The “second toilet” is the bidet. We Italians use it to clean our private parts: it is not a toilet, but it is something you use after the toilet. After defecating, we use the toilet paper to remove the solid parts and then we clean our butt with water and the appropriate soap.

If you see "two toilets" in an Italian bathroom, the second one is actually a bidet, a plumbing fixture designed for personal hygiene. While it may look like a low-set toilet without a lid, its purpose is to wash the genital and anal areas with a stream of water after using the standard toilet. In Italy, the bidet is considered an indispensable tool for cleanliness and has been mandatory in every home by law since 1975. Most Italians find the idea of using only toilet paper to be unhygienic, comparing it to "cleaning a dirty dish with a dry paper towel instead of water." To use it, you typically straddle the bowl—either facing the taps or away from them—and use the warm water and a mild soap (often specifically labeled as "detergente intimo") to wash. It is also frequently used for washing feet or as a convenient place to give a toddler a quick cleanup. Because it is such a core part of the culture, you will find a bidet in almost every hotel, apartment, and house in Italy. While it can be confusing for visitors from countries where bidets are rare, it is one of the hallmarks of Italian domestic life and a primary reason why Italians often feel "unclean" when traveling to countries that lack them.