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Original poster

Am I being over-senstive or is this quite disgusting?

86 replies

PistachioTiramisu · 24/10/2025 10:07

I had some leftovers from a beef stew - gravy, bits of mushroom and onion, etc. I wanted to dispose of it as the bin men were due so asked DH to take it out when he put the food bin out. He said he would just flush it down the loo!!! I have never, ever heard of anyone suggesting doing this before, and it seems quite disgusting to me. What do you think?

P.S. He did dispose of it properly in the end!

OP posts:
CarterBeatsTheDevil · 24/10/2025 12:19

I've never heard of this. I sieve stews and soups. Liquid down the sink, solids in the compost bin or the grey bin if the compost is full. I'm not disgusted by it, it's just not how you're supposed to dispose of uneaten food.

Tartantotty · 24/10/2025 12:16

This will clog up your waste pipes. Why not make a soup with it. Hate food being thrown away.

5128gap · 24/10/2025 12:14

No. It would be disgusting to dispose of the waste that should go down the toilet in the bin, but I don't think it works the other way round. You're probably disgusted at the mental image of beef stew in the pan and it's unfortunate visual resemble to what you might usually see there, which may make you see beef stew in a different light.

Dollymylove · 24/10/2025 12:13

I would freeze it and add it to the next stew I make. Waste not want not 😄

WellMaybeYouShouldntBeLivingHeeeeeeee · 24/10/2025 12:02

Sahara123 · 24/10/2025 10:17

Pour the whole lot into a sieve, liquid down the sink, solid bits into food waste/ general bin. Not down the loo !

This is the way we do it. No way would I be flushing it! People are so weird

SoMuchBadAdvice · 24/10/2025 12:01

From AI:

It’s not OK to flush unwanted food down the toilet — even though it might seem harmless at first. Here’s why:
🚫 Practical reasons

  1. Plumbing blockages:
  2. Food (especially greasy, starchy, or fibrous items like rice, pasta, or vegetables) doesn’t break down easily in pipes. It can swell, stick to the sides, and cause clogs — especially in bends and joints.
  3. Fat and grease buildup:
  4. Oils and fats solidify as they cool, creating “fatbergs” that block sewers. These are expensive to remove and cause local flooding or sewage backups.
  5. Toilet and sewage design:
  6. Toilets and sewers are designed for human waste and toilet paper only. Food waste changes the consistency of what’s being flushed and disrupts the system.
🌍 Environmental reasons
  1. Wastewater treatment strain:
  2. Food adds unnecessary organic load to treatment plants, making it harder and more energy-intensive to process sewage.
  3. Pollution risk:
  4. If bits of food reach waterways, they can decompose and reduce oxygen levels, harming aquatic life.
Aintnosunshinenowitsgone · 24/10/2025 12:00

So if you flush your loo, or run the tap with gravy washed down the sink, where do people think this all ends up? It's the same blooming system! It makes no difference

Arregaithel · 24/10/2025 11:59

Unwise to flush food @PistachioTiramisu

Your toilet is not a rubbish bin

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 24/10/2025 11:58

Crazycatladywithnocats · 24/10/2025 11:37

My husband made a stew at the weekend. I’ve frozen the gravy and bits in it and will have it as a hearty soup. I feel I’ve failed of if I throw food away. It’s precious.

Show quote history

Same. Food waste really grieves me. The only thing that only ever really gets wasted here is the odd slice of mouldy bread.

BertieBotts · 24/10/2025 11:53

I don't know if it's disgusting as I can see the logic in it and have heard of people doing this before, but it's not the right way to dispose of unwanted food - it should go into the bin.

The only things that can go into the toilet are things which have already been digested - and toilet paper (and cleaning products).

CottonDeTulear · 24/10/2025 11:47

I had exactly the same quandary the other day with the gravied remains of a slow cooked joint.

I ended up putting the whole lot in a double-double poo bag and putting it in the bin.

Never occurred to me to sieve it first and then flush the solids. Genius.

Greggsit · 24/10/2025 11:47

I'll occasionally put semi-liquid foods like that down the toilet. Before anyone gets outraged, I've a septic tank system. It's never hada blockage, or a smell, and has never needed emptying in 20 years. It copes fine.

GoodQueenBess · 24/10/2025 11:43

Sagaciously · 24/10/2025 11:41

completely unnecessary when we have so many options now for food waste disposal.

Sewerage systems are designed for human waste and toilet paper only. Food being flushed contributes to fatbergs and blockages.

This.

Sagaciously · 24/10/2025 11:41

completely unnecessary when we have so many options now for food waste disposal.

Sewerage systems are designed for human waste and toilet paper only. Food being flushed contributes to fatbergs and blockages.

Summerlilly · 24/10/2025 11:40

I’ve never once in my life thought my leftovers could/should be flushed down my loo.

It’s odd and I just have so many questions now.

Crazycatladywithnocats · 24/10/2025 11:37

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 24/10/2025 11:27

TBH at this time of year I’d have frozen that and fairly soon added it to a soup. I have a few mini Tupperware type jobs for such things. Latest was a bit too much cheese sauce, which will be a lovely addition to a multi-veg soup.

My husband made a stew at the weekend. I’ve frozen the gravy and bits in it and will have it as a hearty soup. I feel I’ve failed of if I throw food away. It’s precious.

thisishowloween · 24/10/2025 11:36

What’s disgusting about it going where your literal
shit goes? Confused

FieryA · 24/10/2025 11:35

Its not disgusting. I don't have food waste bin where I live. So any partial liquid food or with chunks, I put it in the toilet.

DiscoBob · 24/10/2025 11:34

It's not a good plan to flush food as it encourages rats and can contribute to fatbergs.

But it's not 'disgusting'. I mean shit is disgusting and the toilet is perfectly well designed to take mounds of the stuff on a daily basis over many years.

So putting something less dirty than crap down there surely is actually preferable in terms of revoltingness of substance?

BeeWitchy · 24/10/2025 11:31

its

SerendipityJane · 24/10/2025 11:31

Considering the water companies are quite happy to pump shit directly into our rivers, I have no regard for what I flush.

When they care, I will.

orangejacketlamp · 24/10/2025 11:29

People who think a bit of stew is worse for pipes than a poo covered in paper toilet roll make me laugh. The stew is the easiest thing our poor toilets have to deal with

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 24/10/2025 11:27

TBH at this time of year I’d have frozen that and fairly soon added it to a soup. I have a few mini Tupperware type jobs for such things. Latest was a bit too much cheese sauce, which will be a lovely addition to a multi-veg soup.

PrissyGalore · 24/10/2025 11:23

I’m with you-only bodily waste goes in the loo. Makes me feel quite ill to think of it-though I have no idea why!

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