When people used newspaper (instead of loo roll) in the toilet in the past, did they flush it?

[splatfrog]

I'm just curious if it blocked the pipes? I can't imagine putting newspaper down the loo nowadays. Modern loo paper is pretty thin & looks like it dissolves easily.

Probably. But we used to flush tampons and pads as well. I remember rubbing the newspaper together to take the harshness out and make it softer though.

I remember the tracing paper loo roll at school. I wonder if that would be flushable these days. That was rough.

Yes, we flushed the newspaper.
I was also brought up to shove pads down the loo too. I know that is utterly unthinkable nowadays (as is using pads full stop), but in my teens, it was normal to flush sanitary products down the loo.

Flushes used to have the power of Niagra Falls not like the dribble of toilets today, so everything was easier to flush.

Yes. But the cisterns raised high above the toilet seemed to have a more powerful flush, so everything always washed away first time! Today's low level cisterns are absolute rubbish in comparison.
I could never understand why loos on the continent could not take tampons/or even toilet paper, whereas the sturdy British ones seemed to take almost anything.

What do women use now if not pads? Surely they can't all use tampons? Or does everyone have period pants?

Izal!

Mooncup, period pants, washable pads... Or a lot are on contraception that stops periods. Haven't needed to buy tampons or pads since 2008 myself.

I still use disposable pads. Has worked for me for years, and I am not going to change now.
I am sure someone will pipe up with "use a mooncup", when they are not suitable for everyone.

This.
when you replace an old bathroom, you lose a lot of power with the flush.

Why on earth is using pads unthinkable? What a silly, ignorant thing to say.

No. We didn't flush the newspaper. We had a bucket next to the toilet where the used newspaper would go, and you'd have to take it out with the other rubbish.

I said in a PP I use pads.
But on MN using disposable pads puts you in league with the devil, and you are killing sea turtles.

I know that is utterly unthinkable nowadays (as is using pads full stop)
That's an odd thing to say, I use them as I always have, and all the shops still sell them.

We have good sanitation systems and larger sewer pipes than some countries who have bins by the side of the bog to put the used bog paper in 🤮 China and Greece to name but 2 who request using a bin for used toilet roll

Sorry, I should have said that it is a common opinion... not one I agree with.

I think that's a niche opinion. Never encountered it and share all the ??? replies even on this thread.

There's a couple of public toilets near me with old high cisterns; I love them, they're like Niagra Falls in a bog 😂
They also make me weirdly nostalgic about junior school.
Until I remember crinkling up the bog roll!

Old magazine ad clearly saying you can flush whole. 1970s/80s

As a teen I recall other adverts implying that older or inferior brands had to be pulled apart to flush but the more ‘modern’ ones were flushed whole.

The middle was kind of fluffy and dissolved quickly but the waterproof bit was plastic so I’m sure flushing them wasn’t great.

Also, slightly off topic. When did they start being called pads rather than towels?I prefer them being called pads, not sure why but ‘sanitary towels’ made me cringe and sounded very old fashioned.

I remember I cut my bum on that horrid tracing paper loo roll :(

Everything slid off the school tracing paper loo roll. Ours had something like 'Greater London Council' printed on it. It always flushed though!

I'm going to tell you something very boring. Cisterns of the past held around 12 litres of water. Today's cisterns only hold around 6 litres. That's why the flush isn't as powerful now. As you were.

Why did high level cisterns fall out of use? They are space-saving and houses, generally, are getting smaller, not bigger. Could they be due a come-back? They were quite common until the mid-1980s.

Pads are gross, just my opinion. I use non applicator tampons, pull the string, it falls into the loo. I don't have to necessarily see it. And I flush it