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Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

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Re: Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

#91

Post by dsfyu404ed »

magduf wrote: post #74
BubRoss wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you concerned about the hose to your tank leaking? What about the rest of your plumbing? Wrap teflon tape around the threads in the direction you will be screwing the connection on three times. Tighten with a wrench. If you are really paranoid, use pipe thread sealant after the teflon tape.

NO, DO NOT DO THIS!!! Compression fittings in plumbing must NOT have any teflon tape on the threads. This just causes leaks. Teflon tape is for fittings where the threads are the sealing surface. Compression fittings do not seal with the threads; the threads only provide compressive force.

Your comment is what every textbook says and it's not wrong for ideal conditions.

Meanwhile in the field you come across a boogered up fitting line that leaks, you slap some tape on the threads, the nut seals to the ferrule, the ferrule seals to the tube and the tape seals the threads.

It's not "right" but it works well enough often enough that people do it.

Re: Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

#92

Post by ph2082 »

Someone1234 wrote: post #88
ph2082 wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Spray/Jet is best. Required some plumbing and fitting jet between toilet sheet. All you need to do is turn on the knob. No recurring cost of toilet paper.

I use TP with my bidet. Unless you want swamp butt, you have to. I use LESS, but there's certainly still a hard requirement.

Yep TP is required, but less compared to not using.

Re: Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

#93

Post by magduf »

dsfyu404ed wrote: post #91
magduf wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

NO, DO NOT DO THIS!!! Compression fittings in plumbing must NOT have any teflon tape on the threads. This just causes leaks. Teflon tape is for fittings where the threads are the sealing surface. Compression fittings do not seal with the threads; the threads only provide compressive force.

Your comment is what every textbook says and it's not wrong for ideal conditions. Meanwhile in the field you come across a boogered up fitting line that leaks, you slap some tape on the threads, the nut seals to the ferrule, the ferrule seals to the tube and the tape seals the threads. It's not "right" but it works well enough often enough that people do it.

Instead of half-assing it, if it's "boogered up" and leaks, the fittings should be replaced.

Re: Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

#94

Post by geggam »

Frost1x wrote: post #39
LyndsySimon wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had to run a new electrical outlet for mine; plumbing a new line for it wouldn’t have been any more difficult.

This is the one issue that's stopped me. Most these attachments connect to the toilet's water supply, which is fine, except most toilet water supplies only provide cold (i.e. whatever the ambient water temperature happens to be) water which to me, is far from ideal in a bidet (it's fine for normal use though). Running hot water there is a significant undertaking if done correctly, so most options come with a small re…

Living in AZ all summer long you have heated water for cold. The metal tanks sitting on top of mountains are great water heaters.

During the winter its a bit colder but still nothing like the well water back in the midwest. Well water bidet would cause hypothermia to your anus

Re: Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

#95

Post by [deleted] »

Causality1 wrote: post #10
someonehere wrote: post #3

I love my Hello Tushy. Combine that with one of those Charmin Forever Rolls and you will have a roll that lasts months. While people are out fighting for TP, I rinse myself and use two or three pieces to dry off and that’s it. Nice and clean!

I like the concept but I admit to not really understanding how they work in practice. For the in-toilet ones, how do you aim them? Just scooting around? They don't dribble poop-water down your cheeks? The handheld ones just baffle me. How do you get them in place and spread your cheeks at the same time? I feel like I'm going to need a stack of wet-wipes and a disposable towel the first time I actually use a bidet.

[deleted]

Re: Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

#96

Post by v64 »

zwily wrote: post #18
Causality1 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like the concept but I admit to not really understanding how they work in practice. For the in-toilet ones, how do you aim them? Just scooting around? They don't dribble poop-water down your cheeks? The handheld ones just baffle me. How do you get them in place and spread your cheeks at the same time? I feel like I'm going to need a stack of wet-wipes and a disposable towel the first time I actually use a bidet.

You'll figure it out, and you'll kick yourself for not having done it sooner. It's all much easier than you're imagining. I had the same concerns, and am a complete convert now.

At the risk of sounding naive, help me figure out what I'm missing then. I had the opportunity to use a built in style bidet when I visited Japan, and after a few days of trying, I could not figure out how to clean myself with it. There was always some residue left that had to be toilet papered off.

Are you expected to use your hand to clean like you would in the shower? Because that's never been made clear to me and what I've read online says to just let the water splash on you then dry it off with a towel, which doesn't seem sanitary at all to me.

Edit: Reading through the thread has been helpful. I've always had bidets pitched to me as a toilet paper replacement, but the comments here indicate it's something to be used after wiping, not in lieu of.

Re: Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

#97

Post by Someone1234 »

Causality1 wrote: post #10
someonehere wrote: post #3

I love my Hello Tushy. Combine that with one of those Charmin Forever Rolls and you will have a roll that lasts months. While people are out fighting for TP, I rinse myself and use two or three pieces to dry off and that’s it. Nice and clean!

I like the concept but I admit to not really understanding how they work in practice. For the in-toilet ones, how do you aim them? Just scooting around? They don't dribble poop-water down your cheeks? The handheld ones just baffle me. How do you get them in place and spread your cheeks at the same time? I feel like I'm going to need a stack of wet-wipes and a disposable towel the first time I actually use a bidet.

They shoot in one direction, you aim your body at them/seat hover.

Wait a few seconds to let the dripping stop then use regular Toilet Paper to dab dry. Don't use a re-usable towel like the other commentator suggested, gross.

Re: Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

#99

Post by [deleted] »

zeveb wrote: post #89
say_it_as_it_is wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your butt goes deep enough into the chasm that splash only falls into the bowl, never outside. If it does, you're doing it wrong.

But how do you achieve that with those hand-sprayers? And don't droplets of black water fall all over one's hands and the sprayer when doing so? The whole thing just seems awful to me. I know, I know: I am the ignorant one. The rest of the world seems very happy with them. But I just can't figure out how to use one in a sanitary fashion.

[deleted]

Re: Has the bidet's time in North America finally arrived?

#100

Post by v64 »

wuunderbar wrote: post #80
latchkey wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You only need a regular towel to dry off, since now you're actually clean instead of just smearing poop around until the paper kind of looks clean. Unless of course you have microscopic eyesight.

Hold up. Clean doesn't mean sanitized. You don't want a regular towel with fecal bacteria sitting around.

Yes, this is how I feel about it as well, but apparently it's a norm. Individuals will have their own unshared bidet towel in the bathroom that they'll use afterwards.
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