A bidet is an appliance designed to wash your genital area. Bidets can be stand-alone bathroom fixtures or installed as part of a toilet. Bidets direct a spray of water at your nether regions to rinse the skin. Some bidets also direct gentle warm air to dry the area after rinsing. Bidets improve hygiene and can reduce or even replace the use of toilet paper.
Other Considerations
Replacing your current toilet with a bidet converter kit can cost several thousand dollars. A far cheaper and easier approach is to convert your toilet into a toilet plus bidet appliance. There are four options:
- A hand-held hose attachment,
- A bidet attachment that is installed under the existing toilet seat,
- Replacing the current toilet seat with a basic bidet toilet seat,
- Replacing the current toilet seat with a full-service electric bidet toilet seat,
Front and Rear Cleaning Versus Rear Cleaning Only
The primary use of a bidet is to wash the anal area after defecation. Thus, all bidets come with a rear cleaning function. In addition, some bidets offer an additional option for front cleaning. As a result, having such an option available could be useful occasionally.
Hot Water
Installing a cold-water-only bidet is far easier than installing one that supplies warm water, but spraying cold water on your delicate nether regions can be unpleasant. If you want warm water, hook the bidet to the hot water line running to your bathroom sink. A water line will run from your sink to the back of the toilet.
The water line may not reach you if your bathroom sink is not located right next to your toilet. Running a water line may be logistically difficult or even impossible if your bathroom sink and toilet are located on opposite sides of the room. You may also need to drill a hole through the side of your sink for the water line.
Electricity
If you want to install an electric bidet toilet seat, you must plug it into a GFCI outlet. If you have a GFCI outlet near the toilet, you can plug the bidet in. If not, you may need an electrician to install a new GFCI outlet for the bidet.
The First Steps
Regardless of what type of bidet you select, the first few steps are the same. First, you must turn off the water to the toilet and the bathroom sink using the local shut-off valves. Then, you need to drain all the water from the toilet tank into a bucket. The next preparation step is to remove your existing toilet seat. Once you have completed these steps, you are ready to install the bidet.
Add the Bidet
Bidets are really easy to install. The only tool you need is a hand-held wrench. Then, follow the specific instructions for the bidet attachment or bidet toilet seat you purchased. In essence, all you have to do is hook the bidet to the existing water supply running to your bathroom fixtures and then attach the bidet to the toilet. The final step is turning the water back on and testing that the bidet works and none of the water lines are leaking. The entire process should take less than an hour.
Conclusion
Using a DIY kit to add a bidet to your existing toilet is inexpensive and easy. It requires very little skill and few tools. A bidet will improve your hygiene and reduce your use of toilet paper, which is good for your budget and the planet. It is a win-win situation for both your private self and the world. Adding a bidet in your bathroom will protect your health by improving your hygiene practices and upgrading your budget with this smart financial decision.
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