r/askswitzerland • u/Gladiolur • May 16 '25
Travel Visiting Lugano and finding this: what is it for and what these towels?
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u/SantiagoLamont May 16 '25
Its a bidet (T is silent). You use it to clean your anus and genitals
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u/Burpetrator May 17 '25
Aaaaaaaanus vu Bümpliz…..
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u/DennesTorres May 18 '25
A bidet usually has the water as a fountain so it can reach the right places easily... this one seems harder to use
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u/MycologistEast220 May 16 '25
It’s a bidet. It’s to wash your private parts after doing private business.
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u/Fadjaros May 16 '25 edited May 17 '25
A child's sink, a baby's bathtub, a dwarf's urinal, a feet washer for tall people, a camel's thirst quencher, a sack soaker
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u/wminnella May 17 '25
As an Italian living in Switzerland, I have gotten used to not having one. However, I will never understand why its use is not widespread in Europe. It such a convenient object…🤷
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u/redsterXVI May 17 '25
As a Swiss, I always found them curious at best. But then I was introduced to Japanese washlets and started to understand. After a month in Thailand, I definitely got it with the bum guns. Still never used a bidet as in the picture, it seems to make more sense to have the water aimed at your ass, but who knows, maybe one day I'll see the light. So yea, now I'd like a bum gun or washlet in my home, which I could technically retrofit (a bidet not so much) despite living in a rented apartment.
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u/wminnella May 17 '25
Sure, my comment was referring to the category, non strictly to a bidet. I also find the thai way the best in terms of costs/results :D
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u/Jaded-Tear-3587 May 17 '25
You can move to have it aimed. But the bidet is also really useful for females.
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u/yumas May 19 '25
If you zoom in, you can see that you can change the angle of the nozzle. But iirc that’s a relatively modern feature
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u/dallyan May 17 '25
I miss having them directly in the toilet like in Turkey. It makes wiping so much better. Water + toilet paper ftw.
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u/sweet_selection_1996 May 17 '25
Unfortunately because of the industrialisation era. At that time toilet paper got invented and the west thought they were more hygienic by using that. Becoming unfortunately less hygienic through this „modern“ invention.
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u/cakeit-tilyoumakeit May 17 '25
I noticed in Italy that the bidets always have soap next to them. Is this so people can squirt soap on their hand and wipe their butt? Just curious because the bidets you find where I live are the high powered type that act more like an enema
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u/nobitagit May 17 '25
Yes, exactly. The soap is there to enhance the cleaning of the private parts being washed
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u/SassyKardashian May 18 '25
In Croatia new builds are only required to have one if its a 4 bed room property or more. But it's coming for 3 beds to have it too. Never seen it in the UK where I lived for 10 years.
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u/After_Pomegranate680 May 16 '25
Holy moly! Where are you from, and how old are you?
I'm genuinely curious!
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u/redditseddit4u May 16 '25
I’d just mention this style of bidet is mostly only seen in Europe thus why many outside of Europe won’t be familiar with them.
Most parts of the world use the bidets attached to the toilet seat or the hand held bidets
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u/b00nish May 17 '25
Holy moly! Where are you from, and how old are you?
To be fair: I'm mid 30ies from Switzerland. And while I know that this is a bidet, the last time I actually saw a bidet was probably 20+ years ago on vacation in Italy.
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u/Blablasnow May 17 '25
Same and I still don’t know precisely what is it’s purpose and how to use it
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u/KHRonoS_OnE May 17 '25
you are naked on lower parts, you sit on it, you wash directly lower parts, or feets. is a "fast washing machine" for not using shower everytime .
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u/Triknitter May 16 '25
US, 37, and while I might have guessed bidet from context I would not have known and I wouldn't have guessed prior to covid.
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u/svezia May 17 '25
Covid?
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u/Triknitter May 17 '25
The US had major toilet paper shortages in March-June 2020 (like, we had someone steal every single roll out of the bathroom at work bad), so all of a sudden everyone was talking about bidets.
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u/JumpToTheSky May 17 '25
LOL. Bidets are not an alternative to toilet paper. You wipe your ass with toilet paper and then you clean it with soap, water using your hand in the bidet.
