It wasn’t all that long ago that bidets were found almost exclusively in European bathrooms or the homes of the extremely wealthy. However, more and more Americans have been turning towards bidets in recent years, and for good reason. Using a bidet is generally considered to be far more hygienic than using toilet paper alone. Moreover, bidets tend to clean things better and more thoroughly. These reasons make upgrading your bathroom with a bidet something everyone should consider, and here is everything you need to know to get it done.
Traditional Bidets vs Toilet-Mounted Bidets
If you plan on renovating your bathroom, a traditional bidet is definitely an option. However, you can also enjoy the benefits a bidet can provide without the need for major construction work. There are now a large number of toilet-mounted bidets and bidet sprayers on the market that can be installed easily on your existing toilet.
Choosing the Right Bidet
You typically have two options for adding a bidet to your toilet: a bidet toilet seat or a handheld bidet sprayer. Handheld bidet sprayers resemble a showerhead and are mounted next to the toilet, whereas a bidet toilet seat is mounted directly on your toilet in place of the old toilet seat. Both bidet types can be a good option, but the majority of people opt for a bidet toilet seat for ease of use and added convenience. Bidet sprayers require you to hold the sprayer head in your hand and lean to the side while attempting to aim the stream of water where it needs to go. This often results in spraying water all over the bathroom and still not getting fully clean. However, these issues aren’t something you need to worry about with a bidet toilet seat. All you have to do is turn the bidet on and it automatically directs the stream of water directly where it needs to go.
Installing the Bidet
No matter which option you choose, the process for installing it is mostly the same. Primarily, it involves connecting the bidet into your existing water line and then mounting the unit. Depending on your skills, this could be a job that you can do by yourself fairly easily in just a few hours. However, not doing the job properly could result in damage to your toilet or water line. Improperly installed bidets also tend to leak, which could lead to more serious water damage. For these reasons, it is usually best to enlist the help of professional plumbers to ensure the job is done correctly.
Most people that upgrade to a bidet soon swear that they’ll never go back to just using toilet paper again. This means that it could be one of the better decisions you ever make. Nonetheless, it is important that you take the time to ensure the bidet is installed properly to prevent damaging your bathroom.
