Guest blog: Written by Amy Moorea Wong for ukbathrooms.com Guest blog: Written by Amy Moorea Wong for ukbathrooms.com
A modern iteration of a bidet, a shower toilet functions as a WC with additional personal cleaning capabilities, offering technology-led comfort and hygiene with in-built water jets. As recent advances have made shower toilets accessible to all, they are moving firmly into the home for 2021, bringing a whole host of benefits to the bathroom.
Typically shower toilets have only been found in the likes of high-end hotels, spas and restaurants since they entered the contemporary bathroom sphere – until now. Key to their progression into the home is the VitrA Aquacare shower toilet range, which is the first technology of its kind in the UK and one of the lowest prices currently available.
‘Until recently, shower toilets have been a luxury item, so we’re thrilled to bring the new VitrA Aquacare range to UK Bathrooms at a brilliantly affordable price.’ says Graeme Borchard, Managing Director at UK Bathrooms. ‘Shower toilets are set to become a fixture in the bathroom, meaning better and more practical personal hygiene all round.
The advantages of shower toilets are numerous and far reaching, and may signal the end of the WC as we know it.
Hygiene
Water is an essential part of any cleaning ritual, from hand washing to tableware rinsing; Asian and Middle Eastern countries have long cleansed with water after using the toilet. Washing with water removes germs and bacteria in a much more effective and long-lasting way than wiping with paper, and the new Aquacare range not only offers a water-based, hands free cleaning experience, but is specifically designed to ensure water is clean and protected from contamination, with the ceramic also treated with a hygienic glaze which eliminates 99.9% of bacteria.
Comfort
There’s a reason baths, showers and swimming are enjoyable – water is soothing and feels smooth and pleasant against the skin. Washing with water after using the WC is a gentler way to cleanse, and eliminates any discomfort associated with toilet paper.
Space saving
While at one time WCs and bidets sat side by side in the bathroom taking up a sizeable chunk of floor space, standalone bidets have disappeared from the modern bathroom due to the space they require. Toilet showers merge the two in one compact package. VitrA’s Aquacare range offers a selection of contemporary designs the same size as a traditional toilet – Sento shower toilet is rounded and pebble-like, while the Integra has a sleek, tapered base and the M Line is square and more angular; all hang from the wall to create greater floor space and make the room feel larger, with the small bidet mechanism subtly positioned in the bowl. In addition, the WCs requires no electrical connection, making installation quick and easy.
Environmental impact
The UK uses around 1.3m tonnes of toilet paper a year, manufacturing a single roll of toilet paper uses a minimum of 54 litres of water and toilet paper alone is said to account for 15 per cent of global deforestation. Using a shower toilet drastically reduces toilet paper usage, helping the environment while also being cost effective.
Switching from washing with paper to water has a myriad of benefits, and thanks to affordable, technology-based designs such as the VitrA Aquacare shower toilet, we can now take an intelligent, scientific approach to personal cleanliness. There’s no reason not to join the revolution.Environmental impact