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.
To be legally installed in Australia, certain plumbing and drainage products, including bidet products, must be certified through the WaterMark Certification Scheme , which is administered by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB).
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.
In the United States, bidets recalled all kinds of feminine failings: women's sexuality, women's unwanted pregnancies, and women's biology. As such, they were shunned. Meanwhile, other countries continued to embrace the bidet. As it spread into northern Europe and southern Asia, the design morphed a bit.
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.
Alternatively, bidet spray nozzles and hoses are attached to the sides of the commodes. The lota, according to Islamic rules, is held with the right hand, while the left helps pass water over the anus. The objective behind this practice, Muslims believe, is the emphasis of Islam on keeping the body adequately clean.
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.
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.
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.
Finally, many Brondell bidet seats and attachments have NozzleClean+. This is a self-cleaning feature that gives the nozzles on your bidet a sanitary rinse at the touch of a button. That way, you can have confidence that the water in your bidet is completely safe and clean to wash with.
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.
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.
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.
But, like in the US and UK, bidets aren't commonly used here in Australia.
The practise of using a bidet, has always been very popular in Europe and Asia. In Australia, bidets are not yet as commonplace as they are in Japan or Europe, but they are receiving an increasingly warm reception.
You must use a licensed plumber to install a bidet or hand sprayer in Australia, or will be placing yourself, and your neighbours, at risk from contaminated drinking water. Sewage can travel through to your drinking water supply through backflow, or back-siphonage, causing infections and diarrhoea.
If you are using the bidet properly, and if your bidet is of high quality, you should not have to use toilet paper to wipe yourself clean. A high-quality bidet will clean your backside more thoroughly than any amount of wiping. However, you may want to use a small amount of toilet paper to dry yourself.
Electronic bidet seats often come with a warm air dryer built right into the seat. All you have to do is press a button and WHOOSH—you're getting a tropical breeze on your behind. The air drying process typically takes about 2 minutes, so you can get dried and get going—no TP, no dripping, and no laundry.
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.
1. Hygiene. The top reason for investing in a bidet is that they are more hygienic than paper. If your hands get dirty, you wash them with soap and water and wouldn't dream of rubbing them with some soft paper to get the dirt off.
Try flushing the bidet and/or using the spray nozzle to see where the stream of water is coming from so you know where to position yourself. This will also help you gauge the pressure of the water so you're not in for a big surprise. The bidet is used after using the toilet.
Toilet paper is used in Japan, even by those who own toilets with bidets and washlet functions (see below). In Japan, toilet paper is thrown directly into the toilet after use. However, please be sure to put just the toilet paper provided in the toilet.
China uses over 4 billion miles of toilet paper each year – more than any other country. The average Portuguese person uses 643.36 miles of toilet paper in their lifetime – more than any other nationality. It takes 31.11 million trees each year to supply the US with toilet paper.
FYI, toilet paper is preferred across Europe, USA and many East Asian countries. Most countries in Southeast Asia, as well as parts of Southern Europe, favour the use of water.