Bidets Are Easy To Clean How To Clean Your Bidet And Keeping It Clean

Thankfully, cleaning a bidet is no more difficult than cleaning the conventional toilet in your bathroom. When it’s all said and done, a bidet is going to add a minute or two to your regular bathroom cleaning routine.

Depending on the type of bidet you own, there are only a few extra parts you need to clean: the nozzle that sprays your behind, the strainer that connects the bidet to your shut-off water valve, and bidet attachments (though not bidets or bidet seats) also have a splash guard in front of the nozzle that you should also wipe down.

That’s all there is to it!  And because bidets, bidet seats and attachments send the water that has touched your posterior directly down into the toilet, the dirty water does not splash back onto the nozzle, leaving you no extra work to have to clean.

 It’s always a good practice, though, to wipe down the nozzle as part of your normal cleaning routine to keep everything looking and working like new.

Bidet Cleaner Supplies

You don’t need any bidet-specific products to clean your bidet but avoid using toilet bowl cleaner or solvents with harsh chemicals, including acetone, which is used to remove calcium build-up on a toilet. Those products could potentially cause damage to your bidet seat and the nozzle.

More natural bathroom cleaning products that are light on chemicals are best for cleaning your bidet.

We like using anti-bacterial wipes for keeping our bidet clean because it’s easy to lightly pinch and polish the nozzle. But you can always spray a rag with a natural bathroom cleaner and then wipe the nozzle and the bidet seat or attachment.

If you want to go above and beyond with your cleaning, buy a soft-bristle toothbrush and designate it as your bidet nozzle cleaner. After brushing, wipe down the nozzle with a disinfecting wipe. You can sanitize the toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide after using it. 

Seat Scrubbing

A bidet does a great job at keeping your behind nice and clean after you finish your business.

Cleaning the bidet itself couldn’t be easier. If your Swash seat or bidet toilet attachment starts looking a little worse for the wear, all you need is a sponge and a mild cleaner like Simple Green or Windex. Harsh, abrasive cleaning products like thinner, benzene, acidic chemicals, chloride, or hydrochloric acid detergent could corrode metal parts and discolor or scratch your beautiful bidet.

 If you really want to return the favor to your Swash and give it the same thorough front-and-back clean it provides you, you can easily remove it from the base of your toilet by pressing the Quick Release button on the side of your Swash and sliding it forward off the mounting plate. This will allow you to get after those tough-to-reach areas and have your seat looking factory fresh.

Since many Swash models include seat warmers, it’s important to be cautious of any home or beauty products left on the seat such as hairsprays, lotions, tanning products, or oils. With the heater turned on, these products could become so warm and cozy they may just stick around in the form of unwanted stains!

 How to Clean a Bidet

 

While the task of cleaning is essentially the same across all types of bidets, the process varies slightly depending on if you own a bidet toilet, bidet toilet seat, or a bidet attachment. Some bidets, for instance, are powered by electricity, while others are not. 

Many first-time and even veteran bidet users have questions about how to clean a bidet toilet seat or how to clean a bidet nozzle. We understand bidet fans hold cleanliness to a higher standard, not only in their bathroom routines but also in the care and maintenance they apply to the healthy home products they use every day. In today’s bidet market, there are so many kinds of products, features, improvements, and options. With these advances come more technology, more moving parts, and more concerns about care and maintenance. 

Luckily, when it comes to cleaning your bidet seat and nozzle, many of these same technologic advances make it quicker and easier than ever before. After all, these modern marvels of bathroom hygiene were designed to clean you, not so much the other way around. For the small amount of upkeep, you may find yourself engaged in, we’ve got some quick and not-so-dirty tips to help keep both you and your bidet fresh, clean, and happy.

How to Clean an Electric Bidet

Many bidet toilet seats and all-in-one bidet toilets are powered by electricity. Here is a step-by-step guide for cleaning those units:

• Unplug your bidet to clean the bidet body. (You’ll need to plug it back in when it comes time to clean the nozzle.)
• Clean the bidet seat. Remember not to use any harsh chemicals on the seat (or the nozzle) of your bidet. Hot water and a rag typically get the job done. Never spray bathroom cleaner directly on the nozzle or the bidet seat, as it could hit the nozzle.
• Plug your bidet back in. It’s now time to quickly clean the nozzle.
• Press and hold the “posterior wash” button for three seconds without occupying the seat. This will trigger the nozzle to protrude from the unit without spraying water. Wipe the nozzle with an antibacterial wipe and then brush it gently with your soft bristle toothbrush. Wipe with a dry rag or paper towel to dry the nozzle, then press and hold the same button for three seconds to send the nozzle back into the unit.
• Clean the remote. Some electric bidets include a remote that you should also wipe down.

