It's Time for Americans to Get over It and Embrace the Bidet (2015)

Perceived benefits and quality-of-life changes

• Many commenters call bidets “life-changing”: feel much cleaner, less irritation, far less toilet paper, and no more “endless wiping.”
• Especially appreciated by people with more body hair or hemorrhoids, and in hot weather.
• Heated seats, warm water, dryers, and deodorizing filters on high-end models are described as major comfort upgrades.
• After regular use, going back to plain toilet paper (especially in public restrooms or travel) feels gross or inadequate to many.

Hygiene, cleanliness, and health

• Common analogy: you wouldn’t clean feces off a hand/face with just dry paper; water is more hygienic.
• Counterpoint: bidets usually don’t use soap or scrubbing, so some see them as closer to rinsing than full washing; good TP use plus regular showers may be “good enough.”
• Supporters say bidets reduce fecal residue on skin, underwear, and chairs, and reduce smell and skin irritation.
• Some note animals often stay clean without this much effort, but others respond that humans wear clothes and don’t lick themselves clean.

Practicalities: installation, cost, and models

• Electric “washlet” seats can need a nearby outlet and sometimes a dedicated circuit due to built-in water heaters.
• Many non-electric attachments are cheap (~$25–$40), easy to install on existing toilets, and rely on cold water; several users report cold water is surprisingly fine, sometimes preferable.
• There are also handheld “health faucets”/spray guns and models that mix hot and cold water if a hot line is nearby.

Usage technique and learning curve

• Aiming is typically solved within a few uses by adjusting body position or nozzle angle; more advanced units can shift the spray.
• Most users report minimal splashing outside the bowl because the body forms a seal with the seat.
• Typical routine: spray for several seconds, then use 1–5 squares of TP (or a towel) mainly to dry and confirm cleanliness.
• Some Italian-style setups use a separate bidet basin, soap, and a hand wash, then towel drying.

Sanitation and safety concerns

• Worries include dirty water on the nozzle, bacterial colonization, and aerosolizing feces.
• Responses: many devices have retractable or self-cleaning nozzles or manual clean modes; some users periodically disinfect them.
• Limited studies cited show nozzle bacteria in shared/hospital toilets; commenters consider home use risk low but not fully studied.
• Concerns about water spraying messily around the bowl are mostly described as unfounded in normal use; rare issues arise with very high-pressure handheld sprayers or accidental activation without a person seated.

Cultural barriers and adoption

• Several argue the main US barrier is unfamiliarity and lack of chances to try one; hotels and public facilities rarely offer them.
• Visitors to Japan report near-universal availability there and feel “spoiled,” then install bidets at home.
• Some find the intense focus on anal hygiene odd or unnecessary, or are simply content with showers and TP.
• A few think if bidets had a more down-to-earth or humorous name, they might have caught on more widely.
• One commenter notes that if the pandemic TP shortage didn’t trigger a US “bidet revolution,” widespread adoption may be unlikely.

Alternatives and travel solutions

• Portable bidets (squeezable bottles, collapsible devices, small electric sprayers) are used by enthusiasts while traveling.
• Handheld bidet sprayers (“bum guns,” “health faucets”) are common in some regions and double as cleaning tools.
• Some rely on “flushable” wet wipes instead, but others point out these are harmful to sewer systems.
• A TP-plus-lotion technique is suggested as a partial substitute when no bidet is available.