Culture & Taboos
The Origin of the Bidet: From the 'Little Horse' to Modern Intimate Hygiene
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"Bidet" means "little horse" in French, because people used to sit on it the way you'd sit in a saddle. From 17th-century luxury furniture to Italy and Turkey to the butt shower: the history of cleaning with water.
Did you know that bidet means "little horse" in French? This unusual name dates back to the early days of the bidet. Originally, the bidet was mounted on a frame that you had to straddle much like a horse. Hence the association with riding.
What Is a Bidet – And What Does the Word Mean?
A bidet is a shallow basin you use to clean yourself down there with water after using the toilet, instead of with paper. The word literally means "little horse" – and today the same principle also comes as an attachment for your toilet or as a butt shower.
Over the centuries, the shape of the bidet has changed considerably – from an elaborate piece of furniture to a permanently installed hygiene fixture in the bathroom. Today there are shower toilets and attachments for the toilet you already have. The word still means "little horse" – in Germany, most people still wipe with paper anyway.
The History of the Bidet: Origin and Development
Although bidets are especially widespread in Italy and Portugal today, the first known models came from France. The bidet was mentioned there as early as the end of the 17th century. A furniture maker is said to have built the first one, even if neither the exact date nor the name has been recorded.
A Bathroom Fixture With a History
At first, the bidet was a luxury item for the upper class. It was often placed in the bedroom and was seen as a sign of cleanliness and refinement. Over time, the bidet became established in bathroom culture – at least in parts of Europe.
Intimate Hygiene Around the World: Water Instead of Paper
Turkey – The Taharet System
In Turkey, cleaning with water is a religious and cultural norm. The so-called taharet musluğu is a built-in faucet or nozzle on the toilet used to clean the intimate area right after going to the bathroom.
Japan – High-Tech Washlets
Japan is known for its technological innovations – including in the bathroom. Washlets combine a heated seat, a warm water spray, a dryer, music, and even light effects. Here, hygiene meets comfort.
Southeast Asia – Bidet Sprayers in Everyday Life
In countries like Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, the bidet sprayer is standard. Mounted next to the toilet, it allows for thorough cleaning with water – simple and effective.
Intimate Hygiene in Antiquity: Cleaning With Water Back Then
Cleaning with water was already established in ancient Egypt, Greece, and the Roman Empire. Public baths, aqueducts, and private washing facilities all point to a high level of hygiene awareness.
When the Roman infrastructure collapsed, much of the knowledge about water hygiene disappeared with it. Bathing culture remained alive above all in the Byzantine Empire and the Arab world, and was carried on into parts of Europe via Spain and Portugal.
Religion and Personal Care: Why the Bidet Never Caught On in Germany
In the Christian regions of Europe, especially in Protestant countries like Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, personal care was long considered an unnecessary luxury. One common explanation: extensive body care was seen there as indulgent, or even as slightly disreputable. The bidet didn't stand much of a chance.
Toilet paper became the standard instead – and still is today.
Modern Intimate Hygiene: The Return of the Butt Shower
Water rinses; paper rubs and spreads. That's why many people feel cleaner after cleaning with water – and the skin takes less of a beating. Much more pleasant when the skin is already irritated.
Bidetlity: A Clean Solution for Home
With the butt shower from Bidetlity, you can enjoy the benefits of a bidet without any complicated installation. No second basin, no wet wipes. Just water, on the toilet you already have.
The history of the bidet shows that cleaning with water isn't a modern invention, but a practice proven worldwide with deep cultural roots. Germany skipped it for a while. That can be changed.
Frequently asked questions
What does bidet mean?
Bidet is French and means little horse. People used to sit astride it, like in a saddle. Only the purpose was a different one.
What is a bidet?
A basin you use to wash down there with water. Once a piece of furniture on a stand, today it's installed in the bathroom – or comes as a seat attachment or butt shower.
Where does the bidet come from?
From France, where it was first mentioned at the end of the 17th century. In the beginning it was a luxury item of the upper class and often stood in the bedroom.
Who invented the bidet?
Nobody knows exactly. A French furniture maker is said to have built the first one, but his name has been lost to history.
Why are there hardly any bidets in Germany?
One common explanation: in Protestant regions, extensive body care was long considered a luxury. So paper it was. And still is.
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