It can be daunting when you travel to a foreign country and are faced with a new way of doing things, especially when it comes to using the toilet.
But don’t worry, with a little practice you’ll be able to use the Western toilet like a pro! Here’s how:
Why Western Toilets Don’t Have a Bidet Shower?
A bidet shower was believed to first appear in France in the 1700s. Since then, bidet showers have found their way into several homes. This means that bidet showers have been around for more than 300 years.
Though the bidet shower has been in use in most standard toilets, the Westerns (Americans) don’t use it in their toilets. Do you wonder why western toilets don’t have a bidet shower?
Using a bidet shower is much cleaner and environmentally friendlier than using toilet paper. Installing one can also lower your spending on toilet paper significantly. However, here are a few reasons why bidet showers haven’t caught on in the western toilets yet:
Please note that these are not definitive answers as to why Western toilets don’t have a bidet shower, but they are possible contributing factors.
Disdain for French Culture
The first reason why the Westerns don’t care to have a bidet shower in their toilet resulted from the disdain they have for French culture.
History has it that during the 18th century, the British had disdain for the French aristocracy as well as its hedonistic and decadent lifestyle.
Since the lifestyle of early American colonials was highly shaped by British custom, it’s normal to believe that these colonials adopted this “sentiment” into their culture.
Connection with Immorality
Another likely reason why the Westerns haven’t “intentionally” caught on to the idea of bidet showers is the connection they feel bidet showers have with immorality. This idea developed from the experience they had during World War II.
During the war, many American soldiers saw bidet showers in French brothels. This gave birth to – or perpetuated – the idea that bidet showers are somewhat connected with immorality (sex work).
In the 1960s when Arnold Cohen tried to introduce bidets to the Americans, it was too late for him to defeat the notion.
Habit
Perhaps, due to the two reasons above, most Westerners grew up using toilet paper. While some may not know of any other way to clean after using the toilet, it has become habitual for some to use toilet paper.
Structural Design
Some Western toilets aren’t built to support bidet showers. In most Western toilets, there is limited space to accommodate bidet fixtures.
Process of Cleaning with a Bidet Shower
Cleaning with a bidet shower requires you to use your bare hands to wipe or wash the waste off your butt while you spray water from the bidet shower. Toilet paper, on the other hand, acts as a shield between your hand and butt.
While non-westerns consider using toilet paper to clean as weird and unhygienic, an average American finds this act of washing off their waste with bare hands disgusting or irritating.
These are the likely reasons why you will hardly find a bidet shower in Western toilets.
How to Wash in Western Toilet with Water?
If it’s your first time using a western toilet, washing with water in a western toilet may seem like a nightmare. Here is how to wash your butt in a western toilet with water:
Using a Bucket and Small Bowl
This practice is common with toilets without a bidet shower. Get a bucket filled with water and a small bowl suitable for scooping water. Place the bucket of water somewhere in the toilet.
After emptying your bowel and you’re ready to wash, take some water with the small bowl using your right hand.
With your left hand, wipe/wash away the waste from your butt as you pour water where needed. Wash until you don’t feel any waste on your butt and hand.
Be careful not to contaminate the bowl. Don’t allow the bowl to touch your butt and don’t touch the bowl with the same hand you washed with. Stand up from the bidet toilet and give your hand a thorough cleaning with soap and water.
In case you find yourself in a situation where you can’t lay your hands on a bucket of water, you can also use the PET bottle.
Fill the bottle with water to wash your butt. If necessary, make a small hole in the cap to eject water more efficiently.
Using a Bum Gum
A bum gun is similar to a bidet shower just that it jets out water at a higher pressure than the bidet shower.
When you squeeze the trigger, the water comes out with a high force that you don’t need to wash your butt with your hand. This method is effective and hygienic.
Using a Bidet Shower Attachment
While western toilet doesn’t usually come with bidet showers, you can certainly install one for your convenience.
If you are in a rented house, you can install portable showers as well to avoid messing with original fixtures. Here’s how you can use that-
Similar to how the bathroom shower works, a bidet shower sprays water on your hand and butt as you wash.
However, using a bidet shower is slightly different. Follow the steps below to wash in a western toilet using a bidet shower:
- Before using the toilet, turn on the on-off valve to supply water to the bidet shower. Squeeze the trigger and check that the bidet shower is working at the right pressure to avoid an unpleasant surprise.
- Sit on the toilet bowl and empty your bowel
- Grab the bidet shower and position it where it suits you. Some people prefer to place it in the front in between the legs while some prefer to use it from behind. Using the bidet shower from behind is better because it allows the wastewater to fall into the toilet bowl instead of your hand.
- Once you’ve placed it in the right position, squeeze the trigger gently to spray out water on your bum as you wash. Spray water and wash until you no longer feel the waste.
- If you wish, use a towel to dry your butt.
- Get up from the bowl and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before dressing up.
- After that, turn off the on-off valve.
The only drawback with washing in a western toilet with water is that it keeps your butt wet. However, this is not an issue. You can always dry yourself with a towel, paper tissue, or cloth.
Conclusion
There you have it, a complete guide on how to wash in a western toilet with water. Washing with water is the most effective and hygienic way to clean your butt.
If you can’t lay your hands on a bidet shower, you can use a bucket of water or PET bottle. Thanks for reading!