Bidet shower

Description

The shower is a source of water for people who prefer using water rather than other methods of cleansing after defecation or urination. The shower is an alternative for the traditional sources of water for this action, such as the bidet, copper pot or bucket and mug, being more hygienic and compact. There is no contact between the spray of water and the used water drainage.

Image:Bum_Gun_Installation.JPG|Typical faucet installation Image:Bum_Gun_Detail.JPG|Faucet close up Image:Bidee shower.jpg|A Finnish model, manufactured by Oras Image:Waldorf Astoria NY bidet shower.jpg|A bidet shower at the Waldorf Astoria New York Image:Bidet shower greek style.jpg|Setup with dedicated mixing faucet

Usage

The user aims the faucet and sprays water at the anus or genitals to assist in cleansing after using the toilet. Toilet paper may be used to clean and dry, or a towel can be used to dry. The bidet shower can also be disinfected using disinfectant wipes, disinfectant spray, or other means after use.

Prevalence

The hand shower, or bidet shower, is now common in the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, South America, North Africa, etc., where water is considered essential for anal cleansing. This includes Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam etc. In some of these countries, it is commonly installed in Western-style (sitting) toilet installations. In Pakistan, India, Thailand, and the Arabian Peninsula it is common in both Western-style toilets and squat toilet installations. It is so ubiquitous that Thai parliamentarians were outraged upon learning that the toilets in their new parliament building were not equipped with bidet showers (, th). The bidet shower is similar in intent, if not method of use, to the Japanese washlet-style toilet seats, or electronic bidets.

Bidet showers are used by Muslims in Muslim countries and all parts of the Arab world as well as in Asia in order to cleanse themselves with water after using the toilet, as a part of Islamic toilet etiquette. Here, water is commonly used instead of, or together with, toilet paper for cleaning after defecation. This practice was made well known to European football fans visiting Qatar during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In Arabic, the shower is called a shattafa (شَطَّافَة).

The use of water in many Christian countries is due in part to the biblical toilet etiquette which encourages washing after all instances of defecation. The bidet is common in predominantly Catholic countries where water is considered essential for anal cleansing, and in some traditionally Orthodox and Protestant countries such as Greece and Finland respectively, where bidet showers are common. In Europe, the bidet shower is used for example in Finland and Estonia. Bidets are more common bathroom fixtures in many southern European countries.

References

References

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2. (17 December 2022). "To bidet or not to bidet? YouTuber's bidet discovery in Qatar triggers social media discussion".
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