that
combines two or more nozzles with numerous other features such
as a medication reservoir, a warm air dryer, heated seat, wireless
remote control . . . the list goes on and on.
The cost can run $5,000 or more. Toto, one of the
largest companies of its kind, produces a number of such models.
You can read more about hand-held sprays and toilet bidet
seats in FAQ - "Types of Bidet"
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WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIDETS
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WHAT IS A TOILET BIDET
The use of bathroom or toilet tissue
has been traditionally used for centuries around the World.
The hand held spray is also a tradition in many countries.
However, neither toilet paper nor hand-held spray bidets are
as convenient and clean as a Toilet Bidet is.
The Toilet Bidet or Bidet Adapter
is simply a device that, in essence, converts a toilet, water
closet or commode into a combination Toilet/Bidet.
The Toilet Bidet is a relatively inexpensive toilet accessory
that can be as simple as a handheld shower spray or a device
that is either mounted under the toilet seat or actually replaces
the toilet seat. Japan has become a leader in the
design of bidet attachments and the washlet bidet covers a wide
range of products from simple washlet toilet adapters to complex
toilet bidet devices, bidet seats, toilet attachments, bidet
combos and complete heh and hygiene maintenance and monitoring
devices with electronic remote controls that control the function
of the bidet components such as temperature controlled hot,
cold and warm water sprays, stationary, pulsating and oscillating
nozzles, heated toilet seats, toilet seats with hydraulic cushioned
lids (softclose seats), soap and medicinal chambers for
introducing additives to the water for feminine hygiene, bacteria
and deoderizer control purposes as well as treatments for hemorrhoids,
diarrhea and constipation concerns. Many of these
top of the line washlet bidets also have hot air dryers built
to deliver warm air for drying after use.
WHAT IS A HAND HELD BIDET
What is a hand held Bidet ?
The handheld bidet, or washlet wand, is a slender spray unit
with an integral built in "on-off" lever.
It is connected to a water supply by a plastic or stainless
flexible hose similar to a portable bath shower hose and is
usually kept in a bracket or clip mounted on the wall or on
a cabinet adjacent to the toilet. The
hand-held bidet, sometimes called a Shattaf or Muslim Shower
in Middle Eastern countries, is also simply called a hand held
spray or Indian Shower in many other countries.
In many parts of the World it is a religious requirement also.
The Shattaf, Muslim and Indian Showers satisfy their logical
use as well as the teachings of Islam that require Istinja,
the washing of private parts with clean water after passing
out urine and stool. The use of paper has been,
to a large degree, forbidden.
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TOILET OR HAND-HELD BIDETS
Should you buy a Toilet Bidet or a Hand
Held Bidet ? The choice may be simply
personal or tradition. The hand-held bathroom/toilet spray
is a traditional fixture in many Middle Eastern and Asian countries.
In many parts of the World it is a religious requirement also.
The Shattaf, Muslim and Indian Showers satisfy their logical
use as well as the teachings of Islam that require Istinja,
the washing of private parts with clean water after passing
out urine and stool. The use of paper has been,
to a large degree, forbidden.
Tradition is not easily changed. However, the use
of hand-held sprays may not be as convenient and clean as a
Bidet Adapter is. No longer is it necessary to manipulate
your posture whilst seated to suitably position the hand-held
spray. Nor is splashing and spillage of excess water
over the bathroom floor to be considered acceptable.
Thus the need to wash down and clean the bathroom floor on a
daily basis is no longer required. The use of paper
is also rapidly becoming an expensive and inefficient way of
trying to maintain personal cleanliness.
The Toilet Bidet Adapter easily cleans
both rectal and vaginal areas with a minimum of movement on
the user's part. Suitable bathroom tissue can still
be used, particularly by a female, to gently dry moist parts
after using the bidet, if desired. The Toilet Bidet
water discharge is adjustable from a gentle spray to a stronger
jet using the conveniently located control handle and can therefore
be used not just to clean but to encourage the passing of stools
also as an enema would do. It has been found to
relieve diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids and bacterial infection
as well as pleasantly facilitate feminine hygiene and personal
cleanliness for men and women.
As one of our customers has put it: "you won't believe it
until you try it !"
WHAT IS A WASHLET
What are Washlets ? Washlet
is a term probably coined by Toto of Japan and used to describe
many of their Toilet Bidet products. It is rapidly
becoming a generic name for the Toilet Bidet just as "Hoover"
did for vacuum cleaners and "Kleenex" has for tissue, to mention
just a couple. Their products include, among others,
the Toto Zoe Washlet and the Toto Jasmine Washlet.
If it's a Washlet that you're looking
for, please consider a Toilet Bidet from BIDETS4SALE.COM.
Our customers will tell you: you won't be disappointed.
WHAT IS A MUSLIM SHOWER
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WHAT IS AN INDIAN SHOWER
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WHAT IS A SHATTAF
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WHO MAKES BIDETS
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WHO MAKES TOILET BIDETS
Who manufactures and sells Toilet Bidets
? We at BIDETS4SALE.COM,
our North American distributor, Bidet Ole, Inc., and our other
distributors around the World want you to look at all the ernative
manufacturers and suppliers of bidet toilets and washlet toilets
available to you before you buy from us.
There are many excellent products out
there and you should definitely look at products from Bidet.com,
BidetUSA, Bemis, Gobidet, Bio-Bidet, LePetitBidet, Sanicare,
Coco, Sandman, Bidanit, Cleanbutt, American Standard, Crane,
Kohler, to name but a few, before you consider buying one of
our products Quality products
are also produced by companies such as Bidet-O-Let, Cleanrite,
Spaloo, Hyjet, BioBidet, Biffy-Bidet, MrBidet, MrsBidet, Magicjohn,
Juscuzz, Hyundae, Daewon, AmericanBidet and WhiteBidet.
Perhaps the best known manufacturer
of toilet bidets is Toto, in Japan - TotoUSA in North America.
They produce the Toto Washlet, Toto Chloe Washlet, Toto Jasmin
Washlet, Toto Zoe Washlet, Toto Jasmine Washlet, as well as
many other innovative products.
The Toilet Bidet or Bidet Adapter is
simply a device that, in essence, converts a toilet into a combination
Toilet/Bidet. The Toilet Bidet is a relatively inexpensive
toilet accessory that can be as simple as a handheld shower
spray or a device that is either mounted under the toilet seat
or actually replaces the toilet seat. The
Toilet or Washlet Bidet covers a wide range of products from
simple washlet toilet adapters to complex toilet bidet seats
with such features as temperature controlled hot, cold and warm
water sprays, stationary, pulsating and oscillating nozzles,
heated seats, toilet seats with hydraulic cushioned lids (softclose
seats), soap and medicinal chambers for introducing additives
to the water for feminine hygiene, bacteria and deoderizer control.
Perhaps the best known company producing Toilet Bidets is Toto
in Japan - TotoUSA in North America. They produce
the Toto Washlet, Toto Chloe Washlet, Toto Jasmin Washlet, as
well as many other innovative products
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THE HIGH COST OF TOILET PAPER
According to the Boston Patriot Ledger,
a typical family of four in the U.S.A. can spend as much as
$150 a year on toilet tissue. Click on this link
to read the newspaper article from the
Boston Patriot Ledger
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OTHER USES FOR TOILET PAPER
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