Why Americans don’t use bidets – and why they should start

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

Whether it’s the metric system, celsius or universal healthcare, we Americans are used to shunning the way Europeans do things. But why don’t more Americans use bidets? And – more importantly – should we?

Our bathroom habits may be deeply entrenched, but perhaps it’s time we decide if we really are on the right side of this bathroom battle. 

While humans have been using water to clean themselves up “down there” for millennia, the earliest recognizable bidet didn’t appear until the 17th century. Much like the Etch-a-Sketch, we can thank the French for this invention. 

And it’s not just Europeans who have embraced their use. Bidets are prevalent in many Islamic, Hindu, and Catholic communities, where religious customs have long encouraged their spread.

Many Asian countries, like South Korea and Japan, have overwhelmingly adopted them. And if you find yourself longing for that Tuscan villa you saw on House Hunters International, you should know that bidets are mandatory in countries like Italy and Portugal. 

Bidet in the USA

Early bidets were merely porcelain bowls of water set into chairs, but bidets have come a long way from their humble origins.

Some top bidets even offer perks like heated seats, unlimited warm water, auto flushing and air dryers.  

Why, then, have we been so slow to adopt them stateside? The answer is likely two-fold. During World War II, many soldiers were exposed to European culture for the first time – and most were far from impressed.

Thatch-covered houses dotted the countryside, and in rural France, the ox was still more prevalent than the tractor. These initial impressions led many G.I.s to view anything related to Europe—including the bidet—as dirty or backward. 

At best, many soldiers found Europe primitive in comparison to the boom of technological advances happening in the states.

They brought this misconception back home with them after the war’s end. Combined with Americans’ hesitancy to discuss anything related to their nether regions (further demonstrated here by my use of the term “nether regions”), the bidet was slow to catch on in the states.   

Waving Goodbye to Toilet Paper

Fortunately, attitudes have steadily changed as more Americans recognize the advantages of modern bidets over plain toilet paper.

To start, they’re more eco-friendly. This may seem counterintuitive since a bidet uses water to get you clean, but on average, the United States needs to cut down more than 31 million trees per year to satisfy our toilet paper cravings.

When you factor in the water needed for those trees and the emissions resulting from production, transport etc., it’s clear that bidets come out on top. 

While the initial upfront cost of a bidet is more than you’ll spend on a single pack, the average American drops almost $200 per year on toilet paper.

For families, that number can quickly climb. Given this, a bidet can easily pay for itself in less than a year. And it would be best if you admitted that it would be nice not to wrestle with that 30-pack of toilet paper from Costco every month.

Bidets are also better for your health than toilet paper alone. Think about it: If you’ve ever changed a baby’s diaper and accidentally made contact with what’s inside, you’d likely use more than just a dry piece of paper to clean yourself up.

The same is true for your own posterior. Not only do bidets help limit the spread of germs, but they can also help relieve symptoms associated with hemorrhoids and UTIs.

Some bidets even have an enema function that can help if you’re dealing with chronic constipation or IBS.

The Future of Bidets 

Bathroom customs may be deeply ingrained in the American mindset, but are attitudes finally beginning to change on the bidet?

The numbers say so! Over the last few years, bidets have steadily gained popularity in the United States, with sales growing by more than 20 percent year-over-year since 2020.

As more and more people begin to realize the benefits of bidet ownership, they’ll no longer be relegated to the category of “exotic bathroom fixtures.” 

Another boon for bidets: As the baby boomer generation begins to retire, questions about “future-proofing” homes come to the forefront. For those who suffer from limited mobility or injury, a bidet can be essential to regaining freedom and maintaining independence in the bathroom.

Plus, with increasing awareness of the importance of hygiene in our post-pandemic world, bidets are perfectly primed to become an integral part of life in the United States.

The good news? With the innovations in the bidet market, many models are so sleek that not even the most discerning eye would be able to tell the difference between a normal toilet or toilet seat and its more functional counterpart.

Bidets have evolved from a bowl in a chair to a sleek accent for modern spaces.

With their innovative – and sometimes even surprising – features, modern bidets can satisfy just about every need and preference.

Even the most novice DIYer can have a bidet seat up and running in less than 30 minutes.

Resources abound to get you started on your bidet journey, so what are you waiting for? Once you make the switch, you’ll wonder why it took Americans so long to catch on!

What are your thoughts on the growing popularity of bidets in the U.S.? Do you think it’s time for Americans to embrace this eco-friendly and hygienic bathroom fixture? Share your opinions in the comments below!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. However, our opinions, reviews, and other editorial content are not influenced by the sponsorship and remain objective.

Guest Author: A.E. Colson / Sponsored