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Bidets are primarily used to wash and clean the external genitalia and the anus, as well as the skin near these areas, including the perineum. They may also be used to clean any other part of the body; they are very convenient for cleaning the feet, for example. Despite appearing similar to a toilet, it would be more accurate to compare it to the washbasin or bathtub. In fact, the bidet makes an excellent baby bath. Anyone who has mobility problems and finds it difficult to get into a bathtub, or is afraid of slipping in the shower, may find a bidet an excellent solution for maintaining personal hygiene.
Users who are unfamiliar with bidets often confuse a bidet with a urinal, toilet, or even a drinking fountain. The user should use the toilet before using the bidet; its purpose is to wash afterwards. It is generally understood you should sit on a bidet facing the tap and nozzle to clean the genitalia or with your back to the tap and wall to clean the anus.
Bidets are made in several different designs. They may have one tap which pours (usually warm) water into a china basin. The basin can be plugged and filled if necessary, or the water can be allowed to drain away. Other bidets have a nozzle which propels an arc of water up into the air. This jet of water is angled to easily attain the perianal and genital area.
A bidet may also be a nozzle attached to an existing toilet, or a part of the toilet itself. In this case, its use is restricted to cleaning the anus and genitals. Some bidets of this type have two nozzles, the shorter one, called the family nozzle, is used for washing the area around the anus, and the longer one (bidet nozzle) is designed for women to wash their vulvae. These bidets are often controlled electronically rather than with a traditional tap, and some have an element under the seat which heats up to dry the user after washing. These bidet toilets are becoming increasingly popular in countries like India, where use of just dry toilet paper to clean the perianal area is considered dirty and unhygienic; however, the nozzle is controlled with an external tap within the reach of the hand. Traditionally, local style squatting toilets have been more common in India and are more convenient to most Indians, especially of the lower generation. But with the rise of westernization, western style pots have started becoming more common, and the most convenient way to wash the perianal area with these pots is simply to attach a bidet nozzle.
Using a bidet is generally more hygienic than toilet paper. However, most people usually use both, wiping with toilet paper before washing with the bidet.
Bidets are very useful for the elderly or anyone with mobility problems and for people with hemorrhoids.
People usually use toilet paper or a small towel that they hung next to the bidet, and is usually changed daily, for drying.
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