How to Use a Bidet Seat with a Remote Control
There are certain times in life where cleaning your keister after using the toilet can be a literal and figurative pain in the rear!
Bidet seats with remote controls help relieve symptoms brought on by many common medical conditions. In the blog post below, I give a quick overview about the benefits of using bidet seats with remotes for common medical conditions and the symptoms they can alleviate.
Of course, bidet seats with remotes may not be the best option for every single person. Please get a referral from your primary care provider to consult with your friendly neighborhood occupational therapist to find the best solution for your specific needs!
Keep reading or watch the video below!
Just to review: bidet seats use water to gently and thoroughly clean your bottom. Using water for toilet hygiene is preferred over using toilet paper because toilet paper can irritate your skin with repeated wiping.
Having a bidet seat with a remote control is an added benefit for a whole host of reasons. First, let’s compare body positioning while using a bidet with a side mounted control versus a remote control.
Body positioning using a bidet seat with mounted control
In a perfect world, you’re finished doing your business on the toilet and you’re sitting tall with your hips, knees, and ankles at 90 degree angles. Now, it’s time to use the bidet seat.
A bidet seat with a side mounted control requires you to twist and bend your back to read the control functions. Next, you have to reach to the side and back towards the toilet tank to adjust the bidet settings, like turning the bidet on and off or adjusting the water temperature and intensity.
If you become familiar with the bidet seat controls, you’re probably not going to read the buttons. But it can still feel uncomfortable for some people to reach for the side mounted control.
Or maybe this works really well for you! That’s okay, too. Yours truly has a bidet with a side mounted control, and I feel comfortable a majority of the time when I’m using it.
Body positioning using a bidet seat with remote control
Remote controls can be placed anywhere it’s easiest for you to reach. I prefer installing remotes on the wall next to the toilet, on a side table or vanity next to the toilet, recessed niches or shelves next to the toilet, in a walker bag, or in a shirt or pants pocket.
So many places!
After you’re finished tending to Nature’s Call, you remain seated tall with your hips, knees, and ankles at 90 degree angles and effortlessly reach for the remote. Choose which settings to use to clean your bottom without having to twist or bend your back.
Because bidets with remotes eliminate the need to twist and bend your back, I specifically recommend them to people with a variety of common health conditions.
Less pain, more gain, bay bay!
Benefits of using a bidet seat with remote for elective surgery
Alright, let's get into some medical reasons why you wouldn't want to use a bidet with a remote control as opposed to using a bidet with a side mounted control. Sometimes people have elective surgeries where they have certain precautions in place.
Most of the time, if you have back surgery, you have the “no bending, no lifting, no twisting” precautions for your back. For some hip surgeries, you’re not allowed to flex your hips past 90 degrees. Some shoulder surgeries require you not to move your shoulder whatsoever!
If you want to recover properly from your (expensive) surgery, you may want to consider putting a bidet seat on your toilet so that it's easier for you to thoroughly clean your bottom and follow your precautions that the surgeon gave you. The cost of a bidet with a remote will ALWAYS be cheaper than repeating a surgical procedure.
Plus, who wants to have surgery all the time? Yeah, no one does.
Benefits of using a bidet seat with remote for progressive conditions
Seats with controls are also great for people who have progressive conditions like Parkinson's, dementia, or multiple sclerosis. People with progressive medical conditions generally need more assistance with self care activities, like toileting, over time.
I often hear from my clients with progressive conditions that they feel like their dignity is gone when someone else helps them wipe their butt.
That completely makes sense to feel that way.
A remote is a perfect way for people to turn the bidet seat on and off when they want, choose the water temperature, choose the seat temperature, and control the air dryer. Bidets with remotes give people the dignity to take care of themselves on the toilet.
You may snicker at the idea, but yeah, it’s a huge difference emotionally when you’re able to take care of your own butt.
Benefits of using a bidet seat with remote for pregnancy
Pregnancy is a really good time to get a bidet seat with a remote control. As your belly gets larger, it’s more difficult to twist your back and reach to wipe with toilet paper or wet wipes.
Plus, you are blessed with extra vaginal secretions during the pregnancy and postpartum. FYI: I’m not trying to be gross. I’m just being real! Case in point, you’ll feel cleaner down there if you use water to clean your private parts.
