Challenging Bidet Assumptions

Admit it. It's a word that make you snicker. You couldn't possibly be expected to have an adult conversation about a bidet. I say stop blushing and discover the utility of these little guys (I'm not quite sure why I've gendered them male)! Bidets are commonly found in Italian bathrooms, and yes, they were perhaps invented with a particular function in mind, but I shall attest to the fact that they are more than they seem to prudish (U.S.) Americans.

I spend a lot of time walking in Rome, and I sincerely enjoy it. The Eternal City is very pedestrian friendly (although one must be vigilantly on the lookout for scooters, buses, taxis, and Smart Cars when crossing the street). The best part about all of the walking: it's the sole reason that I feel no shame about eating gelato on an almost daily basis. Anyway, the point is that my sandal-clad feet tend to get a little dirty after a day's worth of walking around the city, and I hate to get into bed with dirty feet. No worries, though, for the bidet is great for doing the pre-lights out foot rinse. You laugh, but it's super convenient.

Bidets are also useful in terms of conserving bathing water. Rather than running the shower each morning or filling up the bathtub, some folks prefer to go the bidet route and use it as a wash basin. There is also plenty of information online about the bidet's functionality for elderly and/or disabled persons, for whom the bath tub/shower experience may not be feasible. Many sources note the (U.S.) American dissonance regarding their obsession with cleanliness and their simultaneous revulsion toward the bidet, which is considered elsewhere to be a means to achieving good hygiene.

The photo above is the bidet in our swanky bathroom at our hotel in Sorrento. I washed my feet in it after a day of traipsing about Southern Italy. Here's an online history about the subject. Still afraid of bidets?