After a year of limited travel, many people are jumping at the chance to take that long-awaited vacation this summer. Hotels, resorts and all variety of vacation rental properties will be welcoming guests and, of course, doing what they can to provide a relaxing and enjoyable getaway. From large refreshing pools to spa treatments to updated comfortable rooms, offering visitors great amenities goes a long way toward winning over vacationers who can become repeat guests. But there is one particularly unique amenity more resorts and rentals have been adding for visitors over the past few years that is sending many recent vacation-goers our way, and that, of course, is a bidet toilet seat.
It is entirely possible you go your entire vacation without coming across a bidet toilet seat and still manage to have a great trip. However, it has become more common than many folks realize that you very well may find one in your hotel room or rental house. Every year, we hear from people who went on a trip somewhere and discovered how great a bidet seat is and decide they want one for their home. And they really can be found everywhere. From seaside cottages in Florida to Hawaiian hotels to rental cabins in picturesque mountain getaways, bidets are upping the bathroom experience in vacation towns all across America. If you travel internationally, then the odds of finding a bidet are even greater. In fact, for anyone going to the summer Olympics in Tokyo, you can assume you will definitely encounter a bidet toilet seat during your travels.
If you have never used one before, you might be a bit hesitant at first, but ultimately, we’ve found people are more willing to try something new while on vacation. And it doesn’t take new users long to see why a resort would install one of these high-tech toilet seats. As most people know, a bidet toilet seat works by cleaning the user with a stream of water after using the toilet, which is widely regarded as a more hygienic and effective way to clean yourself compared to wiping with toilet paper. This is definitely true, but modern bidet seats are much more than just a stream of water. They offer lots of adjustability to personalize the wash experience, plus many of them come with features like a heated seat, built in deodorizer, warm air dryer, and even a night light. Some even have automatically opening and closing lids and seats for a hands-free experience. With all of these features, they can really give your bathroom a spa-like feel. It’s no wonder vacationers decide to take this experience with them by getting their own bidet seat for their home bathroom.
While you can’t bring home the giant pool with the waterslide or that pristine 18-hole golf course from your trip, it is surprisingly easy to add a bidet toilet seat to your home. Today’s seats are streamlined electronic appliances that are made to install directly on top of your existing toilet. It simply replaces your toilet seat and connects to the water line already connected to your toilet tank. You also will want to have an accessible electrical outlet to plug it in. All of the necessary hardware to install the seat is included with each unit. We even have a helpful installation guide that shows you how to check your toilet size as well as a useful video that takes you through the installation steps. You can transform your home bathroom into a resort bathroom within about 30 minutes.
Lots of people didn’t wait for their summer vacation to enjoy the spa-like features at home as bidet seats have become hugely popular over the past year. As such, more vacation properties have caught on to the growing trend. So don’t be surprises if you discover an unexpected luxury amenity as you catch up on some rest and relaxation at your favorite summer destination. A bidet seat will make you feel cleaner and more refreshed, and that is a great way to feel whether you are on vacation or not. If you are thinking about bringing the resort experience home to your own bathroom, you can check out our best bidet toilet seats page which offers great information as well as head-to-head comparisons of our most popular models. Why not take a daily vacation from the drudgery of toilet paper by upgrading your bathroom with a bidet toilet seat today?
When it comes to installing a bidet toilet seat, you may be surprised to find out that they are designed for Do-It-Yourself installation. Some people assume a plumber is required to do the job, but for the vast majority of people, the installation is a job they can do on their own. Even if you aren’t comfortable with do-it-yourself projects, we bet you will find that adding a bidet seat to your toilet is much simpler than you think. And to make things a bit easier, we’ve outlined below some of the installation basics so you will know just what you’ll need to do to be a bidet seat Do-It-Yourselfer.
One huge difference between old fashioned bidet fixtures and modern bidet toilet seats – and the big reason you don’t need a plumber – is that modern bidets install directly on your existing toilet and are not separate fixtures. This makes bidet seats much more space-efficient, plus they do not require a separate water line to be plumbed into your bathroom. Another benefit of the modern bidet seat design is that users do not have to move to a separate fixture after using the toilet since the bidet features are built into the toilet seat. So not only does the current seat design save space and eliminate additional plumbing costs, but it is also easier to use.
While no invasive plumbing is necessary, there are a few things to know before you jump into installing a bidet seat. First, you should measure your toilet. A quick measurement will determine if your toilet is round size or elongated size so you know which size seat to get. It will also confirm if your toilet has the minimum space between the seat mounting holes and water tank for a bidet to properly fit. We have a measuring guide that shows you exactly how to measure, and there is also an installation video that shows how to properly measure the toilet in addition to the other steps to install the bidet seat.
After you’ve measured your toilet and chosen your bidet, you’ll be ready to begin the actual steps for installation. The first thing you can do is remove the existing seat. The only tool you may need for this step is a screwdriver. With that out of the way, you can then install the mounting bracket included with your bidet. This bolts to the surface of the toilet using the seat mounting holes. The bracket is designed with a bit of adjustability so you can move it farther forward or backward to get the best fit. Once the bracket is secured, the bottom of the unit slides into the bracket and will click into place once fully seated.
With the seat secured on the mounting bracket, the next step is to connect the water line. This is where a lot of folks think a plumber is needed, but connecting to the water is as simple as splitting the existing water line with the included hardware. Your bidet seat will include a T-valve that you use to split the existing water supply line at the bottom of your toilet tank. That allows the water to flow in two directions – one to the toilet tank as usual, and the second to the bidet using the supply hose which simply screws onto the T-valve on one end and the bidet on the other. Before you begin this step to connect to the water, be sure to first turn off the water shut-off valve on the wall or floor and then flush the toilet to empty the water tank so you don’t have water coming out when you disconnect the supply hose. We do recommend you have an old towel handy just in case there is any residual water dripping from the lines. After the connections are complete, you can reopen the shut-off valve and make sure there are not any leaks at any of the connection points.
Once the unit is in place on the mounting bracket and the water connection is complete, the last thing you need to do is plug it in. Bidet toilet seats are electric appliances, and as such you will need access to a grounded outlet to power the unit for use. The power cords are about 3 and a half feet in length, and they may extend from the rear right or left side of the unit depending on the model.
Follow these steps and you’ll be enjoying a modern, upgraded toilet within about 30 minutes! As mentioned, bidets fit the vast majority of toilets, but if you have a toilet and you aren’t sure if it will work, we encourage you to review the measuring guide and contact us directly with any questions. Some select models are covered by our 30 Day Trial Offer so in case you run into any unforeseen issues, or simply change your mind, you can return it for a refund. Adding a bidet toilet seat is truly a do-it-yourself home project that will forever change your bathroom experience for the better!