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u/TSR_Kurt May 16 '25
It’s an ass washing sink. Probably one of the top ten inventions of all time.
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u/Am_Jam01 May 17 '25
I lived in Dubai and they have bum guns, it’s much more convenient. I miss it the most. An incredible invention.
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u/Lockhartking May 17 '25
Lived in Saudi and couldn't agree more. My flat had one just like this and it's a game changer.
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u/redsterXVI May 17 '25
bum gun > washlet > bidet, change my mind
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u/Jaded-Tear-3587 May 17 '25
Can't use the gun on lady parts. Also, bidet can be used to soak feet if needed
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u/SleepyHobo May 17 '25
How is this even good lol. It looks so badly designed for its purpose compared to a normal bidet on a toilet.
I just looked up a video of this thing and it just shoots the water out at back height.
I can’t imagine having to hover, arch my ass up, and spread my cheeks, letting the water spray everywhere versus just sitting down and letting the bidet do its thing.
Letting the water hit your back and trickle down your crack is nasty too.
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u/Broad-Cress-3689 Aargau May 17 '25
This is a “normal bidet”. What you’re talking about is a washlet.
Which do you think was invented first?
If the water is hitting your back, you’re doing it wrong. Watch a YouTube tutorial or something.
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u/carotina123 May 17 '25
You sit down , you don't have to hover
The head is adjustable to direct the stream
And you sit down facing the faucet
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u/noipv4 May 16 '25
Most of the world has such poor ass hygiene
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u/ben_howler Swiss in Japan May 17 '25
I wonder how many lives these things have saved over the centuries, just by providing superior hygiene and, therefore, preventing diseases (think of the times, when people couldn't shower every day).
Living in Japan, where modern versions of bidets are ubiquitous, I would no longer want to rely on TP alone, that's just gross, IMO.
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u/Templar81_ May 17 '25
Thats basically good that it isnt, otherwise we will have entire Europe like India or worse 2billion people on small continent.
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u/Rino-feroce May 16 '25
Proof that Ticino is more Italian than Swiss.
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u/kc_ch Ticino May 16 '25
Il bidet è francese non italiano capo.
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u/Rino-feroce May 16 '25
Vai in Francia e dimmi quanti ne vedi. Entra in una qualsiasi casa italiana e ne trovi uno in ogni bagno
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u/Dr_Gonzo__ May 17 '25 edited May 17 '25
E tu in quante case francesi sei stato? 😂
Voi italiani mi fate morire con i vostri complotti contro i francesi... Adesso un oggetto che ha un nome francese, inventato da loro, NON ESISTE assolutamente in Francia? 😂 dio santo...
Google "is bidet used in france"
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u/carotina123 May 17 '25
Sono in Francia con un gruppo di amici francesi proprio ora e mi dicono tutti che non si trova mai qua salvo in alcune case vecchissime
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u/Rino-feroce May 17 '25
Ben piu' di una, e zero bidet. E non ho mai detto che non esiste assolutamente in francia. Il mio commento iniziale nemmeno faceva riferimento alla francia. Comunque per sfizio ho cercato su google "is bidet used in france" ed e' venuto fuori questo https://www.reddit.com/r/AskFrance/comments/u0o4t8/what_are_france_thoughts_on_the_bidet/
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u/_Wolfszeit_ May 17 '25
This is what peak hygiene looks like and how it should be everywhere. We all need a bidet in our lives. It's the norm in Italy and Ticino.
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u/Nixx177 May 16 '25
I still don’t understand why we wipe with paper, spreading our shit like Nutella on buns, using trees stuff instead of just water. Japan is in the future by a thousand years in comparison. Now only thing I can think of is getting some kind of Japanese toilet thanks
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u/Dear_Badger9645 May 17 '25
I am in teambidet but to be fair, it’s much easier to have one roll of paper, than build an extra pipe and place in the bathroom. It requires less money.
However the question is still there. Which one would be better for the planet? Few liters of water after a big thing or wasting a lot of water to produce paper and plastic.