Some of the more premium bidet seats include a self-cleaning nozzle, saving you the time it would take to clean the nozzle manually.

 

Cleaning The Bidet Strainer If You Have One

Every other time you clean your bidet, it’s also a good idea to clean the strainer. The strainer is the piece that connects the hose to the toilet’s water shut off valve. If this piece is never cleaned, it could clog with minerals and sediment, causing your bidet to not work properly.

Here’s how to clean the bidet strainer:

1. Close the water shut off valve.
2. Flush the toilet to empty any water left in the system.
3. Now, unscrew the water hose nut.
4. Use a soft bristle toothbrush on the strainer to clear any debris.
5. Re-screw the hose back on and open the water shut off valve.

 

Cleaning a Non-Electric Bidet Attachment

Cleaning a bidet attachment is even easier than cleaning a bidet seat.

 For those who may not know the difference between the two, a bidet attachment connects to the back of your existing toilet seat. It’s a more affordable option that doesn’t require electricity.

It’s a good idea to wash the nozzle on bidet attachments as part of your normal cleaning routine since they are always exposed and don’t retreat into the unit like an electric-powered bidet toilet seat. Bidet attachments also have splash guards in front of the nozzle, which you should wipe down each time you clean your toilet.

Neat Nozzles

 

 

Perhaps the most important and hardworking component of any bidet is the nozzle. This is the thin, appendage-like probe that juts beneath you and does all the dirty work after you’re finished with your own. Nozzles vary widely across different makes and models of bidet seats and attachments.

They range from your everyday fixed plastic sprayers to some of the most advanced, totally customizable, stainless steel tubes ever conceived for personal hygiene. Many advanced bidet seats and luxury bidet seats even feature a pair of nozzles with different functions for feminine and posterior washing.

 Since these little pipes are working in such close proximity to your most delicate and, dare I say, coveted areas, it’s obviously very important to keep them as clean as the little water whistles they are. With Brondell’s Swash bidets seats, this couldn’t be easier. All six models come standard with self-cleaning nozzles, and five of them include antibacterial, corrosion-resistant stainless steel nozzle construction.

 If you do want that extra DIY level of sterilization though, it’s very simple to press the Nozzle Cleaning button on the Auxiliary Control panel on the side of your Swash seat. Different models have different cleaning features outlined in their respective owner’s manuals, but in all cases using a soft cloth or toothbrush with a gentle home cleaning product like dish soap should do the trick.

If the nozzle becomes clogged, you could also use a toothpick. Just know that you’ll have designated that toothpick and/or toothbrush strictly to Swash duty from then on!   But you knew that right?

With bidet attachment nozzles, Brondell also equips each model with the ability to self-clean. Since attachments don’t have the extra nozzle holstering room or electricity for nanoparticle silver oxide self-sterilization like the advanced and luxury Swash models, you may want to give them a once-over from time to time.

Attachments also feature antibacterial plastic nozzles across all models, so sometimes that extra bit of cleaning may be beneficial to the overall hygiene and lifespan of the product.

Cleaning these nozzles is as simple as pulling them down and, again, giving them a gentle scrub with a soft cloth or toothbrush. If it needs a more thorough cleaning or there’s something lodged in a crevice, you could even unscrew the nozzle tip for a spotless clean but please don’t drop it in the toilet! 

Freshen Filters

 Many Swash models come fitted with a mesh filter between the plumbing and nozzle. These filters may need cleaning about once a year just so there’s no excess particulate matter, grit, or build-up keeping your Swash from running at its full potential.

Cleaning these filters is a breeze! All you need to do is unplug the Swash and turn off the water supply, disconnect the Swash from the toilet with the Quick Release button, then disconnect the bidet hose and remove the mesh filter with a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers.

These filters can be easily scrubbed back to perfection with that same bidet-purposed toothbrush and a little warm water. After you’ve got the filter looking like new again, simply place it back inside the water inlet, make sure it’s installed correctly, reconnect the bidet hose, and put the seat back on the toilet.

Remember, always consult your owner’s manual before doing any cleaning or maintenance to your toilet seats. All bidets are not built the same and there may be specific instructions for different seats!

Relax

Once you’ve got your bidet looking and functioning like a showroom spa, you owe it to yourself to sit down, relax, and let it take over the cleaning duties. You’ll find that keeping these household must-haves clean is not only easy but beneficial to elevating the bathroom experience you have grown to love.