Last Updated on March 4, 2022
Bidet attachments may seem a little daunting. However, during the Covid quarantine, when the toilet paper shortage was real, many of us started turning to this zero waste gadget. And might I add, it’s my fave!
Adding a bidet toilet attachment is fast, easy, and environmentally friendly. Using a bidet allows you to cut back on toilet paper usage, which means it’s easier on your plumbing. Additionally, they help save water, clean away bacteria, and are cost effective. They are beneficial to people of all ages and are easier on the environment than toilet paper and flushable wipes.
I’ve been on a bidets journey, and in the end, we were thrilled to purchase and install this bidet attachment. In this post, I’ll help you find the best bidet attachment for you and answer common questions like, “how does a bidet work?” I’m excited to share with you all the reasons why I love bidets (and I think you will love them too)!
Table of Contents
why toilet paper is so bad for our environment:
Americans use 8 million tons of toilet paper a year. Natural forest habitats that have been around for 100’s of years are being destroyed to keep up with demand. We cannot create and regrow that biome fast enough to makeup for the emissions.
Many companies aren’t using recycled paper or even controlled trees – they’re using virgin pulp. If every US house used just one roll of 100% of post-consumer recycled TP a year it would save 423,900 trees! That is huge!
For a full guide on eco-friendly toilet paper options, be sure to check out this post! The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Toilet Paper.
history of bidet toilet attachment
Bidets aren’t super popular in America, but they’re incredibly popular almost everywhere else in the world. Ever since Justin heard about the Happy Toilet, he was dying to get one.
Originally, bidets were handheld devices invented in France in the 1700s, and they have evolved to the point that now you can control a modern bidet with remote control! How awesome is that?
Bidet attachments are popular all over the world, but have had a hard time gaining traction in the U.S. They’re most popular with the elderly, people who suffer from arthritis, or anyone who has difficulty turning.
But we can all benefit from adding a bidet toilet attachment.
why bidets are beneficial
- Easy to install & uninstall
- Keep you feeling clean and fresh
- Helps eliminate hemorrhoids and removes bacteria
- Reduces the amount of toilet paper you need
- Easy on plumbing
- Saves trees
- Budget friendly
- Eco Friendly
- Saves water
Did you know it takes 37 gallons of water to make one roll of toilet paper?
How does a bidet work?
Bidet attachments typically have one or two dials. One controls the stream of water and the strength it sprays, and the other controls the temperature of the water.
The attachment easily hooks up onto the back of your toilet and has a small spigot at the back to control the temperature and the strength of the water stream. A small stream of water comes out of the back and sprays your bottom to wash away anything that might be left behind after you finish your business.
And, if you lean forward, you can also clean your female parts which is fantastic when it’s – you know – that time of the month. Be sure to check out some low waste period options too.
best bidet attachments
I’ve moved A LOT. Sometimes I take the bidet with, and sometimes I leave it behind to bless the next tenant’s life. So, I’ve been able to try a few different types bidet attachments, and they’ve all been very easy to install, uninstall, and use.
brondell bidet attachment:
- Non-electric
- Multiple water pressure and temperature settings
- Fully adjustable bidet attachment
- Easy to install
- Self-cleaning nozzle
/ SHOP BRONDELL /
tushy bidet attachment:
- Non-electric
- Multiple water pressure and temperature settings
- Fully adjustable bidet attachment
- Easy to install
- Self-cleaning nozzle
/ SHOP TUSHY /
toto bidet toilet seat:
- Multiple water pressure and temperature settings
- Heated bidet seat
- Air deodorizer neutralizes bathroom odors with powerful air filter
- Adjustable warm air dryer
- Automatic self-cleaning nozzle
- Swanky side panel
/ SHOP TOTO /
omigo bidet toilet seat:
- Multiple water pressure settings and nozzle positions
- Heated seat with soft closing lid
- Front and Rear washes with self cleaning nozzles
- Built in LED night light
- 1 year warranty
/ SHOP OMIGO /
greenco budet bidet attachment:
- Non-electric
- Multiple water pressure setting
- Fully adjustable bidet attachment
- Easy to install
/ SHOP GREENCO /
do you need a new toilet to use a bidet?
No, you can buy one of the best bidet attachments that hooks right up to your toilet, or you can invest in a toilet seat bidet that is already attached. You would just need to hook it up to the waterline.
do bidets hook up to electricity?
No, you simply turn the bidet toilet attachment on and it will spray water. There is no need for electricity!
is it hard to add a bidet toilet attachment?
