(NSFW) Have any of you ladies ever encountered a bathroom that didn't have a trash receptacle?

I don’t think I’ve run into that one. I have, however, been a guest where the hosts thoughtfully provided a naked, empty wastebasket in which nothing could be inconspicuously buried. Like you, I did have to palm the evidence a time or two and finagle an alternate method of disposal.

Much more of a problem used to be getting discreetly to the bathroom at work carrying necessary supplies. Wherever I worked, it wasn’t customary to carry a purse to the bathroom; carrying your purse meant you were leaving. So I had to stow my provisions somewhere about my person, meaning in a pocket (not everything has pockets) or up a sleeve (easier in winter) or some other such accommodation. Very embarrassing and discomfiting to get waylaid for a conversation by someone—say, your boss’s (male) boss—en route to the bathroom and hope you could hold out an extra five minutes, and without having the tampon tucked into your waistband slip to the floor. He’d better not make you laugh…

I also have never run into this problem. I have always flushed tampons no matter where I was. Looking back, that’s probably not a good idea.
Maybe keeping a ziploc baggie in ones purse is a good idea. Yeh, it’s gross to put it in your purse till you can get it out of there. But with a zippie bag it would be more tidy.

Yup, my obsessive-compulsive sister decided that her downstairs (guest) loo should not contain a waste container. I have no doubt that she was horrified to see me parade into her kitchen full of guests with a wrapped, used tampon to deposit it in the nearest garbage can – but she deserved it.

I don’t think I’ve ever been to anyone’s house and discovered that there was no trash can in the bathroom. Seems like a required item to have in there, even if no women live in the home. Feminine products are far from the only thing that find their way into our bathroom trash cans.

Also, I can honestly say I’ve never worried about my tampon stopping up a toilet. If anyone has ever defecated in that toilet, whatever they dropped in there is bigger than a little tampon. I’d never even think to throw it in the trash. And I don’t wear pads, so that’s never been an issue either.

However, you’d still have to dispose of the new tampon applicator and wrapper once the old one was flushed, but I’d stick the applicator inside the wrapper, wrap a little toilet paper around it, and discretely toss it into the nearest trash can. I have to do this in one of the bathrooms on campus because there’s no tiny receptacle attached to the stalls for some reason.

@Jeruba I hate that situation, too! I think taking my purse to the bathroom makes it quite obvious what I’m about to do. I’d rather not tell the world that my vagina is bleeding, so I have to find a way to get it from my purse onto my body without anyone seeing it.

I haven’t had that problem but I remember a couple of months after I first got my period, I was swimming in the pool and the tampon was uncomfortable so I ran around the house and dug it in the dirt. Right where my mom planted flowers. Looking back, I have no idea why I didn’t go inside to use the bathroom. I fessed up a few weeks later because I felt guilty. Jeez, why didn’t I throw it in the road or something!?

Hmm. I’d like to share some of our plumbing bills with young ladies who think they can flush anything and no one will know. We have an old house with old plumbing. They would not have enjoyed the sight of some of the things that Roto-Rooter guys have fished out of the sewer access (while shooting me reproachful looks that I didn’t deserve). Tampons do not break down the way organic matter does.

@anniereborn My brother/sister in law has a septic system that has been plugged up (no pun intented) by his daughters flushing their tampons. My SiL now has a discreet sign up by the toilet paper to not flush sanitary items.

I have been in the position as @Jeruba has at work, where I have to slip a tampon on my body to get to the bathroom. I swear it seemed like the same man seemed to always be walking by my desk and stoppin in about the time I was trying to discreetly slide a tampon in my wasteband.
I have never had the problem of no trash cans in the bathroom.

@livelaughlove21 Seriously, you flush tampons? You can’t be serious.

I have seen the aftermath of a tampon that someone attempted to flush down a toilet. It got stopped up and overflowed. It wasn’t pretty.

@Jeruba I have actually stuck wrapped tampons into my sock when I realized that I had no pockets.

@glacial I have always flushed tampons. I’m actually surprised at those that don’t.

@anniereborn Older plumbing and some low-flow toilets will stop up if you try to flush a tampon.

Now imagine being at your SO’s house for Christmas dinner, in their 1940’s era home, with their old plumbing, flushing that tampon and having the toilet overflow, and making their bathroom look like a massacre has just occurred. Not pretty.

@glacial Uh, yes. Every single box of tampons clearly indicates they are flushable.

I agree with you, @anniereborn. I’ve never heard of people not flushing them. I’ve flushed many tampons down many toilets in many homes. I’ve never had a problem.

@livelaughlove21 They are only flushable if you have the perfect sewer system that has been totally upgraded.

