Intimate douche

A douche is a device that you use to clean your private parts with a jet of water. In many cultures and regions, water has long been used instead of paper to cleanse oneself after going to the toilet. There are various understandable reasons for this. Last but not least, the conservation of natural resources plays a role. Less toilet paper (production) means fewer trees felled and savings in water consumption.

Furthermore, our private parts come into contact with our excreta while using the toilet. However, the subsequent cleaning with paper is anything but thorough. On the contrary, you spread the residues even more and over a larger area rather than removing them effectively. When our hands come into contact with urine or stool, we don't just wipe them with a piece of paper, we wash them thoroughly.

Water is a very gentle cleansing agent. It is much gentler on the skin than paper, which can cause even the tiniest skin lesions on the mucous membranes and around the anus. And in the intimate area, the skin is already very sensitive and is strained by the body's own secretions and excretions. Injuries therefore lead to burning or itching and can be useful for bacteria to multiply. Moist toilet paper is not an alternative because of the perfume and preservatives it contains: the substances mentioned can disturb the pH value and in this way also make the intimate area susceptible to infection.

With the female anatomy, the use of toilet paper therefore carries the risk of spreading germs in the intimate area. This is why women learn as little girls that you have to wipe from front to back. Using an intimate douche may be a better solution, as cleaning is gentler and more thorough. However, it is important to always clean from the vaginal area towards the anus. Otherwise, there may be a problem with germs spreading to the front of the genital area.

There are many different types of douches. From the practical hand shower for on the go to “luxurious” shower-toilet solutions for the bathroom at home, everything is possible here:

• Pump hand showers are small, handy plastic devices with an integrated water container and a nozzle. The water jet is produced simply by squeezing the water tank with the hand. However, this very inexpensive version of the intimate shower is of little use, because thorough intimate cleansing, especially of the anus, is not possible with the weak water jet. The only positive thing is that it is refreshing in summer.
• Intimate shower attachments are special attachments for shower hoses that are used instead of the usual shower heads. Depending on the prevailing water pressure, however, the water jet is often too weak to clean thoroughly. Moreover, it is quite inconvenient to switch from the toilet to the shower for every intimate cleaning.
• There is also the option of upgrading toilets with bidet showers. This relatively inexpensive variant can be purchased in DIY stores or online. Bidet showers are mounted directly next to the toilet by means of a wall bracket and can be used every time the toilet is overhead. It is somewhat awkward to use, but with a little practice, this intimate shower ensures effective cleanliness.
• Conventional bidets are usually installed directly next to the toilet and have been known for decades. Since they take up as much space as the toilet itself and are relatively expensive, bidets are hardly common in Germany. For cleaning, you switch from the toilet seat to the bidet and turn on the water. To get really clean, you still have to do it by hand, because the water jet alone does not have enough power.
• Shower toilets, a combination of toilet and intimate washing station, are a convenient but costly alternative to the bidet. As soon as you have done your "business", an intimate shower is triggered at the touch of a button. High-quality shower toilets are designed in such a way that you don't need an extra hand for thorough intimate cleaning! Many shower toilets have an integrated hairdryer so that drying the intimate area with toilet paper is no longer necessary.
• Shower toilet attachments are a quick-fit upgrade option for toilets. The mode of operation is identical to the shower toilet, but the attachments are less expensive. They are a viable alternative to the shower toilet, even if they do not technically come close to it.