My girlfriend flushes her tampons down the toilet, which I was unaware that she did. Last night, theoilet overflowed and she mentioned that the only thing she flushes down the toilet, other than the obvious, are her tampons.

I told her that she shoudn't be doing that. She said all women do this and do it all the time. My response was that just because all women do it doesn't mean you're supposed to flush them.

I never have a problem with toilets overflowing but I don't even flush Q-tips down the toilet. I think the tampons were the cause of this and should not be done.

Am I correct here or is it okay to flush tampons down a toilet?? Please advise and thank you very much.

Fr_Chuck

Only those which say flushable should be flushed. Many do not say that. So you will have to read the box.

But even then they will and do often stop up toliets because many flush alot of toliet paper at the same time and/or the toliet may not have a good flush to start with.

so if you do flush them always keep that plunger handy.

** also a note for those people, like me, who lives in the country and have a septic system, we do not have a sewer that goes somewhere, everything we flush has to be biodegradable and has to desolve in the septic tank that is underground in our back yard. So even many that are fulshable can't be flushed in the country.

best bet, just wrap in paper and throw in trash.

nymphetamine

NO all women do not flush their tampons down the toilet.The majority of us wrap them and throw it in the trash. I believe on the package it says not to flush them and they do expand which I can see would cause a clog in your toilet if you flush enough in there.

letmetellu

I am in the plumbing business and have experence in this area. If your sewer line is in perfect condition it would not hurt to flush tampons down the commode. But if the sewer line has an imprefection such as a root sticking into the pipe or a rough spot that could act as a snag then tampons should not be flushed. Since you have no idea if there is a flaw in the sewer line then it would be my advice to not flush them at all. The tampon, just in the way it is made makes it an easy object to hang up on something, the softness of the tampon itself and then also the string attached are just looking for a place to stop. So to be safe just dispose of them in the trash.

soonerinstl

Thank you all to those that contributed to this thread. I showed my sweetie your responses and have her convinced not to do it anymore.

Thanks!

nymphetamine

Oh that is so sweet. His sweetie. Glad you got that settled.

speedball1

And "letmetellu" that I'm a plumber too and, as "soonerinstl" has found out,
it isn't a sewer line that Tampons get hung up in. After years of removing Tampons and Kotex from stopped up toilets I can testify that they very seldom get out to the sewer line. They hang up in the trap in the bowl and the only way to remove them is with a closet auger. However his advice not to flush them down at all was bang on. "Soonerinstl" I hope your potty's clear now. Cheers, Tom

DJ 'H'

I flush them down the toilet - and so does every female friend & relative of mine. I thought it was the normal thing to do - I have never known anyone not to.

speedball1

"I flush them down the toilet - and so does every female friend & relative of mine. I thought it was the normal thing to do - I have never known anyone not to."

While some Tampons are biodegradable most are not. This could become a problem if you're on a septic tank. You and your friends have been lucky so far. I hope your luck continues. Tom

DJ 'H'

I don't have a clue about plumbing in general - but none I know has ever had problems with their toilet because they flush tampons. I don't know - maybe the UK is different?!