@livelaughlove21 Doesn’t matter what it says on the box. If you encounter old plumbing and/or a low flow toilet, it’s just a matter of time that a tampon will eventually stop up that toilet.

Sure, they’ll flush. They’ll go down. The box doesn’t say “Won’t plug your boyfriend’s parents’ pipes,” does it? They go down a way and then stop. And they won’t dissolve. They’ll just park there until some leering Roto-Rooter man digs them out and says “Tell your wife to quit flushing her goodies.”

You may not have a problem, darlin’, but somebody will.

@chyna @Kardamom @Jeruba Well it hasn’t happened yet. My mother and grandmother both live in old homes with old plumbing and since I was taught by my mother to flush them, I’m certain I’m far from the only one who has done so in those homes. I’ve never had a toilet stop up because of a tampon. And I’ve never had my pipes clog because of them either.

Perhaps I’d worry more if I had to use those giant penis-sized super absorbency tampons but, luckily, the little ones suffice.

@livelaughlove21 Most of the time, firecrackers won’t blow your thumb off, but when they do (and that’s why they’re illegal, at least in my state) the aftermath looks very similar to our scenario with the tampons.

@livelaughlove21 Yeah, I’ve never seen nor used one of the giant sized ones myself, but they all expand. That’s their purpose.

@Kardamom Yea, well firecrackers are legal here and we still use them despite the risks. I also drive a car everyday even though people sometimes die in them.

@chyna I’m aware. But the big ones obviously expand more.

@chyna Yeah, the sewer pipe just thinks it’s a more earthy or hippy version of a House of V. Wants to get dat ol’ tampon all up in der and stuff.

@livelaughlove21 Ah, but you probably wouldn’t drive your car down someone’s toilet, though would you?

@Kardamom If it was flushable I would.

Guys, easy.

A couple of years ago I had a Uterine Ablation, as my periods were horrid. Now my flow is so low that if I use a tampon it’s one of those tiny ones. I would probably still flush it. Though I totally understand what all of you are saying. I just can’t imagine sticking a bloody tampon in a waste paper basket.

I never realized that tampons clogged the pipes? I have always flushed. I thought that is why we wear them? I lived in my last apartment for 16 years and never had a clogged drain.

I don’t recall every have a blocked toilet to be honest in any place I have lived.

I think it is very nice of you to be so considerate and not flush them for fear of blocking the drain. I am also not sure though about leaving a used tampon in someone’s bin for them to dispose of.To me that seems wrong. This topic has really got me thinking. Since lately due to illness I have had to wear pads (which I would never flush) and so would have a huge problem. I think the best thing to do is carry ziplock bags and plastic bags put in your purse then go to the bins outside the house of the person you are visiting? Ugh! a tough one.

Tampons are bad news in septic systems. But palming one sounds even worse.

@Adirondackwannabe Agreed.

If any of you ladies are ever at my house while you’re menstruating, please feel free to flush. I’d prefer it to the alternative. And in return, I’ll happily toss my gross, bloody tampon in your trash bin for you to clean up.

There, now everyone’s happy!

OK, lets take tampons out of the picture. Plenty of people use pads, and not just us menstruating gals, if you get my drift. Where do the sans trash can people expect their guests to put those?

Please don’t anybody say, “Oh I’ve always flushed pads.

@livelaughlove21 Most females that I know wrap their bloody tampons in toilet paper before tossing in the bin. No clean up necessary.

@chyna Exactly, that is what me and my friends and female cousins were taught to do, so as to avoid clogging up someone’s plumbing.

Seriously, have some of you actually never seen a toilet that has been overflowing because of a bloody tampon having been flushed down it?

@livelaughlove21 Ouch.

I use OB. Tiny, totally flushable, no applicator.

Of course, I live in an area that doesn’t really have old houses.

The only time I’ve run into an overflow was when my then year old son filled the toilet with kitty litter.

@Kardamom I honestly have never experienced that. Thank goodness

@anniereborn Same here.

And no, @Kardamom, I don’t flush pads. I don’t know what I’d do, as I haven’t worn one since I was 16.

@Seek_Kolinahr OB is more flushable that a slim Tampax? I don’t flush the applicators by the way.

I don’t know. I hate Tampax, they’re too long for me. Regular OB are about 1–½ inches long, if that.

The OB ones plump up much better than any other brand, which makes them even more of a risk of clogging up the potty. Even the little bitty ones.

And again, I’ll ask where one might put the bloodied applicator if there is no trash receptacle? Applicators are harder to palm, because they’re about 3 times the size of the tampon itself.

@Adirondackwannabe sorry you have to be witness to all of this. You are one brave man : )

@Kardamom Hey, this is Mother Nature. There is no reason for either sex to freak out about any of this. I can’t understand that. You’d be surprised how many people think I’m nuts.