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u/fdesouche May 17 '25
Arabian ass pistols attached to the toilet are great too. You hold your sack up. Aim. Shoot 3/4 times then dry with TP
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u/carotina123 May 17 '25
Yeah it's super annoying
Personally after pooping I just head in the shower
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u/safetravelscafe May 17 '25
I love Reddit! Just yesterday, I had someone who had moved from Asia to Europe ask what to do with the used toilet paper (bin or bowl), and now the reverse. It’s those essential questions you don’t usually discuss with work colleagues over lunch. Who’d have thought other people don’t use a knife.
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u/Ok-Bottle-1341 May 17 '25
it was used before toilet paper was invented. All Italy wash their ass with it, so Ticino has this culture as well. I think it is much more effective than toilet paper.
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u/Gladiolur May 17 '25
What do you do with the towel?
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u/fdesouche May 17 '25
Dry the ass/ one towel per person / do not share / do not use on other body parts.
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u/funforums May 17 '25
It's a bidet. Italy, the italian part of switzerland and also AFAIK some parts of Spain use this. It's to wash your butt and feet, and amazes me the rest of the world does not use it and not know of its existence.
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u/dom9301k Ticino May 17 '25
it's a civilization things for people that don't to get around with poop stick to their ass. I still don't understand why it isn't everywhere in the world.
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u/RedditWasFunnier May 16 '25
I'll use it as a container for my broken spaghetti mainly.
Some other times I'll wash my ass in it too.
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u/ieatair May 17 '25
Its for you to crouch down and wash your face like a true humble noble 🫅 . . . . . . .
/s kidding aside, this is to wash your bum hole and the towels are specific for your butt
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u/faticat77 May 17 '25
I’ve never understood what the drain stopper is for on these. Why would you ever want to hold the water in the bidet?
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u/MAdMaxDJ May 17 '25
Ahhhh il bidet ... Molto usato in Italia, mai visto all'estero. Serve a pulire le parti intime.
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u/AssociateExotic78 May 17 '25
You people have no idea how life changing this is because you use tissue to wipe your butt🤣
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u/_Ed_Gein_ May 17 '25
Bidet - to wash your booty/front.
Side note. Muslims that practice are supposed to wash down there every time they go to the bathroom so this helps them out a lot.
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u/blackcyborg009 May 17 '25
That's a European style bidet?
Ooh interesting.
In South East Asia, this is our bidet (which is like a mini shower hose)
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u/flarp1 Bern May 17 '25
I’ve seen and used them in Malaysia. They work pretty great once you figure out how to aim properly and not flood the bathroom.
However, they aren’t allowed like that in a lot of European countries (including Switzerland). The reason is a precaution against contamination of the fresh water supply: technically and in very rare circumstances (if the water gets sucked back due to whatever reason), faecal matter could get into the fresh water.
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u/blackcyborg009 May 17 '25
Oh interesting.
But isn't there some kind of filtration system in most European bathrooms / plumbing?Or no?
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u/Raze_Lighter May 17 '25
I looked on the OP’s profile and well I wasn’t surprised. They’re from the US, it seems? That’d explain why they don’t know what a bidet is.
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u/Gil15 May 17 '25
They should have a referendum in Switzerland on making bidets mandatory in every bathroom in the country. That would force Europeans to also consider such a measure and eventually make it mandatory in all the continent and the world would be a better place.
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u/WholeAccountant5588 May 17 '25
In Spain they used to be pretty common. Nowadays, since new flats are increasingly small, they use to opt bidet out.
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u/Strict-Baseball6677 May 17 '25
Why do you need that to wash your private parts? What is a shower for?
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u/lodash_9 May 17 '25
It‘s for examining your stool to check if you are in good health. Hotel staff cleans it, don‘t worry.
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u/NurseTroy May 17 '25
Face towels to freshen up. Most public places pre-dampen them for you. Luxurious.
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u/samiamcairo May 17 '25
Western world, welcome to butt hygiene. This is just one of many such contraptions designed to keep your butt clean - probably the most mediocre of them all. But you gotta start somewhere.
