# Ladies: What good is a bidet, nowadays? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 21, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024 "2006-12-21T04:29:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/1 "2006-12-21T04:29:33Z")
I mean, it seems to me like it would only really be useful in a time and place where women do not have access to the facilities for daily hot baths/showers. (And **very** useful and valued there!) Which might explain why bidets are so rare in America. Has it any other practical value? ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/2 "2006-12-21T05:17:04Z")
Bidets aren’t just for ladies. They are also used to wash around the anus in place of or in combination with toilet paper. Much appreciated by hemorrhoid sufferers. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/3 "2006-12-21T05:30:41Z")
OK, I’ve been wondering something for a while now, and I’m going to hide it here in this thread where I can pretend I never posted it. I’m going to spoiler it, because it might be TMI-y. It’s a question to men about the probablity of one reason men might need a bidet (or at least, that’s how I’m justifying the question in this thread): Do men ever get feces on their scrotums? I ask because of course the little boys in diapers that I babysit do, and it’s really hard to get off of the underside - the skin forms almost a divot in the center bottom of the scrotum when wiped with a diaper wipe. If it happens while moving your bowels on a toilet, how on earth can you clean that off with only toilet paper? As for the OP, I’ve never used a bidet, but I used a sitz bath (basically a squirt bottle filled with warm water) after giving birth (both the time I delivered vaginally, and after the c-section) and it was very, very nice. If I owned a home and had the money, I’d consider installing a bidet. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/4 "2006-12-21T05:47:15Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] OK, I’ve been wondering something for a while now, and I’m going to hide it here in this thread where I can pretend I never posted it. I’m going to spoiler it, because it might be TMI-y. It’s a question to men about the probablity of one reason men might need a bidet (or at least, that’s how I’m justifying the question in this thread): [/QUOTE] Gah. No. I’ve never even heard of that being a problem. Maybe if you had violent projectile diarrhea while doing a headstand or something. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/5 "2006-12-21T06:27:05Z")
No, **WhyNot** , that never, ever has happened to me. Ever. Trust me on this one. Babies are different; everything’s all mushing around in there. ---
**Author:** ![Spidey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Spidey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spidey)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/6 "2006-12-21T06:34:35Z")
There’s the old argument, “would you only use a piece of paper to clean poop off of your arm?”. I think bidets are useful for anyone who is interested in removing the brown with a bit more assuredness. You don’t really feel like taking a shower every time you drop a log, especially if you’re not at home. The bidet is useful for an impromptu cleaning of all nether regions, whether you be man or woman. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/7 "2006-12-21T07:38:54Z")
Another “no” WhyNot - I have never heard anyone complain of this. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/8 "2006-12-21T07:49:35Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Do men ever get feces on their scrotums? [/QUOTE] Recently I started working at a decorative plumbing store. In the bathroom we have a bidet toilet seat. It’s wonderful. Heated seat (Mmmmmm), rear wash (two settings), front wash, etc. So after I stand up from a rear wash there is fecal matter all over the bowl. I can’t help but think it also sprayed that stuff all over my ball sack. Though I dry , despite the ‘Air Dry’ function (with no… um, residue), I still feel that, yeah, I got some on my scrotum. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/9 "2006-12-21T08:29:18Z")
I think they are mainly used for masturbation and as a supplemental water dish for the family dog these days. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/10 "2006-12-21T08:48:08Z")
My grandma used them as an antibaby method. While she hasn’t been at risk of pregnancy for decades, she still washes “piecemeal like cats”; I think it may be a leftover from having been born at a time when water had to be carried up in bowls from the fountain in the street. Both Mom and SiL have hemorroids and use it a lot. I never use it. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/11 "2006-12-21T09:38:22Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] My grandma used them as an antibaby method. [/QUOTE] And, uh, how many aunts and uncles do you have again? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/12 "2006-12-21T09:59:40Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] And, uh, how many aunts and uncles do you have again? 😉 [/QUOTE] Aunt Lolita, dead at age 3. Mom. Aunt Lolita. No abortions, provoked or natural. So 3 pregnancies total. Her younger sister: two pregnancies (one girl, one spontaneous abortion), used condoms. Elder sister: shotgun marriage, 6 girls followed by a dozen provoked abortions, then the mdiwife told her “I’m sick of you putting yourself, me and my other patients at risk, I’ve told you of ways you can keep from getting pregnant, I’ve given your name to all other midwives in town and I don’t want to see you again unless you’re at 9 months”, followed by 6 more girls and 2 boys. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/13 "2006-12-21T13:45:10Z")
Thanks for the answers, guys! That’s one of those disgusting weird questions that’s been lurking on my mind for far too long. I’m glad I can forget about it. And, uh…masturbatory? Really? I never knew that. I may have to…uh…do a little product research… ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/14 "2006-12-21T14:22:14Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] And, uh…masturbatory? Really? I never knew that. I may have to…uh…do a little product research… [/QUOTE] Only if the water’s warm. Guys, right? ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/15 "2006-12-21T14:54:14Z")
Toilet paper only cleans so well. I like a good bidet washing for that extra clean feeling of the nether regions. **DNFTHypothetical** I’ve never had that experience with a bidet. After wiping thoroughly with TP, I took advantage of the hotel’s bidet and saw no mess at all in the bowl afterwards. Maybe the bidet you tried had some serious firehose-spray setting. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/16 "2006-12-21T15:07:29Z")
**WhyNot** , because no! Maybe in orbit but not on earth. At any rate, our bidet is a fantastic magazine holder. It is a bit of pain to clean as it seems to catch every hair we shed, but it is really worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/17 "2006-12-21T15:15:16Z")
**Whynot,** no, as indicated above. However, excessive body hair may be an issue for some guys. I’m just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/18 "2006-12-21T15:28:33Z")
No bidet in our household, but WetWipes serve the same function, ie getting the area squeaky clean. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/19 "2006-12-21T15:30:25Z")
I really wish I had one. (Female here) It’d be alot more environmentally friendly than all of the baby wipes I go through now. In spite of showering daily, I think taking a dump requires more than just a few swipes with TP to effectively clean one’s ass. Yeah, I’m OCD about my nether regions. Very OCD. ---
**Author:** ![InappropriateHumor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb8c5e/32.png) [@InappropriateHumor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InappropriateHumor)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024/20 "2006-12-21T15:38:35Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] No bidet in our household, but WetWipes serve the same function, ie getting the area squeaky clean. [/QUOTE] I second this statement. They make some nifty flushable moist wipes nowadays. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-what-good-is-a-bidet-nowadays/385024.md?page=2)