@LornaLove Yes, there are a lot of older, post-menstruation, females who wear pads for other reasons, and believe it or not, there are also some men who wear them too, either for urinary problems, or hemorrhoid problems.

Sorry, but some of you younger folks have probably not considered these issues before. Just wanted to put it out there.

Emptying a little trash can from your bathroom isn’t much different than emptying a big trash can from your garage. They’re both filled with waste.

Addy, you are one thoughtful fellow : )

I’m surprised that @UCME hasn’t stopped by

@Kardamom We be gentle, and we take care of each other. It makes life easier.
.ucme is asleep.

If there isn’t a bin in the bathroom,I would wrap the pad in toilet paper throw it in any kind of bin I can find,preferably with a lid, or take it outside to one of the bins there.Another safe solution for sanitary pad disposition is by tearing out the nylon, flush down the tisue and wash off the stained nylon and add it to trash bin.

I have and I will discreetly find the hostess and let them know my situation. I am not a big fan of dumping my stuff in someones trash so I will usually carry a small trash bag in my purse and just put it in there and wrap it up tight and toss it out at home. If I am staying at someones home then I will be sure to throw out their trash for them. I know it is a natural thing but I worry that it will stink up their trash and they will notice.
I provide small bags for my guest if I know they are likely to still be on their cycle and I also provide pads in the guest bathroom for those who may have been suddenly caught unaware.

I have signs next to all my toilets that say, “Country Plumbing” with a few salient details to explain. I also have waste baskets.

I still remember visiting my bf during his last three years at college…he and two others had a suite: two bedrooms, a living room and private bathroom. There was never a waste basket and I always had to wrap the tampon in toilet paper and then carry it away in my purse.

I have never considered this and maybe I should. I don’t go through bathroom waste fast enough in my apartment. I empty it around every month since it is mostly toilet paper rolls.

I was a janitor and lets just say that tampons get stinky really fast. Emptying the bins next to the toilets was by far the worst part of cleaning woman’s restrooms. I would actually be pretty pissed if one was tossed in my bathroom bin without warning.

Palm it and toss it in the kitchen garbage that is taken out daily.

I will add my voice to the country plumbing. When I first had my period I didn’t tell any one. Well shortly thereafter we had to call the plumbing guys.

Having that conversation with my dad has forever scarred me. And I was using ob.

For the males I have visited who are bachelor’s. I have at times informed them they need a trash can. I just told them it is something women like and let them figure it out. For all other situations which are thankfully few I waited and contrived to leave early or at least run a quick errand.

@johnpowell I would never palm it for your comfort. It is like asking a man to palm a spunky used condom. If you have any kind of regard for women or a woman whether just friendliness or respect for her being human you would man up for the rare occasion it should be necessary. Or perhaps we women should confine ourselves as dirty and unclean during our cycle for the convenience of the males.

My best friend didn’t have a trash can in her powder room for years. I never said anything about it until after I had to wrap and palm a pad, and walk through her crowded kitchen to throw it away during a party. After the party, I told her about the situation, and she’s had a trashcan in there ever since.

I used to flush tampons, too, btw. When the plumber I’d called to fix my blocked toilet admonished me about it, I indignantly told him that the box said they were flushable. He pointed out to me that what it actually said was that the (cardboard) applicator was flushable…not the tampon itself. I looked, and damned if he wasn’t right! Stopped flushing them after that.

I flush tampons. I only used pads when I first started my periods, I didn’t flush those. If I went to someones home, I wouldn’t flush them. I thought every bathroom had a bin.

What a bloody nuisance!

@ucme I knew you’d show up eventually :)

After my prostate surgery I had the “pleasure” of wearing incontinence pads for a few months. Yuk! (I now have a lot more respect for those unfortunate souls living with incontinence.)
Since I didn’t want anyone to know I was peeing in my pants while they were discussing an absolutely riveting topic like ‘the benefits of austenitic steel’, I would hide the used pad under other trash or carry it out with me in these bags . I stored them inside one of my suit coat pockets.

@LuckyGuy “absolutely riveting topic like ‘the benefits of austenitic steel’”

I think I’d pee in my pants just to escape that coversation.

@livelaughlove21 Yeah, this is female territory…period!

That experience has taught me that every bathroom should have a box of tissues and a trash can lined with, at the very least, a used grocery bag, and if company is coming there should be some trash left in the can.
Sorry. OCD Home Beautiful types, this is not “welcoming” for your bathrooms guests. They encourage people to hide their business resulting in clogged pipes.

@livelaughlove21 And that was one of the exciting ones!