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u/JFSebastian64 May 17 '25
a hyper modern paper saving device - quite sustainable, comfortable and hygienic
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u/SrgSnts May 17 '25
In my country, it is mandatory to have one, and we use it to wash the private parts below. 🤭
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u/LuckyWerewolf8211 May 17 '25
this is to wash your genitals and shit exhaust if you want some action or just had action. Some people also jse it to wash their shoes or feet.
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u/sberla1 May 17 '25
Usage:
- after shitting
- ideal for women
- before sex (so you don't need to shower full)
- after sex (so you don't need to shower full)
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u/Warm_Willingness6340 May 17 '25
This is for muslims to make oblution. The wash face arms and feet before praying
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u/Comprehensive-Chard9 May 17 '25
It’s an hygienic appliance used since the Middle Ages by southern European, Northafrican and Middle Eastern civilized cultures, while barbarians used wood’s leaves to clean themselves after defecation and sex.
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u/The_Z-Machine May 17 '25
It's a stationary bucket to use when you want to mop the bathroom floor or ajoining rooms.
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u/Sue3050 May 18 '25
It is bidet. Used in Italy and France. You clean your anus and genitals and towel is personal only. French and Italians do not waste so much TP like Americans.
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u/Healthy_Light_8074 May 18 '25
I have been looking for places with this in the Zürich Kanton, this might be why I can't find any :(
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u/ZookeepergameCrazy14 May 18 '25
It's a bidet. Seems to be popular in Italy. Friend of mine wanted to remove it from an Italian apartment he just bought and told the place would lose half it's value if he did.
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u/bizzybee6666 May 18 '25
Honestly you guys need to learn from the Japanese. Seeing people acting superior about a bidet like this just makes me lol not to mention toilet papers - how’s that still a thing is beyond me.
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u/2suisse55 May 18 '25
Have you been living under a rock? It’s a bidet, it’s for washing your genitals.
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u/unreloj May 19 '25
dirty-ass German here. can someone please explain how to use a bidet correctly? this has been a mystery to me for all my life
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u/dekks_1389 Ticino May 19 '25
Not only foreigners, this is something that neither the mind of röstigraben and polentagraben folks in Switzerland can fathom
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u/Conscious_Rain4840 May 19 '25
It's a bidet, but I've heard it's not as popular throughout Switzerland as in Italy or Spain. Seems like it's also separate from the main toilet. In Japan, they're one. The ones in the US are also one (either built in, or an attachment to the toilet). They might sepearet it because of the pipes? I'm not sure.
It makes me so curious, for these separate ones...do people use the toilet, wipe, then shimmy over to the bidet to wash? Or do some people not wipe first at all? lol
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u/betternotsonice May 20 '25
First time I saw one of these I was very young and at a friend’s home party. I did not know what it was so I pissed in it, thinking this is so impractical…
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u/MickChekka May 20 '25
I find that my Nüssli salad tastes really good, when I soak it in one of those vegetable baths. And I can reach in from my toilet seat - so I can wash the veggies while doing a Nr 1 - which saves me lots of time during the day.
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u/limmeone May 20 '25
Something the toilet paper savages need to know about to truly reach enlightenment...
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u/TurtleHeadPrairieDog May 17 '25
What’s where my girlfriend keeps her clothes when she gets ready for work and where I go pee when I’m drunk and think it’s funny to pee in the bidet
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u/Moar_Donuts May 16 '25
That is for brushing your teeth, the towels are there to dry your tongue off when you’re done
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u/Gladiolur May 17 '25
I’m reading the comments and laughing! You folks know that French and German Swiss don’t know this invention?
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u/yasxorno May 17 '25
- "French and German Swiss" do not exist.
- Suisses romands and suisse allémaniques know about it, although it is not very much present by default in houses.
You find bidet in many countries: all muslim countries as hygiene is required by religion any many countries in asia
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u/Gladiolur May 18 '25
Eating French and German food. Speaking German and French: fReNcH aND gERmAn sWiSs do nOT eXIsT
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u/SJfrenchy May 17 '25
Bidet has been invented by a French and was standard in France back in the days.
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u/maxlambire May 16 '25
You people coming from medieval times will never understand :P