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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think how on earth that would fit there?

43 replies

Happydays12345 · 02/10/2013 14:00

Just had a letter from my water company saying there had been some serious blockages in the drains around here and reminding us what not to flush. One of the main culprits are nappies!!!!! How the frig do you flush a nappy down the toilet?

AIBU to think a nappy does not fit down a toilet?

OP posts:
TheBigJessie · 02/10/2013 14:11

YANBU.

Original poster
Happydays12345 · 02/10/2013 14:18

I just can't get my head around it. The main culprit too so not just one nappy, loads of them.

OP posts:
MotherofBear · 02/10/2013 17:09

I have never thrown one down the toilet, but it is possible to roll and tuck one up into a very small package which could possibly fit. Although it's much easier just to use the bin, so no clue why anyone would go to all the bother!

TigerSwallowTail · 02/10/2013 17:11

I see this sign a lot

TigerSwallowTail · 02/10/2013 17:11

*i see this sign a lot in public toilets and have always wondered how one would fit, and why wouldn't you just use the bin instead, surely it would be much easier?

YoniBottsBumgina · 02/10/2013 17:13

I've seen it on signs a lot too but never met anybody who has done it, I also don't understand why it would occur to you. Small things that you shouldn't flush like tampons, condoms, ear buds, I can understand why someone might think that was okay but what makes you look at a nappy and think it's flushable?!

Confused

(Sanitary towels too - THEY EXPAND, PEOPLE!)

trikken · 02/10/2013 17:26

I dont understand why anyone would put anything but human waste and toilet roll down the toilet, they are such a pain in the bum to fix.

lljkk · 02/10/2013 17:27

tampons too, but maybe that word is too rude to use on a sign?
Baby wipes are another huge problem. Must not flush.

YoniBottsBumgina · 02/10/2013 17:29

Probably because they have never had to fix one, trikken.

Original poster
Happydays12345 · 02/10/2013 19:47

Yes it mentioned tampons and sanitary towels, cotton buds, baby wipes and putting oil and grease down the sink but nappies was mentioned as the main culprit.

Apparently it's a criminal offence to block the sewers. We had a nice colourful fact sheet too talking about grease and fat and toilets and then they'd helpfully included a curry recipe that's low in fat. Didn't really make me want to try it.

Still shaking my head in wonder how a nappy would fit and why anyone would think that was a good idea.

OP posts:
seesensepeople · 02/10/2013 20:31

Well....

When I was a teenager we used to flush sanitary towels and tampons as the norm...

...early disposable nappies were a pad that you put inside plastic pants and they too were advertised as "flushable".

Of course, times have moved on but perhaps not everyone's thinking has caught up?

By the way, I'm not that old - only mid forties!

CrohnicallyLurking · 02/10/2013 20:38

I tried flushing a sanitary towel once, it wouldn't go down. In my defence, I was a young teen, on a residential school trip, I didn't really know any teachers, there were NO suitable bins anywhere, and I was too mortified to ask.

So if a sanitary towel won't go down, how the hell do people flush nappies?!

And YANBU and should think yourself lucky you don't have to pay the repair bill, we are liable for a percentage of the repair costs on our drains, when one neighbour does this we all have to pay as we don't know who did it.

Original poster
Happydays12345 · 02/10/2013 20:39

Looks like its not as uncommon as iI though looking at that link.

I'm sure we flushed tampons when I was younger too, the adverts said you could. I can sort of understand that but a nappy?

OP posts:
Original poster
Happydays12345 · 02/10/2013 20:40

I would not be happy if I had to pay for that, apparently some homes were flooded.

OP posts:
SacreBlue · 02/10/2013 20:43

We had sceptic tank out in the country & never mind nappies Dad barely let us flush toilet roll.

ScottishInSwitzerland · 02/10/2013 20:45

Erm... Are you not supposed to flush tampons down the toilet? Blush
I had no idea. Is this common knowledge? I've always flushed them.

CrohnicallyLurking · 02/10/2013 20:49

It's not recommended. I never knew either till we moved to this house and had a leaflet through the door, basically toilets are only designed for human waste and small pieces of toilet paper. Anything else shouldn't be flushed. And in some countries, you can't flush the paper either.

I use a MoonCup now, but before that I just wrapped tampons in tissue, placed in a lined lidded bin and emptied the bin after the end of my period.

YoniBottsBumgina · 02/10/2013 21:06

I think it still says on tampon packets that they are flushable. They're not really, though.

The problem isn't the size, it's the fact they don't break up easily. If there is a snag anywhere on the inside of the pipe (which can happen when there are old pipes anywhere in the system) and something gets caught on it, if it's soft like poo or wet toilet paper then it will just break off and not be a problem, but if it's stronger like cotton wool or even something like those "flushable" toilet wipes then it stays there and other stuff can get caught on it. Over time other stuff gets caught on this blockage and it builds up. If you're lucky then the original item will break down and the blockage will clear, but if not then it can block the whole pipe.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 02/10/2013 21:16

My loos are awful for blocking up I blame cheap, modern bogs with narrow u bends and eco flushes and ancient, broken pipes. Every time dp has a shit they block up for a few days. I don't know if it's the size of the shit or the amount of tissue he uses but it drives me bonkers.

Theincidental · 02/10/2013 21:18

Eater board had to come out to unblock the drains here. They found an adult pair of jeans in there that had somehow been flushed down a loo!

How? How?

The mind boggles as to what would cause someone to flush jeans down a loo...

Original poster
Happydays12345 · 02/10/2013 21:29

That is truly perplexing, how on earth would
a pair of jeans fit?

OP posts:
NachoAddict · 02/10/2013 21:36

Jeans?? Why would you do that.

Baby wipes are the devils work at blocking toilets and I cant understand the thought process behind flushing a nappy.

gobbynorthernbird · 02/10/2013 21:37

Anyone else expecting a totally different thread?

Oh. Just me then.

quoteunquote · 02/10/2013 21:43

Grin at gobby