Right. Since using bidets and squat toilets is a useful skill, and maybe not so obvious if one has not grown up with it, I just took some photos and will add a few comments.
Today is Sunday, and in Norway and Italy I´m used to Sundays as being a day to spend with family, friends relaxing. As I´m traveling again soon, I´ve spent it studying, watching old movies and generally relaxing.
As an experiment for this post, I tried the "American" way of using the toilet with toilet paper after. And then used one of the Italian bidets. There is no comparison--the bidet was so much more relaxing, enjoyable, refreshing. Finishing off with the toilet paper only, was ok. But using the bidet, felt so much cleaner. If you´ve never used one, and have the option, try it. After getting used to the difference, I bet you´ll rather use a bidet if you can.
The flush of this Italian toilet is a tiny metal button a few feet above the toilet. As usual, there is toilet paper space beside the toilet.
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USING A BIDET
The bidet is used for cleansing only. It is a not to be used as a toilet; use the toilet for the toilet. Wipe with paper as usual or not. Then switch to sitting on the bidet to cleanse. This is why the toilet and bidet are closely next to each other (see first photo, above).
For this particular bidet.
First you turn on the water flow. The cold is on the right. The hot is on the left. To be clear, cold, in italian is freddo. Hot, in Italian is caldo. C is f or hot, not cold. f is for cold.
Adjust the temperature of the water. Caldo (hot!) is on the left, I suggest you turn that on first, but be careful as the water might often be scalding hot immediately from the faucet/tap, as water is often heated immediately, so there is no wait time. Turn on the right faucet, which should say freddo for cold. Adjust the temperature, which should be warm to very warm.
This particular bidet, is the type you fill up half way with water, then sit down to wash. As so, it is fine to sit facing away from the faucets. There are three faucets, on this particular bidet, the center faucet is for stopping the flow of water out of the bidet, so it will fill. Do not over fill it, half way or slightly more is fine. To stopper up the bidet "sink", gently pull up on the center faucet, once you have the water temperature as you like it.
With this type of bidet, I like to squeeze a little bit of the liquid soap I´m using into the water, as it is filling up, so it will be a bit like a tiny, very warm, bubble bath. Everyone´s probably had a bubble bath, right? Using a bidet is a bit like having a tiny bath. Once the water is filled about half way.
The liquid soap I´ve used is Aveeno, I got at the local pharmacia (pharmacy/chemist). It´s very mild, and you should never use any really perfumed soaps, liquid or otherwise, on your genital area. Dove soap is another good soap, as it is mild with no perfumes. Aveeno makes a bar soap also, with or without colloidal oatmeal, which soothes skin, and is extremely mild. Bidets usually have a soap rack or back area where you keep the cleansers. And there is usually a towel rack or two above, where you can hang a clean towel for drying off.
I like to keep a basket usually for the used towels, but Sunday is also laundry/cleaning day so the bathroom was empty as I was in the middle of cleaning it and doing laundry.
So, water is warm, bidet is filled half way or so with warm, bubble bathy water. Ready for use. Sit down facing the faucets or not, then just use your hand(s) naturally to splash up the water onto your genital area to clean it. Remember you have wiped off from the toilet first using the toilet paper as usual, so there should not be any "crud" on it,). Bidet is for washing, not pooping or peeing in! It is disgusting and gross for those using bidet after you, if you have used the bidet as a toilet, or have not wiped off properly before use! Even though I already made the warm water a bit bubbly with the liquid body soap, I also put some on my hand, additionally, to wash off with. Then after a few minutes, I finish rinsing off, grab a clean bidet towel, dry off, put the used bidet towel in the basket for used bidet towels to be washed, finish getting my pants/skirt or whatever back up/on.
You can wash your hands in the sink after too if you like, which is what I usually do. And, don´t forget to let out the water, then rinse off the bidet.
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NOTE BIDET USE IN DIFFERENT CLIMATES
-Some in warm, hot climates wearing sandals take them off, and/or entirely take off their clothes from the waist down, and hang them up. I rarely do that--as I just do not find it easier or more convenient. Do whatever suits you best.
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3 FAUCETS, CENTRAL FOR VERTICAL WATER FLOW
Directions, for the type of bidet which has the middle faucet to adjust the vertical/horizontal flow of water. Be careful as some have a bit of a gyser effect, so you might get splashed if you turn this central faucet on too much suddenly!
Once you´re sat down, facing the waterflow, and have adjusted the water temperature, then use the middle tap for adjusting the verticle and horizontal flow of water. This is why you sit FACING the faucets, so the verticle water flow will be coming from underneath, not in front of you. (Or, sit whichever way the vertical flow of water is located so you are located over it, as bidets do differ).
Get some soap in your hands, wash off your nether regions, as the water is flowing. Get your bidet towel and dry off. Get your pants/skirt back on/up adjusted etc as usual. Wash hands in sink if you like.
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BIDET TOWELS
For the bidet towels. At home there will be two baskets. One with clean dry, specific colored, smaller sized bidet towels (to keep them separate in the wash, hotter water and detergent, so white usually is easiest). The other basket for used bidet towels. The towels are used to dry off after washing, not for wiping off.
My preference for bidet towels for drying off, is either small thick white cotton towels or washcloths, or slightly larger than washcloth sized cotton tea towel type cloths. White is easiest to keep clean, and look good after being washed lots in detergent with bleach at high (hot) temperature.
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BIDET SOAPS; CLEANSERS
As noted in directions, use mild body soaps, cleansers, with little or no perfume or harsh additives. I prefer Aveeno or Dove. Italy has endless choices, but Aveeno and Dove are my choice.
