• Bidets come in several different styles.Toilet bowl and bidet in a toilet image by terex from Fotolia.com
  
  There are two basic types of bidets, free-standing units and seat varieties that simply attach to the toilet. These porcelain cleaning devices are intended to increase a user's ability to sanitize their undercarriage after using the restroom. Understanding what these contraptions are, how they function and the benefits they provide is the first step to determining whether or not one is right for your household.
  
  

What is a Bidet?

• A bidet is a type of device that is intended to clean the genital and rectal areas of a user after they use the toilet by spraying those areas with a jet of warm water. Some bidet systems are also designed to apply a mild soap to the area with an additional button press. There are several different varieties of bidets available on the market, each offering its own features, benefits and drawbacks depending on what style it is and who created the design.
  
  

What is a Standalone Bidet?

• Many bidets come in a standalone form. They are close to the same size as a regular toilet and must be installed separately. These bidets require that there is enough space in the restroom to install them, and they can be costly and time consuming, especially when you consider plumbing issues. It is also inconvenient to some people to have to physically move from the toilet to the bidet.
  
  

Is There an Alternative?

• Several varieties of bidets are designed to attach to an existing toilet by replacing the original toilet seat. These bidet add-ons are purported to offer all of the same benefits but without many of the drawbacks, including the expense, the hassle of installation and the hassle of dealing with separate units.
  
  

Who Should Use a Bidet?

• The primary function behind a bidet of any type is increased hygiene, and so anyone can benefit from the cleaning process that a bidet offers. Most bidet units are designed with men, women and children in mind. Bidets are useful not only for general hygiene in those areas, but also for dealing with specific ailments such as rectal inflammation or hemorrhoids. A bidet can also benefit someone with physical challenges or issues with limited motion who may otherwise have difficulty cleaning themselves.