Question about tampon applicator disposal

[Anonymous]

Holy shiat, is this serious?! People flush the applicator and wrapper?!

You do not flush ANY part of the tampon - even the tampon itself, and no "flushable" wipes (because there is no such thing).

Toilet paper, poop, pee, water. That's all. You flush nothing else.

[Anonymous]

I put the plastic applicator back in the wrapper and put it in the small trashcan with a lid in the bathroom- at home and away. I wrap the used tampon in TP and put it in the trash too. If you clog the pipe from your house to the sewer line, that’s a $$$$$$ plumber bill.

If I am going to someone’s house and I don’t think I’ll feel comfortable leaving that in the trash, I take a ziploc bag and put it in my purse until I get home. Or I take a small opaque baggie with me - like a dog waste bag - to wrap it up before putting it in the trash.

[Anonymous]

Diva Cup ftw.

I haven’t had to worry about what I’m going to do with my menstrual waste in years.

[Anonymous]

Just wait until you have a huge sewer backup and the plumber comes and finds your whole pipe filled with tampons. That will be awkward. Wrap in tp and definitely put them in the trash.

[Anonymous]

I wish tampon wrappers could fit the used tampon. Like how you use a new pad wrapper to wrap up the old pad. Can someone please invent that for tampons?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy shiat, is this serious?! People flush the applicator and wrapper?!

You do not flush ANY part of the tampon - even the tampon itself, and no "flushable" wipes (because there is no such thing).

Toilet paper, poop, pee, water. That's all. You flush nothing else.

Can we flush mop water?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TRASH.

I cannot believe this is a real question.

+1

[Anonymous]

Yeah, flushing the plastic applicator is just wrong. The cardboard ones used to say they were flushable but i don't think they do anymore.

I love these for the tampons themselves:
https://www.amazon.com/Scensibles-Personal-Disposal-Purse-Packs/dp/B0060ONNL8/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=scensibles&qid=1623416455&s=hpc&sr=1-5

Feels more sanitary than wrapping in toilet paper, though I do that if I don't have any of the bags with me. I used to flush tampons but got an (embarrasing) talking to when we had a blockage in our brand new home... it was not related to what I'd flushed and in fact was due to a construction error but the construction PM could still see what had been flushed and sheepishly mentioned it was a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people even buy tampons with plastic applicators, much less flush them.

+1

Is the plastic recyclable? Why not put the plastic applicator in the recycling?

[Anonymous]

I was taught (by my mom) to flush the applicator, but that's back when they were made of flimsy cardboard that would at least theoretically disintegrate in water. When I switched to a plastic applicator, I for sure put the applicator in the trash! Same with the wrapper - it used to be light paper that would immediately fall apart in water, now it's that shiny stuff I would never flush.

I will say that I flush the actual used tampon, and no one is going to get me to stop. I would never routinely put a used tampon in a trash can, that's disgusting, and I have a high bar for disgust. I will put it in a trash can if there is one of those signs saying "no feminine hygiene products in the toilet" - I figure those places have crappy systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was taught (by my mom) to flush the applicator, but that's back when they were made of flimsy cardboard that would at least theoretically disintegrate in water. When I switched to a plastic applicator, I for sure put the applicator in the trash! Same with the wrapper - it used to be light paper that would immediately fall apart in water, now it's that shiny stuff I would never flush.

I will say that I flush the actual used tampon, and no one is going to get me to stop. I would never routinely put a used tampon in a trash can, that's disgusting, and I have a high bar for disgust. I will put it in a trash can if there is one of those signs saying "no feminine hygiene products in the toilet" - I figure those places have crappy systems.

If you want to flush tampons at your own house (as a homeowner), then fine. But don't ever, ever do so at anyone else's house, or property if you are a renter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was taught (by my mom) to flush the applicator, but that's back when they were made of flimsy cardboard that would at least theoretically disintegrate in water. When I switched to a plastic applicator, I for sure put the applicator in the trash! Same with the wrapper - it used to be light paper that would immediately fall apart in water, now it's that shiny stuff I would never flush.

I will say that I flush the actual used tampon, and no one is going to get me to stop. I would never routinely put a used tampon in a trash can, that's disgusting, and I have a high bar for disgust. I will put it in a trash can if there is one of those signs saying "no feminine hygiene products in the toilet" - I figure those places have crappy systems.

If you want to flush tampons at your own house (as a homeowner), then fine. But don't ever, ever do so at anyone else's house, or property if you are a renter.

At home I put everything in the garbage. At work, I flush everything. I hate my boss and she owns the property, so it’s the little things

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people even buy tampons with plastic applicators, much less flush them.

+1

Is the plastic recyclable? Why not put the plastic applicator in the recycling?

No!

If you're not sure if the recycling system where you are takes a kind of plastic, it's better to throw it in the trash. Otherwise your little applicators and your neighbor's plastic bags, and their neighbor's toys, etc. can soil the entire batch and it all goes to the trash. Look up what your city takes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish tampon wrappers could fit the used tampon. Like how you use a new pad wrapper to wrap up the old pad. Can someone please invent that for tampons?

At home I save the plastic wrappers from pads and use those to wrap up the used tampon before putting it in the covered trashcan.
(I alternate between pads and tampons) Pads can be wrapped in tissue before thrown away, but tampons definitely need to be wrapped in plastic!
I have a septic system now so it is very important not to flush these items! When I lived in an area with city sewers I did flush the tampons- but never the wrapper or applicator. I can’t believe OP is so lazy as to flush those. Almost every public women’s restroom has those little trash containers for that purpose

[Anonymous]

Why don’t you just use tissues? It’s safer and better!