<p>“Why, then, is that area, which must be (depending on one’s skill) at least as soiled as one’s hands become in the wiping process, not accorded the same consideration?”</p>
<p>Well, leanid, I’ll tell you why. Most people don’t use their butts for anything other than sitting. Most of us eat with our hands, greet others with our hands, and use our hands throughout the day in many ways. Good handwashing is essential. </p>
<p>Now, if you are attending one of those naked parties being discussed on another thread, then perhaps your chances of spreading germs are greater. Should we push for bidets in college dorms?</p>
<p>Oh, I see, so how you feel about your own body’s cleanliness does not matter because that part of your anatomy does not engage in social interaction. So, is it all for show with you?</p>
<p>As for college bathrooms – an emphatic YES!</p>
<p>“So, is it all for show with you?” LOL! This makes me think you are advocating a new form of greeting: Drop your drawers & moon everyone you meet. “See, I’ve used the bidet!” </p>
<p>My body is quite clean, thank you. Hygiene needs all well met without a bidet.</p>
<p>Our S was cleansed in the bath sink (high goose necked spout) much like the baby bidet. It was easy, quick, sanitary, saved TP/baby wipes and he never had diaper rash. He also was hot air blow dried. He had beautiful round smooth cheeks all around.</p>
<p>Some people do need to drop their drawers to get the full affect of my inspection and greetings. Happy faces.</p>
<p>I imagine that many of the readers of this thread will purchase a seat bidet before XMAS, especially since the kid is no longer home. Further I predict that more of the assisted living residences will have bidet seats to aid in personal hygiene. Why do you think I got one for my mother?</p>
<p>This thread is indeed, hilarious! I was wondering about an apparent cultural contradiction mentioned only tangentially in the beginning of the thread. Given that the use of the bidet is common is most European countries, why is it that Americans often report that many Europeans seem, well, “casual” about personal hygiene? I have heard from numerous military personnel, who spent years stationed in Germany and other European countries, that the natives often literally, well… stink. One friend, who lived on the German economy, marveled at the way the Germans seemed obsessed with the cleanliness of the streets and walkways, sweeping incessantly, but couldn’t seem to grasp the importance of daily bathing and the use of deorderant. I’m not trying to be offensive here. I’ve not yet been to Europe, so I have no personal knowledge of said phenomenon. </p>
<p>A few weeks ago, S and I watched a stand-up comic on Comedy Central, who spent a good half hour mining the comedic potential of the typical American perception that, “The French don’t wash their A#@!” I do not mean to be offensive here, so please accept my apologies if anyone feels insulted. This is merely to point out that there appears to be something of a cognitive dissonance at work here. Leonid obviously believes that it is we Americans who are lacking in the personal hygiene department, while many Americans believe the use of the bidet does little to aid the Europeans in personal cleanliness.</p>
<p>I just came back from several weeks in Japan, and let me tell you, nothing I have seen in the US or Europe holds a candle to what passes for a “standard” public or hotel toilet there.</p>
<p>The main toilet company, Toto, puts out a standard unit that I saw in all sorts of places (aimed at natives, not just tourists)… restaurants, museums, shops, inns, etc. These toilets feel like you’re sitting in a space ship, with all the buttons! There is usually not one built-in bidet spout, but two, one of which has a stronger spray and emerges from the back of the toilet, and the other, gentler one, in front. Each one of these is often adjustable for both water pressure and temperature. In addition to this, there are often three different “flush” buttons – one for a short flush, one for a long flush, and one for a recorded “flushing” noise (totally fake sounding) so that you can cover embarassing noises without wasting water. I never did figure out what the rest of the buttons were…</p>
<p>Furthermore with our optional extension tube, (or even without, if you practice) for those tricky cramped public spots (traffic jams, micro-light pilots, to name a few), you can direct your urine into a bottle, collecting device or even a standard catheter bag, so you can literally ‘go’ anywhere, at anytime.</p>
<p>Let me add that I think the best way to be really clean is to combine the best of both worlds (American and European), that is regular (which, as one gets older, does not mean every day) baths or showers AND using bidets, or flushable moist towellettes if one does not have access to them.</p>
<p>Something that every 2 year old country boy learns and a city grade school boy learns at summer camp. I understand that the females will have to learn the fine art of aim, regardless of age.</p>
<p>poetsheart - It is unfortunate that your perception of European hygiene standards is based on a second-hand report. I advise you to take a trip to that continent to see for yourself how things really are.</p>
<p>Just saw this article today, from a Norwegian paper called Aflenpolten:</p>
<p>Urination will go to committee</p>
<p>"A local decision that schoolboys must sit on toilet seats when urinating has provoked political debate.
The head of The Democrats Party, a splinter group of former Progress Party hardliners, Vidar Kleppe, is outraged that boys at Dvergsnes School in Kristiansand have to sit and pee.</p>
<p>Kleppe accuses the school of fiddling with God’s work, and wants the matter discussed at the executive committee level of the local council, newspaper Dagbladet reports.</p>
<p>“When boys are not allowed to pee in the natural way, the way boys have done for generations, it is meddling with God’s work,” Kleppe told the newspaper.</p>
<p>“It is a human right not to have to sit down like a girl,” Kleppe said.</p>
<p>Principal Anne Lise Gjul at Dvergsnes School would not comment on Kleppe’s plans to make political waves and regretted if anyone was offended by the ban on standing and passing water. </p>
<p>Gjul told NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) that the young boys are simply not good enough at aiming, and the point was to have a pleasant toilet that could be used by both boys and girls."</p>
<hr>
<p>Re: European hygiene – Did anyone see the Simpson’s episode with the German backpackers?</p>
<p>berurah, I did pass a house law. Spent my whole childhood cleaning up after brothers, so I vowed not to have my son drive me nuts with this problem. He leaves dirty socks and assorted clutter all over the house. But he has perfect aim!</p>
<p>My oldest son never missed the mark once, not even as a toddler…but OMG, I did <strong><em>EVERYTHING</em></strong> with my second one, including but not limited to tiny pee pee targets, cheerios floatin’, makin’ him clean it up, etc., etc., etc. Come to think of it, even when he was in diapers, I’d find the wet spots in the oddest places… My third boy isn’t quite the caliber of my oldest, but he’s a LOT better than my middle son was!!! My girls and I refuse to enter the bathroom w/o wipes in hand <em>lol</em>. BOYS. JEEZE. ;)</p>
<p>I agree! It is discriminatory against boys to make them sit when standing is their natural way of urinating. Let’s apply “equality[ie - freedom] of the sexes” both ways, shall we?</p>
~berurah</p>