Nope, you can install a bidet attachment in around 30 minutes, even if you have zero plumbing skills.
Reference:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-talks-bidets/
http://www.newsweek.com/toilet-paper-or-bidet-dirty-facts-79083
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/18/bidet-use.aspx
Lovely! Where did you get it?
I’ve one of these http://brondell.com/spa-suite/sprayers-shattafs/cleanspa-luxury-hand-held-bidet.html and totally love it. I feel sooo much cleaner. I’d get another one for the other toilet but am interested in one of those seat bidets. Hoping guests would use that too and I could teach my kids to use it as well. That would be awesome!
Cheers,
Inge
That’s awesome! Bet it’s perfect for cloth diapering. We got it at Home Depot! Box was all cardboard – no styrofoam. When we upgrade the guest bathroom to all Eco appliances we’ll definitely be getting another. Especially for $50 we’ll save more than that by buying less TP.
Our house actually came with a separate bidet in the main bathroom and we have only ever used it for rinsing cloth nappies. I guess we should have a go at using it for its intended purpose.
Oh yes! Let me know how it is. I’ve only used the toilet attachment. Never a separate area. I was REALLY skeptical. I have to say I’m a huge convert. I mean if you got shit anywhere else on your body you wouldn’t be ok just wiping it off. Makes so much more sense now…. Haha.
Love reading your posts. They are so to the point and full of helpful information. I will definitely give it a try to use the bidet. One question though, after using it wouldn’t you leave with a wet bum in your pants? In that case you would still end up using some paper to wipe the water of your butt so that you don’t walk around with wet pants.
Hi, You could use a little bath towel only for this ???
Thank you! Yes, it is damp. I addressed this a little more thoroughly in my toilet paper post on the thirty day challenge and/or my FAQ page. It’s reduced a lot of TP. Two people now go through one roll every three weeks. Where as we were going through almost a roll every 6 days. But, some of the fancier bidet attachments have an air dryer. Or you could just wait and let it dry naturally.
I keep a hand towel in my bathroom for the express purpose of drying off after. This is especially necessary for me b/c the attachment that I bought sprays everywhere. I wish I had known about the hand bidet mentioned by Grunish below.
Hello,
It’s quite ironic that some people think that in Muslim countries they are unhygienic because they don’t use toilet paper and they wash themselves with water… I’ve heard this my whole life!
Imagine if your hands are dirty with whatever ( liquids, food…) who would consider enough just wiping their hands with paper?
In my house and of many people I know there is just a jug of water next to the toilet, you refill it with water that you use for washing yourself in the actual toilet ( no need to install anything!). When you are travelling you can use any bottle. Sometimes going zero waste is that easy… ☺️
By the way I love your blog! It’s really inspiring me to take the next step.
Xx
Thanks for sharing! May I know what brand of the bidet attachment you posted here and where to buy it? Have been looking for one that works without electricity 🙂 Thanks!
Xo,
Catherine
I am a senior with arthritis in my hands. I use a Blue Bidet purchased at Amazon.com. It’s just a simple little squeeze bottle with a long curved nozzle.I have a small cabinet in front of the toilet where I keep it empty and draining with a small Dawn dishwashing detergent bottle cleaned out which I keep filled with water to conveniently fill the bidet when I need it. Beside the bottles are a stack of clean rags about the size of your hand which when used I put with my dirty laundry and deposit them in an empty wastebasket in my laundry tub in the garage where I keep water with a small amount of bleach for them to soak until the next hot water wash. The bottle is so easy to use and really cleans well.
Awesome post with some great facts in there. I’m currently traveling around South East Asia, and after a bit of hesitation, I am totally converted to the bidet or the ‘bum gun’ as we call it here. It is so, so, so much cleaner than using flimsy toilet paper, and much better for the environment. When I get back home, I’m definitely installing one of these in my bathroom!
Wow! Thank you for you post! I have been searching for this since I was in Japan a few yeara ago. I just bought the exact sale attachement, before all I could find before were very expensive complete toiletssystems. This is so much better! I don’t jet understand the function of the controls since the whole thing is without electricity isn’t it.
I use an even simpler bidet, a water bottle. Just put the opening against the small of your back, pour in between your crack, scrub with left hand. I’ve done it with really cold water during my survival school as well, had ice chips in it. That was pretty refreshing. I like it because I can do it backpacking, it works great, I’ll never use TP again. I do use a bit for the initial wipe, but much less than most use.