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 have extremely heavy periods and can flood many times over several days. Often needing to go to the loo every hour at least. I can just about manage these days using the most absorbant tampon and a night time pad at the same time. However removing a sodden tampon and dealing with the gush that sometimes immediately follows is very difficult. I often can't 'land it' onto a wad of toilet roll without splattering myself, clothes and toilet seat with blood. So, for this reason I do often flush that tampon down the loo. Especially if I'm at work where the toilets are very busy and the sinks are outside the cubicle.

On lighter days, of course I wrap in tissue and put in the bin. I line the bathroom bin with a biodegradable bag.

I have tried a mooncup but it just didn't work. Reusable pads where nowhere near absorbant enough and leaked.

How can they be no worse than loo paper , loo paper disintegrates when it’s very wet, if tampons did that they wouldn’t be fit for purpose . That is just very basic common sense .

Flush them. They are minging.And tried and hated mooncup.

I can’t imagine seeing anything less desirable on a radiator, pegged on a line or in an airing cupboard, especially with a few people living in the household

How's it worse than bras and knickers hanging up to dry? Presumably the people in your household know you have periods?

And flushing tampons wasn't a thing back in the late 80's so God was knows why people still do it! YOUR plumbing might not get blocked but you can bet your life it'll be backing up somewhere along your street and some poor sod will have to unblock it!

Bathroom bin wrapped in tissue. Gets emptied quite often due to cat litter trays being in there so not there for long.

Bathroom bin, wrapped in loo-roll. Bin is emptied every second day during my period, usually weekly otherwise when it’s just floss, cotton pads and so on. The bin is a pedalbin with lid, but I use pads at night and do think they can smell.

Well, I’m in my late forties and have looked at the instructions on my Tampax box for the first time ever! I have been educated and promise not to flush one down the loo again ... but here’s to the menopause where there’ll be no faffing around!

nappy bag tied up and in bathroom bin. My mum 'taught' my sister and I to do this and I have just carried on.

You may not like the idea of a bathroom bin but this is why they are a good thing. You can always wrap it up in a couple of sheets of toilet paper before you bin it which will help with the worry of it smelling.

Loo roll and bathroom bin, empty every evening or every couple of days, if you must, put them in a biodegradable nappy bag first.

What on Earth is wrong with having a bathroom bin?? We couldn't do without one. I hate it if I'm visiting someone and they don't have a bathroom bin if I need to change a sanitary towel. The thought of wrapping up sanitary items and putting them in the kitchen bin sounds all wrong.

I don’t think many people are saying there is anything wrong with them, I just don’t want one.

@mmebouleye

They're actually quite pretty the ones you get now. Google it. All funky patterns.

People who think Mooncups are gross, whats he difference between a cup and a tampon?

One is medical grade silicon cup you empty and one is a wadge of cotton full of blood in your vagina.

And im not judging I've used both. There's just no real difference

They really aren't just a MN thing either I know several of my friends use them and dont admit to mumsnet

You can get scented sanitary bags from the supermarket. Bag it, then straight into the bathroom bin!

One is medical grade silicon cup you empty and one is a wadge of cotton full of blood in your vagina

And im not judging I've used both. There's just no real difference

I agree,no difference.

@felixtitling why not use loo roll to pull it out (wrap your hand?)as you must be getting your hands quite bloody if it's that bad.

Wrap in tissue and put in he kictchen bin.
The kitchen bin is emptied daily.

nappy bin put them twist, hidden clean disposal ...pow

"compost them"
Gruesome! Bad enough digging over your compost to find rank tampons, but the blood will also attract rats. Imagine you are sitting out having a nice BBQ when a rat jogs by with last weeks tampax.......More tea vicar????

In the bathroom bin. I live in a flat and general waste is only collected every 2 weeks so they might have to fester there for 2 to 3 weeks. It's vile, but what else can I do that's not completely unenvironmental or illegal?

This thread is depressing frankly. Don’t flush your tampons, don’t be that twat.

And I don’t have a bathroom bin, I use solid soap and shampoo and cloth pads/cup. I use toilet roll inners as kindling and paper wrapper from loo roll as gift wrap I don’t need a bin just for dental floss

Currently reading Sara Pascoe’s book, Animal. She does a great riff re periods and how menstruating women are viewed. And lots of other insightful stuff into our gender. Recommend highly.

PS. It’s also very funny.

I use Thinx pants now (and love love love them) but I used to wrap in tissue and put in the bin. Where do you put the applicators and wrappers? Put the tampons there, too.