BOOTY BLASTERS

A few years ago, the way we wash our butts would probably have been deemed an inappropriate conversation topic in most scenarios. Over the past few years though, there’s a home gadget that has been popping up more and more in our culture, and it’s the bidet.

Americans have historically been skeptical about the device. Even now, to many people, the idea of a water cannon aimed at your nether-regions seems about as uncomfortable as publicly conversing about your derriere. Nevertheless, bidets have become more and more common in American restrooms. Here are some thoughts and questions that may address some of your bidet wonderings.

Bidet appreciation is not limited to the French, though. According to Smithsonian Magazine, bidets have been a requirement in bathrooms in Italy since 1975. Over in Asia, a 2018 survey shows that bidets are used in over 80% of Japanese homes.

“A Bi-What? That Word Can’t Be English”

The word for these undercarriage cleaners is, in fact, not English, but French. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the name of the device comes from the French word for a short horse, which probably refers to the way you squat and straddle a bidet to use it, similarly to the way you would ride a particularly small horse.

“That Seems Kinda Gross…”

As it turns out, bidets are nothing new, people have been using them for hundreds of years, just not in the U.S. Toiletpaperhistory.net says bidets have been around since the 17th century in France. Napoleon Bonaparte even had a silver bidet that he always traveled with.

Bidets are actually considered to be a more sanitary option than wiping with paper products. While toilet paper smears fecal matter around on your backside, bidets use water to wash and eliminate the poo particles. It’s like a shower for your bum.