TMI question

luckya23

Do you flush tampons?

I swear everyone does it, but I just got a lecture from my plumber and then FI was like "that's obvious, everyone knows that!"

I KNEW that it wasn't great, and was very careful about it in my previous Victorian era house, but never was any other place.

ETA: Obviously this is a different issue in septic systems, so I assume those people don't. 

And this also isn't what I actually have the plumber here for, but he made a point to show me all of the "things with strings" laid out in globs on my garage floor!

KatWAG

every single time.

novella1186

nope nope nope. It's not good for any kind of plumbing. But I don't think it's super common to know not to flush them, because my college roommate is a pretty damn smart lady, and she didn't know not to flush them. Had never heard you shouldn't. I mean, how would you know not to if no one ever told you? They're basically paper, right? And you can flush toilet paper. 

blabla89

At home I did, at work I didn't because there was a sign that said not to. Now I've switched to using a diva cup so it doesn't really matter

Maggie0829

Yup, always have.

bethsmiles

*hangs head in shame* Yes, I do. Every single time. I really should stop.

emmaaa

Yep, always have.

@blabla89 How do you like the Diva Cup. I have considered trying it.

cupcait927

Nope. I've known forever that you're not supposed to do that. H actually tried to lecture me about it when we bought our house because we have a septic tank and it's extremely bad for the tank to flush them. I shut him down quick and told him that I'm very aware of how to dispose of my own feminine products, regardless if it's a septic tank or not.

ShesSoCold

Only in the indestructible public toilets. When I was a kid, we had to dig up our entire front yard due to years and years and years of flushing tampons. I have no idea what it cost my mom.  

Couggal12

I've always flushed them too and honestly never knew I shouldn't. The only place I've ever not flushed them was at DH's family's cabin up north but, that was only because it's a septic tank and I was told not to. 

twoleighs

Every time.  I had ad no idea you aren't supposed to.    

Learn something new every day!

blabla89

@emmaaa it's worked out pretty well for me. Once I got the hang of putting it in, it didn't seem too much more complicated than a tampon. I like that I don't have to change it as often and I don't have to worry about carrying extras with me.

PS- I like your new sig!

sarahufl

I always have and haven't had a problem.

BUT- we just bought an old house with old plumbing. Pretty sure I won't flush them there.

classicalandedgy

Yes mam every time, unless it's septic...

KatWAG

When I lived in Costa Rica, we couldn't even flush toilet paper.

It felt really weird and wrong putting everything in the trash.

theartistformerlyknownas

No, never. I didn't growing up because we had a septic tank and got lectured A LOT about how awful it was for the system. I used to do it with "industrial plumbing" like if I was at work or the mall, but then they started putting signs up telling us not to do it so I stopped that too.

labro

I did. Until I bought a house with a septic system and H told me to never ever flush my tampons. And now I have to instruct every single woman who comes in to the house that she can't flush her tampons either...it's so frustrating! I definitely didn't know that you shouldn't flush tampons in either a city pluming system or a septic system....

theartistformerlyknownas

http://jezebel.com/time-to-accept-reality-and-stop-flushing-tampons-down-t-1566737300

mrsdee15

Never.  The pipes at our condo are special, delicate flowers and can barely handle toilet paper.

JCbride2015

I never knew you weren't supposed to flush them.  I've always been told to flush them by my mom and school nurses everywhere.  Oops?

I switched to a DivaCup within the past few months and love it.  It's so easy and there's no waste, so no more flushing.  But ever since I got my IUD, I don't even get my period, so I'm a happy clam lately.

chibiyui

I never have. Firstly, it never made sense. Would try to flush a pad? Then why flush a tampon? It takes up even less room in your trashcan. 

Shit, I feel bad about flushing flushable wipes (Hint, they don't actually break down like they advertise)

Admitdly, I have plumbers in the family and have mostly lived in places with septic tanks.

But I also was never told not to. I just knew not too.

levioosa

I don't if I know the system has a septic tank.  We redid our plumbing a few years ago, so I don't worry about flushing them and causing blockage.  I actually flush them most places, unless I can tell that the plumbing system is fragile or outdated (or if there is a sign).  I've never backed up a toilet with a tampon.  I've been places where you can't flush anything and it always makes the bathroom such an unpleasant place, especially if the trash isn't regularly emptied.  I'm bad. 

larrygaga

I do it if I don't care about the plumbing. So I won't do it at my moms house but I will at a restaurant. I refuse to touch trash cans in a public bathroom so they can hVe it flushed or left on the floor.

We had a septic tank so not flushing was part of the how to use them lecture during my first period.

theartistformerlyknownas

levioosa said:

I don't if I know the system has a septic tank.  We redid our plumbing a few years ago, so I don't worry about flushing them and causing blockage.  I actually flush them most places, unless I can tell that the plumbing system is fragile or outdated (or if there is a sign).  I've never backed up a toilet with a tampon.  I've been places where you can't flush anything and it always makes the bathroom such an unpleasant place, especially if the trash isn't regularly emptied.  I'm bad. 

They don't back up your toilet though, they back up the public sewer line after they leave your house.

ashley8918

People really, truly don't know that you are not supposed to flush tampons? I feel like it's pretty common sense/common knowledge.

So, no. Never. Unless, like, there is no garbage can in sight.

doeydo

No, never.  At a public washroom they go in the garbage disposal thing that is there in your stall specifically for that reason and at people's homes it goes in the garbage because I don't want to fuck up the plumbing or cause the toilet to back up or something.  

[Deleted User]

levioosa

lolo883 said:

levioosa said:

I don't if I know the system has a septic tank.  We redid our plumbing a few years ago, so I don't worry about flushing them and causing blockage.  I actually flush them most places, unless I can tell that the plumbing system is fragile or outdated (or if there is a sign).  I've never backed up a toilet with a tampon.  I've been places where you can't flush anything and it always makes the bathroom such an unpleasant place, especially if the trash isn't regularly emptied.  I'm bad. 

They don't back up your toilet though, they back up the public sewer line after they leave your house.

I guess my area just doesn't make as big of a deal about it.  I've been to other states and there are signs everywhere.  I rarely, if ever see signs around my area indicating tampon protocol. 

VulgarGirl

Um I didn't know you were supposed too. I've always just put them in the trash.

arrippa

I was always told to throw them away.

ashley8918

MagicInk said:

Um I didn't know you were supposed too. I've always just put them in the trash.

You are 100% NOT supposed to flush them.