^ Totally true, @LuckyGuy

Good idea to have a scented liner, and a bit of tissue in the bin.

Thankfully, I use a cup. All I need is a private toilet with a sink. Boy I’d be in trouble if a powder room did not have a sink.

I use cloth pads as a backup, so I have a tiny waterproof zipper bag that I keep in my purse if I have to change it. With good cup timing, though, I can get by with just one pad a day.

I have also encountered the scenario of a can-less bathroom when I was in need, but I have always flushed the tampons and then only needed a place to throw away the applicator, which I have no problem wrapping up and sticking in my purse.

I was unaware, until just now reading this thread, that flushed tampons cause such a problem in many houses. I will keep this in mind in the future…but honestly will continue to flush in all places where there is not a sign requesting that I not. It just seems more sanitary – if the plumbing can handle it. I very rarely need to change a tampon outside of my own house, anyway.

@johnpowell TP tubes are recycling, not trash.

@LuckyGuy. Yes! You are spot on about that bin. It is not the right kind of bin for a bathroom.

All anyone needs is a regular solid bin, with a plastic bag in it. The bin can get emptied after all the guests have left for the night, or after they’ve gone to bed.

Can you imagine how mortified a guest would be, if they flushed a tampon and had the toilet overflow?

Also, I’m one of those people who will not use the “multiple users” cloth hand towels to dry my hands. To me that is pretty disgusting. Also, lots of people don’t like to use them, because they always look pretty and brand new, and no one wants to be the first person to soil the pretty Christmas towels. So I always use a couple of pieces of toilet paper to dry my hands. Last year, when we were going to have company for Christmas, I invested in some of these Disposable Hand Towels. Those also should not be flushed, hence the need for a trash bin.

@Kardamom I’m not a fan of disposable towels, for environmental reasons. I put up a fresh hand towel just before guests arrive, then replace it once they leave. If anyone doesn’t want to use it, that’s their choice.

But I do @LuckyGuy‘s trick of leaving a bit of trash in the waste bin when guests are expected, so that they’re not afraid to leave their own if need be.

I don’t get why putting tampons in one’s purse and carrying it around is any less appalling than throwing them in a trash container which exists for that purpose. And I also don’t get why several jellies are cheerfully reporting that they intend to continue flushing tampons now that they know that it’s a harmful practice. Can we not just accept that menstruation is a normal, mundane biological function? Why do we need to work so hard to pretend that it doesn’t happen? What exactly do you think your hosts think you are doing in there, even if they don’t know you have your period? We are all human, and should be able to live with the knowledge of excretion without losing our minds.

People are so weird.

@glacial You are right of course. We are all human and, as such, all perform certain bodily functions. However, during my recovery, I would have been mortified if anyone knew I was wearing pee pads. Heck, I even had a hard time walking down the aisle and buying them.

People are so weird.

@Unbroken :: I’m not really asking to palm it for my comfort. I don’t give a fuck if you walked out of bathroom swinging it around while looking for a trashcan that gets used on a regular basis. Seriously, I have a big garbage can in my bathroom. It gets filled with toilet paper rolls and dental floss. I barely ever empty it.

“If you have any kind of regard for women or a woman whether just friendliness or respect for her being human you would man up for the rare occasion it should be necessary.”

Did you read the part where I said:
”I have never considered this and maybe I should.”

It was the first fucking sentence.

@johnpowell I did read that and was happy that now you were aware you might remedy the problem. But then I read:

I would actually be pretty pissed if one was tossed in my bathroom bin without warning. Palm it and toss it in the kitchen garbage that is taken out daily.

That seemed exceptionally inconsiderate. It is not that we enjoy leaving behind trash. Indeed I used to take as many preventative measures as I could to avoid it.

Sometimes it can’t be avoided and then the courtesy should fall to the host. Having to parade out of the bathroom hoping that the kitchen trash isnt hidden and possibly in the presence of others and put bathroom trash in the kitchen when I already have washed my hands and hide my garbage furtively on risk of making everyone aware would be exceedingly uncomfortable.

Also women’s bathrooms many don’t wrap their garbage and sometimes the liner slips making the container itself smell. Plus being enclosed with numerous other waste is what makes the stench so strong.

I’m not a fancy man, I don’t have dinner parties. My friends come over to drink and snort coke and play poker.

We just won’t agree here, so have a nice day.

Indeed. Same to you

Who still uses cocaine? It’s all about meth these days. ~

I have actually been in public restrooms that didn’t have one in the stall. I simply just wrapped it up and secretly dropped it in the garbage by the sink, even though I am sure someone saw since there are always long lines in the bathrooms. You just have to suck it up and say, I’m not the only one!