Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why Don't Americans Use Bidets?

theatlantic.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 99 posts

Re: Why Don't Americans Use Bidets?

#41

Post by cenkozan »

dqv wrote: post #30

Bidets rock. I've had one for years - I didn't have to worry about a toilet paper shortage. The only problem is not many people have them, so going to the bathroom elsewhere isn't as comfortable. I think Muslims have bidets as part of standard hygiene, but I could be wrong. If it is true, I need more Muslim friends :)

It's true in Turkey. Never seen a toilet without integrated bidet there. Since I moved from there, it became a common reoccurence that colleagues returning from toilet smelling poo. Yikes...

Re: Why Don't Americans Use Bidets?

#43

Post by OminousWeapons »

publicola1990 wrote: post #21

There is lot of modern technology/appliances that Americans strangely refuse to adopt, induction cooktops and combination washer-dryer washing machines for example..

Having used both induction cooktops and gas burners for years, you can pry my gas range knobs from my cold dead hands. Induction cooktops create a set of constrains on use that gas ranges don't have.

Re: Why Don't Americans Use Bidets?

#44

Post by stevehawk »

sgc wrote: post #25
sfeng wrote: post #14

I’ve shifted from the cheap bidet attachments on Amazon to the $300 Toto which includes both heated seat and water. It’s phenomenal, to the point that I added two new electrical outlets to my house to accommodate them. Particularly with the toilet paper ‘shortage’ it’s wild to me that so many people still waste their time and money using paper.

I don't understand the TP thing. You need to dry up with TP anyways. I certainly don't want an integrated seat that gets filthy with splash back when somebody takes a dump. I can understand the wands more, but still they risk getting very dirty from various users with various skill levels. We use wet wipes which is not ideal ecologically, but a bidet risks being far dirtier than a shopping cart handle and we conserve…

i hope you're not flushing the wet wipes and contributing to the fatberg problem or risking your own plumbing.

Re: Why Don't Americans Use Bidets?

#45

Post by asidiali »

dqv wrote: post #30

Bidets rock. I've had one for years - I didn't have to worry about a toilet paper shortage. The only problem is not many people have them, so going to the bathroom elsewhere isn't as comfortable. I think Muslims have bidets as part of standard hygiene, but I could be wrong. If it is true, I need more Muslim friends :)

Can confirm, as part of the wudu or pre-prayer washing ritual, you are required to rinse your privates with water if you have not done so or used the restroom since your last prayer. Often times this is done with a bidet. Watering pots are also common :D

Re: Why Don't Americans Use Bidets?

#47

Post by texaswhizzle »

sgc wrote: post #25
sfeng wrote: post #14

I’ve shifted from the cheap bidet attachments on Amazon to the $300 Toto which includes both heated seat and water. It’s phenomenal, to the point that I added two new electrical outlets to my house to accommodate them. Particularly with the toilet paper ‘shortage’ it’s wild to me that so many people still waste their time and money using paper.

I don't understand the TP thing. You need to dry up with TP anyways. I certainly don't want an integrated seat that gets filthy with splash back when somebody takes a dump. I can understand the wands more, but still they risk getting very dirty from various users with various skill levels. We use wet wipes which is not ideal ecologically, but a bidet risks being far dirtier than a shopping cart handle and we conserve…

Don’t touch the bidet with your hands? The nozzle and water are clean. Not sure what you’re worried about there.

Re: Why Don't Americans Use Bidets?

#49

Post by throwaway879 »

Flushable Wipes.

I used bidets growing up (discrete unit as well as seat integrated) and 99% of the time it worked but the 1% of the time when someone's poop got stuck to the fountain head/tube was enough to turn me off. However, wiping your anus with dry toilet paper, especially if you're a grown adult with a hairy anus, is bound to leave your own poop smear on your own anus, so these days i use flushable wipes. Works too if you're using a porta potti - just carry flushable wipes with you.

Post reply on HN