Bidet boom: Toilet technology sees rise in popularity in Canada
When it comes to cleaning up after doing business, North Americans have had a tough time letting go of toilet paper.
But recently, it seems more people are warming up to the idea of bidets.
For the average Canadian before the pandemic, the idea of installing one may have been flushed right away. That’s not the case now.
“We’ve seen a rise in interest in the last couple of years,” said Himalaya Srivastava, store manager at Bath Depot in Kitchener, Ont.
There’s been a steady flow of customers looking for bidets since shoppers battled over toilet paper shortages. In more recent history, they’ve cracked the Canadian market even further.
“Every six months they’re bringing in some kind of new bidets,” said Srivastava.
In addition to standard bidet functions, smart toilets have extra features like seat heating or air drying. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV Kitchener)
But what’s behind the boom in this bum-cleaning device?
Srivastava thinks it has to do with people from different parts of the world moving here.
“Americans and North Americans in general, they’re used to using toilet paper. And I, myself, got pretty used to that idea,” said Srivastava. “Mostly, I’ve seen Africans, Southeast Asians – they come in asking for handheld bidets that you can easily attach to the existing pipelines.”
The handheld bidets, also known as bum guns, are among Bath Depot's more popular sellers, but they could soon become number two to the smart toilets.
University of Guelph professor Ryan Gregory is among the new wave of Canadian customers following a recent vacation.
“So what I decided, I think in part on the advice of the family, was to install the same kind of thing we had seen all over Japan,” said Gregory.
His recent post on social media showing he installed not one, but two bidets, has over five million views. Many people expressed their curiosity about the concept.
“It’s a classic example of us in North America, ostensibly discovering something that is widely known already, but it’s not something we’re used to,” said Gregory.
Many bidets operate using water pressure from the bathroom’s supply. But smart toilets require a power outlet to benefit from functions like seat heating and air drying.
Srivastava says no matter the model, it’s worth taking the plunge because it is more hygienic than toilet paper.
“It will make your butt a little softer [too],” he said, chuckling.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING World No. 1 golfer charged with police officer assault before PGA Championship second round
World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested and charged with the assault of a police officer in what he called a 'chaotic situation' before being released in time to start his second round at the PGA Championship on Friday.
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
LIVE @ 11:30 MT Four 1970s homicides linked to serial killer, Alberta Mounties to reveal Friday
A dead serial sexual offender and killer has been linked to four homicides in the 1970s in Alberta, RCMP say.
Newly mapped lost branch of the Nile could help solve long-standing pyramid mystery
Egypt’s Great Pyramid and other ancient monuments at Giza exist on an isolated strip of land at the edge of the Sahara Desert.
Ontario sees first measles death in more than a decade after young child dies
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
'Another pair of eyes watching over me:' How a B.C. woman's guide dog saved her from drowning
A B.C. woman says her guide dog pulled her from a lake moments before she had a seizure, saving her life.
Vatican revamps norms to evaluate visions of Mary as it adapts to internet age and combats hoaxers
The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.