The bidet originated in France, at a time when full body bathing was inconvenient and done once a week. It was invented to cleanse the ‘private’ areas of the body in-between the regularly scheduled weekly baths.
The earliest known written reference we can find to the bidet is dated 1710 in France. In 1750 a new bidet design appeared which more closely resembled what we commonly see today. It provided an upward spray through the use of a hand-pump which was fed by a reservoir.

Up until the 1900′s the bidet was confined to the bedroom, along with the chamber pot (a sort of bucket that served as a toilet.) The introduction of modern plumbing brought the bidet out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, where it now conveniently sits next to the toilet.

In continental Europe, the usefulness of the bidet is fully understood and is considered to be as important in the bathroom as the toilet and the tub – no civilized, well equipped home is without one. Regrettably, too many Americans have never even seen a bidet. Those who have, generally observed them in upscale hotels, either in the U.S. or abroad. Rarely do you find an American home that actually has one! This does seem a bit strange, considering the American preoccupation with cleanliness and germiphobia. Giving credit where credit is due, the majority of Americans do start their day in the shower, rather than visiting the bathtub once a week. This explains in part why the use of the bidet for personal hygiene has not yet taken on as important a role in America as it enjoys in Europe. Fortunately, that is slowly changing.

It is interesting to note, that American plumbing manufacturers are among the top producers of bidets, and almost all of these are exported to other countries. In America, the bidet has developed an aura of indelicacy, largely due to its primary function – to clean the private body parts. But the bidet can be used for anything a wash basin is used for. From foot baths, to hand washing clothes, to soaking tennis shoes! Just be creative.

The bidet can be, and is, used by both men and women. They offer the user a hands-free and superior water wash in place of the wiping and occasionally irritating action of toilet paper. An invaluable aid to personal hygiene, the bidet is gaining popularity among senior citizens, the disabled and those with impaired motor functions or incontinence.

Today’s bidet is a sit-down wash basin. Usually made from vitreous china, and is styled to resemble the shape of the toilet. Typically, the bidet is placed next to the toilet in the bathroom, an arrangement meant to encourage personal hygiene.