Why don't Americans accept bidets?

[CTyankee]

If you have travelled in Europe or South America you have probably encountered these. I don't understand why we don't have them in the U.S. Are we just too Puritanical to see that we might need them? Are we ashamed of parts of our bodies that other people are not?

What's the matter with Americans here?

[Chan790]

1. They don't come standard...

contractors don't build houses with them installed, and most people aren't going to tear apart their house to install the plumbing for one.

[elleng]

22. That's it,

and if they were to become standard, or reasonably optional, we'd use them as do Europeans.

[SteppingRazor]

30. It would still take awhile to get Americans in the habit. My condo has a bidet.

It has never been used. In fact, as it's conveniently next to the toilet, I use it as a magazine rack ... was that too much information?

[elleng]

31. That's fine info!

I'd use it as intended, if I were so lucky!

[tigereye]

43. aha

:rofl:

that's very funny, stepping !

[Iggo]

2. I didn't think I needed...

...the hand-held shower head...until, of course, I got one. Now I can't live without it.

I suppose I could say, "I got yer bidet hangin" but that would be crude, wouldn't it?

:P

[CTyankee]

4. Not everyone has the hand held deal. So they just don't wash

"down there" if they have a standard shower (in the same way).

What a shame. You could use it for such a nice between showers "refreshment."

I just think Americans are way too uptight...

[quip]

13. Or maybe it's because they are a dumb idea. They are very limited in their application, and for

me, if you don't wash under your armpits, well, the job isn't finished. Or your hair, at some point, too. With a wand (which are SIMPLE to install on a regular shower head) you can have it all.

So forget about silly American bashing, and stop to realize that bidets are scarce because they are just stupid.

[elleng]

21. You don't have a

bottom, that might benefit from a bit of a wash between showers?

[riderinthestorm]

38. There are products like disposable baby wipes that do the same job

Without the water usage.

I think it's weird that people assume that Americans don't care or want their nether regions to be clean (enough?) Clean enough for who? And by whose standards? So there aren't skid marks on underwear? Just one skid mark? Smell factor?

What? What is the standard and why aren't baby wipes an acceptable alternative? Why is it assumed to have to be a bidet or nothing?

[quip]

40. Thank you.

[quip]

39. Well, that's the thing. Europeans shower about once a decade.

With more frequent showers, toilet paper works just fine.

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

27. Whoa...

touchy touchy.

[quip]

41. American bashing is even more insipid than lazy humor copycatting

:hide:

[Chan790]

36. Unless you're showering every time you use the can...

this argument strikes me as questionable.

If you are showering every time, I'm glad I don't get your water bill.

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

26. I dare say that

most people who don't have hand held shower heads still wash thoroughly. God, I hope so anyway. :)

[Lady Freedom]

20. You may be interested it this!

Hand held bidets are the stylish, practical and affordable solution for better hygiene care. For many years these clever attachments have been used widely around the world and only recently introduced in the USA. http://www.sanicare-hand-bidets.com/

[Deja Q]

3. Most Americans would confuse them for drinking fountains, that's why.

:hide:

[YDogg]

7. I've always envisioned one full of soap bubbles.

[China_cat]

8. My husband's cousin and a couple friends

went on a school trip to Paris. (Don't faint...it was a school in Holland)

They used the bidet in their bathroom as a large ice bucket. Packed it full to keep the wine cold.

[elleng]

23. I have a photo of my daughter,

19 now, 3 then, sitting IN one in Carcassonne hotel room!

[LanternWaste]

48. Damn you. Damn you to hell....

Dear God... why in the name of all that is holy and pure would you even suggest that particular image...? :puke:

Damn you. Damn you to hell....

[Deja Q]

50. The OP was talking about bidets. I'm just talking about water fountains.

I mean, I can't control other peoples' thoughts. :evilgrin:

[lightningandsnow]

5. My new apartment has a bidet.

I'm Canadian, and they don't seem to be common here, however, the place I'm moving to has one. Seeing as it's not really my bathroom (we have three bathrooms - one of which is near my room, but the one with the bidet isn't), I'm probably not going to be using it much.

I might use it? I dunno, it seems a little unecessary. Like, isn't wiping enough most of the time?

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[asteroid2003QQ47]

18. "Americans are so uptight about sex"

factor in stupid and you've got it!

[JCMach1]

15. Ummm, no it isn't... Washing is much better-- didn't realize that until I go out of the States

We have bidets and handwashers for the toilets here. TP always leaves me with that NOT SO FRESH feeling now.

[Squatch]

9. I wouldn't know what to do with it if I had one in the house.

Is it just a really low sink?

[derby378]

10. It's not that bidets aren't a bad idea, but we have access to baby wipes

Think of it this way. Spend $700 to get a bidet installed, or spend $5 for a pack of flushable baby wipes? Simplicity is a good thing.

[UndertheOcean]

11. Because they are more ruggid and less civilised

when WW III wipes all civilisation comforts away , Americans will be better survivors than Europeans , all because of the evil bidet.

