If you were walking barefoot in a park or yard and stepped in dog poop, would you only use a couple of napkins to wipe it off? No. You’d probably wash it off with water. And it’s for similar reasons that people worldwide use bidets to clean themselves after using the bathroom.
Michelle Yan, BusinessInsider.com
Bidets have been in France since the 1700s. While standard in Europe, South America, North Africa, Middle East, and Asia, bidets are not as common here in the US. Researchers have concluded it’s because Americans have been taught the habit of using toilet paper and habits are hard to break.
But since the Coronavirus outbreak, shortage of toilet paper, and increasing concerns about germs, bidet sales in the US are at an all time high. Besides being more sanitary, using a bidet is less stressful on the environment.
4.75 Billion gallons of water is used each year to produce toilet paper. (2)
37 gallons of water is what’s required to manufacture a single roll of toilet paper. (2)
36.5 Billion rolls of toilet paper a year is used by Americans. (2)
83 Million rolls of toilet paper is produced per day. (1)
384 trees is what it takes to make the toilet paper that one person uses within his lifetime. (1)
15 million trees per year could be saved if Americans switched to bathroom bidets. (2)
(Research numbers are according to (1) Toilet Paper History and (2) Scientific American.)
Ready to install a bidet during a remodel or new home build, or retrofit an existing toilet and need a plumber – Contact Trinity Plumbing.
This spotlight on bidets is part of our series on Luxury Plumbing Features that enhance your home & increase your resale value.
