to ask...where do you put your used tampons at home?

[YellowCat3]

Okay, I'll fess up...for years I've flushed them [blush. I've never thought too much about the enivronmental impact as I thought it was the same as loo roll, but have recently become aware that I definitely need to stop.

But I don't like the thought of them lingering around the house. We don't have a bin in the bathroom as it seems disgusting somehow, and our only bin is in the kitchen. It seems beyond skanky to put soiled tampons in there. I just wondered what other women do - do you put them straight in the bins outside, or are you happy to have bloody tampons in the bins inside for days? Not sure if I am being OCD about this (probably), but feel puzzled as to the best way to dispose of them?

I think it's quite antisocial to not have a bim in your bathroom? What if a friend visits who wears pads?! Should she just carry ut around. I hope the bin refusers never have reens in the house. Mortifying for them

Incredibly antisocial to flush them, it blocks pipes. Only bodily fluids and toilet roll should go down a toilet.

I cloth nappied, so I'm going to go ahead and judge you for doing something so pointless that requires literally no extra effort on your part. And yes, cloth napoies covered in shit are far worse to deal with than a tampon in the bin.

@le42 I don't wash my moomcup when I am out of the house. The blood is just going back where it came from 5 seconds ago.

I empty it and pop it back in. Wash at night and in the shower.

So is it - uncomfortable for visitors to have the embarrassment of having to take used tampons to the kitchen bin, or it’s natural and absolutely nothing to be embarrassed of??

I also scrape the dinner plates down the loo. I bave very little food waste as I shop daily (no car - live in London). Saves on bin bags! My council has no food recycling scheme.

You seem to be doing willfully stupid things that don't save you any time and will ruin your neighbours pipes. It's very confusing.

Also 8 million people live in London. Youre not the only one walking...

I am 50 and the instructions on sanitary towels packet was to tear in half and flush, which I did, and tampons to flush, which I did. They were cotton after all?

After DD1, over 10 years ago, I used a Mooncup.

o is it - uncomfortable for visitors to have the embarrassment of having to take used tampons to the kitchen bin, or it’s natural and absolutely nothing to be embarrassed of??

It's natural and nothing anyone should be made to feel embarrassed about but that doesn't mean a 15 year old wants to walk through your house with a wet tampon. . Everything is embarrassing when you're 15. She then has to find a sink to wash her hands. Its stupid all the way round.

I did not know you weren't meant to flush them! I assumed they were biodegradable in the water system! I rarely get a period but the next time I do I will be disposing in a less harmful way!! I feel really silly now - Thanks for this!

Thanks

In 23 years my neighbours have never complained about their pipes. Not had a problem with mine either!

I will continue to flush.

Funny how the 'save the planet' brigade are quiet about the scourge disposable nappies are on the planet.

Well you never need to read the box after the first time and they go an change the rukes on you nuclear!

Its 1 am and we're about the only ones posting and I already said I did cloth nappy. And moon cup.

In 23 years my neighbours have never complained about their pipes. Not had a problem with mine either!
They can cause blockages down the system, it's why the water companies regularly tell people to only flush pee, poo, papee. Blockages cost millions a year and totally preventable.

I didnt know I couldnt flush tampons but obviously now won't

For those sticking their bottom lip out and saying "I have always flushed and I shan't stop now, so ner":
You sound like my 8 year old DD having a stubborn and irrational moment.

We all do stuff that harms the environment. But how does someone else's disposable nappy, somehow even out your flushing of sanpro? It isnt like they cancel each other out. It's two lots of environmental damage instead of one.

Makes you sound a little....well.....like an 8 year old, to be honest.

Still stuck on why having a bathroom bin is disgusting.

Mine is mainly used for empty loo rolls and the (seemingly endless) amount of loo roll DD2 uses to remove her makeup. Tampons and towels go in and it get emptied twice a week. Dont see the issue personally.

Funny how the 'save the planet' brigade are quiet about the scourge disposable nappies are on the planet.

How do you know this?

Funny how the 'save the planet' brigade are quiet about the scourge disposable nappies are on the planet

Oh look, a windmill. A cow. A rainbow.

Let's not look at what you said, MissGuernsey, getting all planetary-judgy about cloth nappies but excusing your own pollution.

It's on the packaging of tampons.

Do. Not. Flush.

We're not supposed to flush tampons? That's news to me I've been doing it for 30 years 😳

We have a septic tank (quite common here for people who don’t live in towns or cities) so everything that’s not bodily waste goes into a bin. The bin waste gets bagged and taken out regularly.

Just get a mooncup, I've used one for 15 years and love it. Wrapping them in individual plastic bags/doggy bags seems counterproductive if you want to help the environment. I like the washable pads suggestion made by someone else. Wrapping it in loo roll seems perfectly fine too, get a bathroom bin with a lid and foot peddle and stop overthinking it. A bin is just as unsanitary whether its in your bathroom, bedroom or kitchen so put it where its most practical and convenient. You can wash bins too, I regularly wash mine.

I'm gonna excuse folk who claim ignorance but say they'll stop in future (I don't know how they didn't know, but I guess I had better check with DD what she does).

People who read this thread & insist they always will flush their tampons in future anyway: what is wrong with you? Don't you get it? Your tampons have to be removed by hand by workers at the sewage plant. Along with any other flushed fabric materials (like any sort of wipes). Why do you believe it's fine to make people do your dirty work?

I can’t believe how many women don’t know that you can’t flush tampons.. it was one of the first things my mother taught me and there are signs in heaps of bathrooms here (Australia) staying that..

Bathroom bin.. changed regularly during that time of the month and mainly used for used toilet rolls other times.

I host international homestay students. My French, Spanish and Italian is OK/minimal-ish. My miming in Mandarin/Korean/ works. All get the bin issue, nod OK in recognition. It's global.

I only host girls, so ensure they know that only I empty bathroom bins, a significant aspect.

Please don't flush tampons - they can help form fatbergs like the monster at sidmouth... www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-devon-46787461

I know longer use tampons unless I'm swimming - I use these washable period pants from cheeky wipes...
www.cheekywipes.com/bamboo-minky-cheeky-mama-cloth-sanitary-pads/pp-4l-16-1.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwv6blBRBzEiwAihbM-aqMpkirOiGqGFtw-W2duqLOMh3nQoKBxEmWrYPc740UlJu-TzkVCRoCmucQAvD_BwE

Flushing is so irresponsible and selfish