AIBU to wonder why bidets are common in Italy but not England?

[Tonyritundo]

Why are bidets mandatory in Italy but barely any English people have them?

I had one in the 1980s, as did lots of friends. I would LOVE one now but we moved and have a tiny poxy ensuite. And don't tell me to get one of those stupid spray toilet seats, there's no comparison.

When we added an en-suite extension, about 20 years ago, we included a bidet.
It was difficult to source as all the matching bathroom suites did not include a bidet.
It was a white suite we were installing, so we just bought a separate white bidet.
It’s used daily.

No, I think that we just like sticky ones.

I think due to the weather, it just gets too cold here and things are damp enough.

Bidets make no sense to me. Bum guns OTOH, I am a fan of this, but also thinking not practical in a cold climate.

My parents had an 80s new build so we had a bidet in the bathroom the suite was "champagne " coloured. I found it really useful when I was on my period, especially (sorry this really is TMI but it is a thing) after a period poo. They no longer have it now but yeah was good for a quick freshen up!

There's no need to be so rude.

It is quite a weird concept if you've never had / used one.
Nowt wrong with being curious.

Muslims use the toilet, wipe their bums and then wash their vulva/penis and anus and then dry with toilet paper. End of. No towels are used in the process. I personally love travelling to different parts of the world with bum guns. I wanted one in my house but was put off with all the stories of them breaking/malfunctioning.

Agreeing with others, they were pretty common in the 70s and 80s

TTMI!!

They're common in many more countries than Italy and I do wonder well why not here.

But you wouldn't connect them directly to the mains water supply in most cases. In most British homes, the toilet cistern is supplied from the cold water storage tank, not directly from the mains.

I gave birth twice in Italy,bliss afterwards having a bidet.

A few years ago we went to Morocco, and I came back to our hotel bathroom to find my lovely Liz Earle facecloth on the side of the bidet. The lovely cleaner bless her had used it as a cleaning cloth for the bidet. Had to throw it away...

Im always curious about liking them so much. Unless you are using soap, cleaning properly like a shower there, then drying fully, it just creates a breeding ground that will create far more bacterial growth than just wiping would.

But I haven't used one, so is that how it works?

Even then doing that every time I go to the toilet, for what amounts to zero health benefit unless you are unpleasant in some other ways, still seems like an annoying waste of time.

I always feel weird about putting toilet paper in the basket next to the toilet as the drains can't cope (even with the soft stuff that disintegrates when wet. Has to be emptied by someone

Usually there are small fabric cloths (eg: mini towels) to dry off and then a bucket to put them in for washing.

Please stop talking as if your experiences represent the whole of Italy. I’m from the north and have never had issues with droughts or not having running water. We take baths. The whole of Italy isn’t like a small rural village. I’m from a city, and I’ve always used a bidet like most Italians. It has nothing to do with water shortages.And yes, it’s hotter in the summer, but in winter the weather is very similar to England. And for the English folks: to dry yourself after using a bidet, you use..wait for it.. a small towel! The same way you dry yourself after a shower or a bath. Crazy, I know.🙄

We had one in Dublin, Ireland in the 80's. Did not notice if the norm or not but we were not exactly millionaire status family although we did move to a 'better' area and no bathrooms had one and I haven't noticed one in a home since being honest.

We had them growing up. As did grandparents.
They take up space though so no longer put in. Hoses are much more convenient but you need to have a special valve or they can contaminate the water supply.

It just seems unnecessary to me, for the average person. Wiping and a daily shower suffices for most people, and if needed on a hot day or prior to sex, a quick sponge bath with a wet flannel in front of the sink is just as good for a 'freshen up' for armpits/sweat/genitals, and doesn't require faffing about with a bidet.

You will see I wrote: “in our village” and “SOME of the south”. Not talking about the whole of Italy at all. No need to be defensive, it’s not an attack.

They’re an historical practical hygienic solution in countries where the water supply is limited or inadequate and showers impractical to install, and people in this country aren’t keen on the idea of washing their bums, I’m not sure why (I can remember the days when hard shiny Izal toilet paper was thought effective).

Can I be honest and say I’m not really sure how they’re used?!

Also I don't want to wash my v. thick takes ages to dry hair everyday or get it wet before work on a freezing january morning.