[Generic Brad]

12. We have more drips than squirts

[Ellen Forradalom]

14. I like my sweaty privates

[drmeow]

16. Marketing

I think the reason they aren't accepted here is marketing ... but why wouldn't bibets be marketed here? My guess is ... more profit to get Americans to want to take a shower everyday than use a bibet.

[XemaSab]

17. There's a reason why the three s's are grouped together

:hide:

[Guava Jelly]

19. They are perfect for brushing your teeth

:dunce:

on edit..Who wants a kiss? :D

[Coyote_Bandit]

24. I know a couple that both a house that had a bidet

and a toilet in the master bath. They removed the bidet and installed a urinal.....

[spinbaby]

25. Who needs a bidet?

Japanese-style washlet toilet seats are much better. For one thing, they're heated. And they don't require more floor space like a bidet would.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5ChWF-DJwY

[malta blue]

28. I wish I had one.

I had one as a child in the Dominican Republic and would love to have one in my home.

[dropkickpa]

29. Having a wet ass sucks.

And I, at least, bathe daily and remembr to wash my ass at that time.

[hedgehog]

33. That's the part I never understood. So there you are, with all your clothes

and a dripping wet bum. Now what? Use the hand towels?

[Chan790]

37. It depends on how much you like your host. n/m

[dropkickpa]

47. I really want to know this, too.

Do you dry off with toilet paper? And doesn't that negate the whole purpose of a bidet? You'd end up with linty toilet papeer balls all over your ass! And if you use towels, is there a new towel for every person? If not, just ewww eww ewww ewww ewww. If so, how do you realy know someone else didn't use one first? Do you drip dry? If so, does the host provide adequate acceptable reading materials to pass the time until proper dryness is acheived? And if there's an air dryer, why would anyone in their right mind voluntarily cause the smell of hot ass to fill the room they are in? I need to know these things.

This whole thing strikes me as environmentally unfriendly.

[derby378]

51. BABY WIPES!

Preferrably flushable, environmentally-friendly baby wipes. Problem solved, no further plumbing work needed.

[Jamastiene]

32. I don't know.

I would actually love to have one.

[WinkyDink]

34. Because we shower more often?

[riderinthestorm]

35. I vote for this explanation too.

North Americans shower more often. There's some hot summer days I shower twice/day but I physically labor outside so there's that. If a person's bottom is smelly, it's a pretty sure bet their underarms, feet etc. are smelly too. It's just better to do the whole body if you ask me.

Besides if you are really concerned with the cleanliness of your bum, the disposable baby wipes have virtually eliminated any need for a bidet imho. Why install that much extra plumbing now?

edit for typos which means the cold meds are kicking in - finally!

[jobycom]

42. Why have a separate water bowl for the dog? Isn't the toilet good enough?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=25C8gmxQP-o

[driver8]

46. Ha Ha -- that's funny! I thought I had a leak someplace in my

bathroom. I kept seeing drops of water between the sink and the toilet. I could not figure out where the water was coming from and it was driving me crazy. One day, I happened to catch our dog having a little drink and also noticed where the water splashed when he was finished.

Problem solved!

[trof]

44. We only accept MasterCard.

[LynneSin]

45. I have Cottenelle - I don't need a fricking bidet

I like to keep fresh!

[Dukkha]

49. Americans already get enough smoke blown up our asses

we don't need to include water as well

[Tikki]

52. It's just harder for American's to measure.....

their urine output using the metric system.....




Tikki

[geardaddy]

53. You may as well ask most of Europe as well.

I've only encountered them in France.

[Perry Logan]

54. Maybe this is more about Americans than we want to know.

[BurtWorm]

55. Big Toilet Paper doesn't want us to know about them.

:patriot:

[RainDog]

56. just my experience

my ex is from belgium, I lived there for a bit, visited there nearly every other year for over more than a decade... and the only person I knew who had a bidet in his/her house had built a house and installed one then. been to visit in Germany and no bidets in the houses there. cannot tell you about France, but I have seen them in most all hotels in Italy, France... trying to remember where else.

they're not in lieu of a bath. they are for hygenic reasons. Ppl in Arab nations, when they first met westerners, couldn't believe how filthy they were... not using a "bidet," for instance. afaik, muslim men and women go commando on their pubes. (I cannot vouch for this in either case, just read it.)

when I was in Italy, I used the bidet to soak my feet after walking around Rome for about 7 hours solid. It was great. There was no separate shower in the br there and when you took a shower, the water went all over the place. there was a drain in the middle of a beautiful tile floor and the shower head coming out of a beautiful tile wall. this was a "european" hotel.. not one that caters to Americans, so that may not be the case in other situations, and I doubt it's the case in ppl's homes. In Belgium, ppl didnt have their showers and their toilets in the same room.

[oregonjen]

57. Have you ever seen an electric toilet in Japan?

Many features regarding bidets and also the toilet seats are heated, which is quite nice in the winter. If you Wiki, there is a pretty detailed description of these toilets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_toilets

[CBGLuthier]

58. Because americans think that

their shit doesn't stink.

[JVS]

59. I didn't see them in Europe either.