Using bidets with the remote will also help your back after the baby is born. Your belly and back muscles take a while to resume their pre-pregnancy positions, so that means you’re at risk of injuring your back while taking care of your newborn.
Who among us hasn’t tweaked their back doing a regular chore like reaching for dog food?
Use the remote on your bidet to avoid wiping and facilitate your recovery after birth!
Benefits of using a bidet seat with remote for low vision
Remote controls help people with low vision, like macular degeneration, diabetic neuropathy, or glaucoma. It's so much easier to choose the controls correctly when you can bring the remote closer to your face within your field of vision, as opposed to turning your head and trying to strain and see what the controls say on the side of the bidet.
Some bidet seats have pre-settings for two users. For instance, my husband and I can set our individual preferences for the water nozzle position and water temperature. I like warm water while my husband prefers it to feel a bit cooler.
After I use the toilet, all I have to do is press one button and the bidet will clean me up using the settings I like best. Lessening the number of buttons to press makes bidets even easier to use for people with low vision!
Pro tip: people with low vision can place bump (tactile) stickers on frequently used buttons on the bidet remote. This will help people avoid choosing functions that they don’t want or need.
Benefits of using a bidet seat with remote for weak hands
There are certain hand conditions that cause weakness and pain, like arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It’s important to use tools that are easy to grip and use to lessen the FRUSTRATION that comes with struggling to clean your rear.
People with hand conditions should avoid bidet seats with twist knobs and teeny tiny toggles. If you have a hard time controlling the water, you’re not really going to want to use the bidet.
The bidet remotes I’ve encountered have buttons that are effortless to push. Plus, you can cheaply modify the remote controls so they’re easier to hold onto. For instance, you can use some tacky shelf liner from the dollar store to give some friction for a remote with a super slick, smooth surface.
If a bidet with a remote is out of budget for you, look for bidet seats with the biggest, longest lever handle to turn the water on and off. These types of bidets may not have all of the other bells and whistles compared to their fancier companions, but it’ll be easier for you to use a lever handle to achieve your goal of a thoroughly cleaned bottom.
Benefits of using a bidet seat with remote for chronic pain
Anecdotally, every person I’ve worked with who has chronic pain includes back pain as a major challenge to cleaning up after using the toilet.
People with chronic pain from conditions like complex regional pain syndrome or fibromyalgia benefit from a bidet with a remote because it allows that person to remain still while the bidet washes and dries their bottom. The remote takes away the requirement to bend and twist your back with traditional wiping or using a bidet with a side mounted control.
You get to sit still while the bidet takes care of you!
Yes, we (occupational therapists of the world) want you to move your back with thoughtful moderation during the day. Motion is the lotion for a flexible, strong back. However, we want to limit the amount of pain you feel, especially during daily activities like toileting.
Less pain equals more gain. You’ll be more likely to fully take care of your toilet hygiene if you feel less pain. Going to the bathroom should never feel like torture or a workout.
Benefits of using a bidet seat with remote for caregivers
Honestly, I could keep going on and on with how bidets with remotes help people with different medical conditions. But I gotta bring up how they help some of the most important people: caregivers.
Did you know that there's around 54 million caregivers in the United States? That includes health care professionals AND family members who take care of someone they love. Using a bidet with a remote makes it so much easier to help someone get their bottom cleaned without you having to wreck your back.
Take it from someone who helps people toilet for a living: bidets with remotes are essential. I don’t think they should be viewed as something only the upper classes have. I’m a huge proponent of making life easier, feeling good about your body, and taking care of your keister.
Every hospital, nursing facility, and home should have bidet seats with remotes. They keep people cleaner and take care of caregivers musculoskeletal systems.
Are Bidet seats with remotes the right choice for you?
I mean, have I fully convinced you that you needed a bidet with a remote like yesterday? Again, if you’re not sure if this is the best choice for you, consult with an occupational therapist near you.
Let me know if you’d like more detail on toileting with specific medical conditions. After working in nursing homes, the community, and hospital, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.
If you enjoyed this blog post, please share it with a friend! Thank you so much for reading this, and I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day!
(Hey, did you know we have an awesome online course for people who have a hard time wiping after using the toilet? It’s an awkward topic that you can learn how to solve in the comfort and privacy of your own home! Learn more about the course HERE!)