Inexpensive alternative to a bidet

Lucy · Post by **Lucy** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:52 am

Hi all,

grannyh just posted information on a neat type of bidet that can be easily attached to a regular American type commode.

Since so many who visit this site have M.C., and a few will still have active diarrhea, especially at first, here's a simple, inexpensive substitute that some of you might wish to try. Well, not a total substitute, but it might help you to feel a little cleaner after each "episode."

What you do is purchase a couple (or more) of those little plastic bottles like the ones that hold condiments such as mustard, mayonaise, or ketchup (like you see at less formal restaurants), and fill up at least one of them with some safe but effective soap, and at least one of the others with plain water. Just squirt out the contents through the little cone-shaped tops in the desired area for each bottle until you feel clean.

Hopefully you'll be able to find clear bottles. Mustard yellow and bright red won't do anything for your bathroom color scheme! Ha!

If no everyday soap product seems effective for this particular type of grime, then you might want to check with a medical supply store for specialty products.

Your closest store that caters to ostomy patients and home health nurses would be the most well stocked, I would think, and possibly there you could talk to someone with a little more experience using various products (the customers, maybe).

Even if you still have to resort to toilet paper, at least THAT job won't be quite as difficult with the thorough cleansing beforehand.

Also, you can carry along empty bottles in your handbag for use in public restrooms. If you think you need to carry soap too, one of those little travel bottles that you can purchase from a drugstore chain would be ideal for the concentrated soap. You can always pour out a little into the "mustard bottle" and add the diluting water in the restroom before goning into the stall.

Will leave it up to you what to tell the other visitors to the restroom sinks while you're doing that! Ha!

Perhaps this will help someone.
Yours, Luce

Liz · Post by **Liz** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:59 am

Good idea Lucy. I notice from the advert on one of Wayne's links that you can get a el cheapo bidet that is just a small instrument much like you are suggesting but a bit more hi tech.

I have a hand held shower next to my toilet & I have utilised it at times but it is a little difficul because the head is so large & overshoots the toilet if you don't watch it. Makes a bit of a watery mess.

Love

Liz

grannyh · Post by **grannyh** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:04 am

Will give the alternative idea a try... sounds great!
grannyh

grannyh · Post by **grannyh** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:44 pm

I thought buying a squeeze bottle would be a snap... not so.. tried Krogers, Dollar Tree and Target.. so far no luck... those darn things used to be everywhere!
grannyh

Liz · Post by **Liz** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:04 pm

What about a plastic sports water bottle that is similar? I have one that holds 1 litre that I use to fill my steam iron. It could do double duty.

Love

Liz

Post by **tex** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:22 pm

A lot of dishwashing detergents come in the type of squeeze bottle that you can use for that, also.

Wayne

grannyh · Post by **grannyh** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 12:50 pm

I found the hole in the water bottle pull top to really be too large.. the water flow is not the same as it would be from one of those ketchup squeeze bottles with the small opening.

There has to be a happy medium between the water bottle I have and my outdoor pressure washer...LOL
grannyh