A bidet uses a focused stream of fresh water to clean you after using the toilet. The water comes directly from the same clean household supply that feeds your sink — never from the toilet bowl.

Attachments fit beneath your existing toilet seat, while electric bidet seats such as Bideway replace the seat itself and connect to the water line already behind your toilet. With the press of a button, the nozzle extends, rinses with warm water at a comfortable angle, then retracts when you are finished. It is a more thorough, gentler way to clean than repeatedly wiping with dry toilet paper.

Most bidets are designed for straightforward home installation. An attachment mounts beneath your existing seat; an electric bidet seat replaces the seat and also plugs into a nearby grounded outlet.

For Bideway, remove your current seat, secure the mounting plate, slide the new seat into place, and connect the included T-valve to the water supply already behind your toilet. You will need an adjustable wrench and about 30 minutes. There is no cutting into pipes, no permanent plumbing work, and usually no need to hire a plumber. If you run into a question, our support team can walk you through it.

Not for cleaning. The water does that work, so there is no need to scrub sensitive skin with dry toilet paper. When the wash cycle is finished, simply pat dry with a small amount of toilet paper or use the bidet's drying function, if available.

Most people still keep toilet paper nearby, but use far less of it. The result is a clean, comfortable finish without the irritation and waste that can come with repeated wiping.

Yes, and this is where most bidet seats quietly fall down.

Many of them hold a small tank of pre-heated water — roughly a cupful. It feels wonderful for a few seconds, then runs out and turns cold mid-wash. Bideway heats the water as it flows, on demand. The last second is as warm as the first, and it does not matter who used the bathroom before you.

No. The nozzle rinses itself before and after every use and stays tucked away behind the seat the rest of the time — it never touches you and nothing touches it.

The seat lifts off its bracket with one button so you can wipe underneath, which is more than you can say for the seat on your toilet right now.