This article answers the common question about whether bidets get poop on them. Interestingly, folks often have reservations when it comes to using the most hygienic toilets on the market because of the thought that they might be unsanitary in some way.
If used correctly, bidets do not get poop on them. That’s not to say that it’s impossible, but it’s not something that tends to happen. For one, wands are retractable meaning they’re out of the way when you poop. Also, standalone bidets are separate from the toilet.
I.e. the wand gets out of the way before you pinch one off.
When it comes to those who are new to the subject (who haven’t yet researched how bidets work), the thought of using one of these high-tech toilets often conjures up unrealistic images—like poop splashing all over the place, etc.
One misconception is that bidets are constantly exposed to stool or drenched in poo-contaminated water. Certainly, they can come in contact with poo-contaminated water, but the occurrence isn’t as common or severe as most would think.
Because getting poop on your bidet is a possibility if used incorrectly, in this article we’ll cover some ways you can make sure it doesn’t happen depending on the type of bidet you have.
For those interested, I recently wrote an article on the best self-cleaning bidets on the market these days. Included, are bidets that can do anything from simply rinsing the wand to models that sterilize the spray wand and clean the toilet bowl with each use.
Before diving in, first a quick note.
Some Models Are Self-Cleaning (Seats, Attachments, Toilet-Bidet Combos)
I often get asked if bidets have the ability to clean themselves.
The answer is that most modern bidets—seats, attachments, and toilet-bidet combos—have a self-cleaning function of some sort.
Self-cleaning wands are standard these days and some models sterilize their wands. Even non-electric bidets (attachments) tend to have self-cleaning nozzles.. Some of the fancier units (especially TOTO) clean the bowl.
Models that automatically clean the toilet bowl use a sensor to know when the user is about to sit down (to trigger a pre-mist).
For example, the TOTO C100, my favorite all-around bidet, pre-mists the toilet bowl when it senses you’re about to use the toilet.
The mist is composed of a non-corrosive cleaning solvent that keeps the bowl free of residual poop which has the added bonus of keeping the bathroom smelling fresh.
Some even fancier models mist the toilet before and after each use, and some are programmed to self-clean every 8 hours when not in use.
So, in the event you get poop on your bidet, either on the wand or part of the bowl surrounding the wand, most modern units will clean themselves so that you don’t have to.
Standalone Bides Are Used Separately
We’ll touch more on this below, but standalone bidets–the kind that look like a mini toilet or sink–are located next to toilets. While it may look like a mini toilet of some kind, it is not meant to be pooped in.
Rather, it’s a separate washbasin that you transfer to after using the toilet.
On a related note, a lot of folks wonder if the standalone bidet can double as a toilet. The answer is no.
The basin is a place reserved for washing after having made a bowel movement in a standard toilet. It’s also used for other reasons—feminine hygiene or to perform a sitz bath, etc.
With that in mind, some amount of feces will be transferred to the basin when rinsing the soiled area. But, any contaminated water gets subsequently washed down the drain.
How to Avoid Getting Poop on Your Bidet
Wipe First (Handheld Sprayers and Standalone Bidets)
Most folks assume that when you get a bidet you can ditch the TP altogether. While the modern designs having all the bells and whistles allow you to ditch toilet paper for good, some models are more primitive.
One such category of bidets is the handheld sprayer. It looks like the sprayer in your kitchen sink. After a bowel movement, you simply reach out to the side, grab the sprayer, and put it between your legs where it can spray water to the desired area.
If you don’t wipe first, there may be some residual solid stool leftover that could easily get on the nozzle if it makes contact. If you passed a softer wetter stool, it could easily drip off and land on the sprayer.
But, you can avoid this problem by wiping first.
The same goes for standalone bidets—the fancy kind associated with restrooms in Europe. They look like separate little toilet-sink hybrids that are situated low on the wall next to a toilet.
While we don’t do our business in standalone bidets, it’s possible to transfer stool from the toilet to the bidet if we don’t do a quick wipe or two first.
Some will ask what the point of a bidet is if you still have to use paper.
But, keep in mind that overall, you’ll probably need no more than a square or two of TP per bidet use (at most). So, you’re still saving a ton of paper and you’ll get a much better clean.
Get a Self-Cleaning Wand (Seats and Toilet-Bidet Combos)
Seats, attachments, and toilet-bidet combos are retractable, meaning they get out of the way when not in use. This helps prevent contact of the wand with stool.
However, some wands are not only retractable but self-cleaning.
Self-cleaning wands are available on many of the newer bidet varieties—namely, the seats, attachments, and toilet-bidet combos.
A bidet seat is a seat/lid combination that replaces the one on your current toilet. Depending on the model, they can come with lots of features like heated seats, temp control, pressure control, etc.
Bidet attachments are similar to the seats, but they don’t replace your current seat/lid combo.
Finally, the toilet-bidet combo is what it sounds like: an entire toilet constructed with a bidet from the beginning.
Anyway, self-cleaning wands are common among all three categories, so it’s something to look into if you’re concerned about keeping the nozzle clean.
Do Bidets Get Poop on Them? Conclusion
So, there you have it.
When used correctly, bidets don’t get poop on them during bowel movements. Exceptions occur, such as diarrhea and bowel incontinence. Being in the toilet bowl, bidets can come into contact with excrement and dirty water, which is why bidets have self-cleaning nozzles.
There are several misconceptions about using a bidet. Some imagine a giant fire hose aimed at the rear end splashing all over the place.
Others imagine a spray unit in the bowl getting in the way every time we use the toilet. If true, it would be troubling. After all, the water coming out of a nozzle could only be as clean as the nozzle it’s coming into contact with.
And who wants contaminated water shot at their nether regions?
But, fortunately for those who like the thorough clean that only bidets can offer, these are just misconceptions.
The idea of cleaning with water instead of paper is still a new idea to some, especially here in North America where the use of bidets is just now catching on.
Traditional European-style bidets are washbasins used separately from the toilet. Some amount of contaminated water will contact the basin when the soiled area is washed with the incoming stream of water. But, this hardly qualifies as poop getting all over the bidet.
It’s not an issue because the flowing water washes the inside of the bidet and there’s really no reason you should be touching the inside of the basin anyway.
Most modern bidets—even the non-electric attachments—have retractable wands. The water jets get out of the way before we make a bowel movement and are out of the way when urinating—they only extend when you need them to.
A lot of the modern bidet seats, attachments, and toilets have self-cleansing wands which further helps ensure the unit stays clean.
Finally, some of the fancier models pre-mist the toilet bowl to ensure it’s clean before use. And, if you’re interested in some of the higher-end units, some mist the bowl before and after each use, and at regular intervals throughout the day.
That’s it for now. Thanks for reading.