to be bewildered by bidets?

[ttalloo]

I've never had one other than on holiday, and even though I know what they're for , I've never used them (other than for dumping wet swimming costumes in) - I really wouldn't know how...!

[ShinyAndNew]

I hear they can be quite nice if you sit backwards on them. Not that I have tried it of course

[RonansMummy]

apparently in japan the normal loos do that! my sister went there and said she had to jump off and quickly shut the lid cos she didn't like it!

[lolapoppins]

Growing up, I thought they were for washing your feet in.

We took ds to a hotel which had one when he was 3, he thought it was a drinking fountain and leaned in for a slurp.

[Brangelina]

Actually they're brilliant. You can use them to "freshen your bits" before or after a hot date or even if you just want to freshen up generally, wash your feet and they're the perfect height for toddlers to wash their hands in. Not in the least difficult to use, you turn the tap on a sit or otherwise, depending on what has to be washed.

[mrspear]

my hubbie would be ROFL!

He really misses a bidet. He has to have baby wipes instead

[Brangelina]

Frontwards or backwards, depending on the target area to be freshened up...

[bruffin]

In Finland the toilets have a shower thing to clean your bits with while you are on the loo.

[Mowiol]

I'm with you on this ttalloo - I have...erm....tried to use them when on holiday but feel there must be a knack! If I remember correctly one of our kids many years ago (when they were little obviously) just thought it was an alternative loo!

[ThatVikRinA22]

i had never "got" them

until i had a baby. i was lucky enough to go 18 years ago to the maternity hospital in Eye in suffolk....the bathrooms had them. omg. they were bliss.

[ttalloo]

Er, so if it's not too indelicate a question - how exactly do you go about using one?!

(DSs thought our holiday bidet was a cross between a drinking fountain, toilet and all-purpose play sink - we couldn't get them out of the ruddy bathroom)

[wahwahwah]

I did a big poo in one when on holiday when I was about 4. Far more comfortable than the hole-in-the-ground loos you used to get in France. Mum didn't think so. I did wonder how the plug-hole worked.

[compo]

They're very hygienic , the water squirts up and you wash your bits

[onimolap]

But what do you do with one where the tap only points downwards, even if it swivels a bit?

And are you meant to sit on them facing the taps/wall, or into the room like a loo? (Not that anyone's watching, but I've wondered....)

[gandj]

My PILs have one which is a different room to the toilet. Often wondered if they shuffle along the corridor with their pants down to get to it! Seems to defeat the object to me...

[Fluteyboots]

Oh, a bidet for the cleansing of throbbing stitches after some surgery down there. Heaven.

Have also had in hotel rooms, useful for rinsing your tights. Wouldn't have at home, another thing to clean!

[ttalloo]

Yes, I've wondered about the direction you sit in, onimolap. And whether you fill the bidet with water before using it.

I'm also deeply intrigued by bruffin's Finnish toilet/shower thingummy. I went to Finland years ago and I don't remember the toilets having that, disappointingly!

[girlywhirly]

When I went camping in France, the site had a babies bathroom with a small china bath set into the worktop, and on the floor a mini bidet for washing the babies bottoms!

Personally, I like to fill a bidet and soak my bum in lukewarm water and wash with soap.

[TheHeathenOfSuburbia]

PILs had one in their bathroom but I have never risked it.

It's bad enough when the shower suddenly goes freezing cold/boiling hot, no way am I risking my fanjo to British plumbing!

[SkylineDrifter]

We've got one in one of the bathrooms, and have never used it in the three and a bit years we've lived here. In fact, have to keep it covered up with a board (and put toiletries on top of it) to stop the grandchildren messing around with it.

[jomorgan]

Risking ur fanjo to british plumbing! Lol hearthen!

We had one in our bathroom when we moved house. I used it for the standard...washing feet and rinsing swimming stuff! I think I (once) used it in the proper way, just to test it out (as you do), and I think i filled it up first and sat in it, like a toilet. Altho mine didnt have all these fancy sprays n hoses etc, so once you sit what are you supposed to do next? any ideas?

On a side note, we then ripped the bloody thing out when we got a new bathroom, and never had one since!

[BearsWidger]

I'm fascinated by the idea of as miniature bum bath

[roadkillbunny]

The house I grew up in used to be the Italian consulate for that city before my parents bought it and the main bathroom was kitted out with a bidet so I grew up knowing what to do with one (always been a sit and spray person) however school friends coming round found it a complete oddity, without sounding rude errr, we lived in quite a deprived area in one of the few streets of big houses and middle class families so school friends often described our house as a mansion and thought we must be uber rich (it was a very big house but not what I would call a mansion, it was semi detached and it was also not in the best state of repair having suffered quite a bit of bomb damage in the war to the foundations) people just saw big house = money, anyway, the bidet turned into something of a play ground talking point!

[cyb]

Oh I LOVE a bidet. Wish I had one in my bathroom. Fab for washing ones nethers

[BearsWidger]

I am scared of them. Nobody has explained the seating position yet. And what if the water is too hot or cold? It would be horrid.

[cyb]

I sit with back to taps. that may not be the way they do it on the continent but it works for me