How To Clean A Bidet Correctly? (Solved!)

A bidet is a great device to keep you hygienic, but the bidet itself also needs to stay clean. With time, the nozzles can get clogged, and the crevices can accumulate dust and debris. So it is important for every bidet user to know how to clean a bidet. 

how to clean a bidet

Luckily, cleaning a bidet is a simple task regardless of which type of bidet you are using. This post will show you how to clean and maintain your lovely bidet daily, monthly, and annually.

How to clean a bidet nozzle

The nozzle is one of the most critical parts of a bidet as it is responsible for cleaning your butt. It is also a component that can be contaminated easily. So keeping a nozzle clean is crucial for making your bidet function well.

Self-cleaning function

Many bidet seats and bidet attachments these days have a self-cleaning feature. It will rinse the nozzle after each use. Some models will even rinse it before each use. This function helps remove waste and bacteria so that you don’t need to clean the nozzle daily. 

Some high-end electric bidet seats have more sanitizing features. For example, some TOTO models have electrolyzed water to further clean the water and nozzle. It will also automatically rinse the nozzle and toilet bowl periodically to remain the bidet in good condition. Some brands also use UV LED to kill bacteria.

If you happen to make a bidet with a self-cleaning function, you can save a lot of time cleaning it. But I still advise you to manually clean it every month or more frequently if you share the bidet with many people. 

Manually clean a bidet nozzle

The ways to manually clean the nozzle are different between electric bidet seats and other non-electric bidets.

If you have an electric bidet seat, there is a button to extend the nozzle for easy access. After pressing the button, you can use a damp cloth to wipe or a soft toothbrush to clean the nozzle gently. 

If you have bidet attachment or non-electric bidet seats, you can slowly pull the nozzle out, and then you can use the damp cloth or toothbrush to clean the holes and the outside. 

Sometimes, the nozzles can get clogged due to the hard water, making water pressure lower than expected.

In this case, you may need to remove the nozzle head and soak it in vinegar for 3-4 hours to soften the sediment and buildup. 

If the nozzle head is not removable, you can use a workaround: attach a bag of vinegar to the nozzle. After a few hours, you can use the toothbrush to clean all the deposits.

For those who have a handheld bidet sprayer, you can unscrew the sprayer head and soak it into the vinegar, just like cleaning a showerhead. Then rinse it with water. I also suggest you do it monthly.

How to clean a bidet strainer

Almost all the electric bidet seats have a bidet strainer (also known as mesh filter) between the hose and inlet, helping to prevent mineral deposits in the tap water. You should clean it at least every six months. You should follow the guidance in the manual, but the cleaning method is more or less the same. 

  1. Unplug the bidet, turn off the water supply and empty the toilet tank.
  2. Press the quick-release button on the side of the bidet and then remove the seat from the toilet.
  3. Disconnect the bidet hose. Use a cloth or bucket to catch the drips.
  4. Use a needle-nosed plier to remove the filter from the inlet carefully.
  5. Rinse the filter underwater and use a soft toothbrush to clean out all the remaining debris.
  6. Put the strainer back to the inlet and reinstall the seat.

How to clean an electric bidet seat

After understanding how to clean the nozzle and mesh filter, let’s dig out how to clean the bidet as a whole. 

Daily cleaning routine

  1. Rinse and clean the nozzle. (If you have a self-cleaning nozzle, you don’t have to do it on your own.)
  2. Use mild detergent or a damp cloth to wipe the seat and crevices to remove dust and dirt.
  3. Use a damp cloth to wipe the side panel or remote.

Monthly routine

  1. Unplug the seat and turn off the shutoff valve.
  2. Release the bidet seat and remove it from the toilet. 
  3. Use a mild detergent to wipe the lid and seat thoroughly, and then let it dry.
  4. Remove the deodorizer. Rinse it with water and clean it with a toothbrush. 
  5. Use mild detergent to clean the area underneath the seat.
  6. When every part is dry, put them back. 
  7. Plug the seat and clean the nozzle as I mentioned above.

Semiannually cleaning routine

  1. Unplug the seat and turn off the shutoff valve.
  2. Remove the bidet from the toilet.
  3. Clean the strainer. (Check the method I mentioned above)
  4. Disconnect the bidet hose and use the toothbrush to clean the inside of the valve.

How to clean a bidet attachment

Cleaning a bidet attachment could be a bit easier as it doesn’t involve so many parts and is not powered by electricity. 

Daily cleaning routine

  1. Wash and clean the nozzle and guard gate. (Some models have self-cleaning nozzles)
  2. Use the damp cloth to wipe the seat and crevices. You could also use some mild detergent to remove the stains.
  3. Use the damp cloth to clean the side panel.

Monthly cleaning routine

  1. Loosen the nuts and bolts that connect the bidet attachment to the toilet.
  2. Wipe each part of the bidet thoroughly, especially underneath the toilet seat. You can use a mild detergent to remove the dust and debris.
  3. Wipe them with soft cloths or let them dry.
  4. Fasten the bolts and nuts again.
  5. Clean the nozzle manually. (See what I mentioned above)

Semiannually cleaning routine

  1. Turn off the shutoff valve and empty the tank.
  2. Disconnect the hose.
  3. Use the toothbrush to remove the waste deposited in the valve.
  4. If the bidet uses an external water filter, replace it with a new one.

How to clean a bidet sprayer

The construction of handheld bidet sprayers is quite different from other types of bidets. Cleaning it is very similar to cleaning a showerhead.

Daily cleaning routine

  1. As every user will touch the hose and sprayer while using a bidet sprayer, you need to wipe it with water or mild detergent daily to keep it clean.

Monthly cleaning routine

  1. Remove the sprayer head from the bidet hose.
  2. Soak the sprayer head into the container full of white vinegar for 2 to 4 hours.
  3. If there is a mesh filter inside the hose, use the toothbrush to clean it out.
  4. Reattach the head and press the trigger to run the water to rinse off the remaining vinegar.

Semiannually cleaning routine

  1. Turn off the shutoff valve.
  2. Empty the toilet tank and disconnect the hose.
  3. Use a soft toothbrush to remove the deposits in the valve.
  4. Replace the bidet water filter.
  5. Put everything pack and turn on the valve.

Sum up 

I showed you how to clean different types of bidets in this post. You can tell that cleaning and maintaining a bidet is not a complex task, but it is crucial for keeping the bidet sanitary

The nozzle is the component that is most likely to be contaminated. So you should clean it daily. Thanks to the self-cleaning nozzle design, you can save some effort. But I still suggest you get it a thorough clean every month and use some vinegar to remove sediment and other buildups. 

You should also clean the strainer every few months to ensure water quality. Wiping the seat, side panel, and remote is also a great way to extend the lifespan of your bidet.

Remember to use water or a mild detergent to clean it. Otherwise, it could cause a leak or corrosion.

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Kevin Chow is an enthusiast of home improvement. He is an engineer and likes to test all the tech gadgets on the market. He starts to use bidet seats after his journey to Japan and he had tried a few brands.