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.

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 a lot of toilet paper at the same time and/or the toilet 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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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

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.

"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

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?

I suggest not even flushing tampons that are supposedly meant to be flushed.

I've had bad luck with even some toilet wipes that are supposedly "safe to flush".

My rule of thumb: Nothingbut feces, urine and a reasonable amount of toilet paper.

With some tenants I've even had to go so far as to point out that there might even be times when flushing before you are finished is appropriate. :o

I hope the girls keep on flushing their tampons down the commode, I have a payment coming due on my Lexus.

And to speedball1, it the tampons are staying in the commode and stopping it up the commode needs some attention to get the scale of the porcelain in the trapway of the commode.

A friend of mine had to dig his sewer up and cost him over $400. Reason was tampons were lodged against tree limbs that had grown in his drain tile. Said that when they busted open the pipe they were all there and a big cotton mess.

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

Tom is is so funny to me how over the years of you and I being in the plumbing business, how different our experiences have been. You find your Kotex and Tampons in the commodes and I find more in the sewer lines. Plus there have been so many of my post that you have committed on that have been a completely difference experience for you. I guess that could be because of the different areas that we live in.

Oh by the way in my house hold we flush the tampons down the commode but not the sanitary pads. But I still recommend that others don't because I can clean my own line if need be.

#14 Rate this Answer Report Inappropriate Post Warn: (20%) Yesterday, 10:09 PM
letmetellu
Ultra Member Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,312
Letmetellu, I see the Mods have tagged your post as "inappropnate" I didn't find it so. You were just commenting on our different answers. Rick, I don't agree that his post warranted a warning.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 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


"Tom is is so funny to me how over the years of you and I being in the plumbing business, how different our experiences have been. You find your Kotex and Tampons in the commodes and I find more in the sewer lines. Plus there have been so many of my post that you have committed on that have been a completely difference experience for you. I guess that could be because of the different areas that we live in. "

I guess it just slipped your mind the many times I've back your answers up. My answers aren't guesses, they are the result of repairing problems over the years. Yes ,we will have different answers for different areas, that's to be expected. Don't have a cow over it. I'm not out to torpedo you if that's what you're inferring. I consider you a valuable member on the plumbing page. I go back to the days before snap cutters and copper or plastic water pipe. Back to the days of lead shower pans and wiping joints in those pans. However, I retired in 1988 and depend on you plumbers that are still out in the field to keep me abreast of new develops and products since it's impossible to keep on top of everything.;
As for tampons, It's always two or more tampons I auger out of toilet traps. Sure they hang up in roots but when I get a call saying, The toilet ran over as soon as I flushed it." It's a pretty safe bet that the problem's in the trap.
As far as separate opinions go, we will always have them. This is what makes this page so great. We have opinions from my state where all of the houses are on slabs and conflicting opinions from plumbers that live in areas that have basements. Different strokes etc. You have yourself a great week end! Cheers, Tom

Tom, I don't understand the post above this one ( Quote #14 Rate this Answer Report Inappropriate Post Warn: (20%) Yesterday, 10:09 PM
letmetellu
Ultra Member Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,312
Letmetellu, I see the Mods have tagged your post as "inappropnate" I didn't find it so. You were just commenting on our different answers. Rick, I don't agree that his post warranted a warning.)

I really don't understand what it means but it sounds like I have said something I shouldn't have and that I got my tush chewed out for it and you came to my defense. I think you for your comments and if I did warrant a warning I would like to know more about a warrant and what I should do now to earn myself good standings back in the Askmehelp.com site.

Tom I will be looking for what we don't agree on next time but like you say it is just a matter of different opinions.

Tom, I don't understand the post above this one ( Quote #14 Rate this Answer Report Inappropriate Post Warn: (20%) Yesterday, 10:09 PM
letmetellu
Ultra Member Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,312
Letmetellu, I see the Mods have tagged your post as "inappropnate" I didn't find it so. You were just commenting on our different answers. Rick, I don't agree that his post warranted a warning.)

I really don't understand what it means but it sounds like I have said something I shouldn't have and that I got my tush chewed out for it and you came to my defense. I think you for your comments and if I did warrant a warning I would like to know more about a warrant and what I should do now to earn myself good standings back in the Askmehelp.com site.

Tom I will be looking for what we don't agree on next time but like you say it is just a matter of different opinions.

I contacted Rick and complained that the warning was too severe. I certainly didn't think any thing you posted was "inappropriate" And you're always in "good standing" on the plumbing page. Regards, Tom

Hi - this isn't meant to be an answer, it is a question about this topic (sorry, new user!). Boy do I need advice. I had renters here (in NYC) from France for a week. The 2nd to last day they said "the water evacuation in shower and toilet were slow". I had super look at it, couldn't find anything. Then "real" plumber snaked the line and found 10 tampons, the exact kind my renter was using. They are called "o.b."-- now the problem is fixed but I withheld their security deposit because they caused the trouble. She then takes me to the o.b. website where it clearly says you can flush them down toilets, and you can flush them down toilets in the U.S. She says she does it all the time and so do all her friends and has never had a problem. I'm starting to feel less right... should she have known better? Why do product sites say this if it isn't true? Any help-- this is timely-- would be greatly appreciated. Professional preferred but regular-Joe answers are good too. A plumbing ethics issue!

Well, once you have kids, tampons in the toilet will be the least of your worries!

Anyone here ever tried getting a barbie doll out of the toilet S Bend?

I know it may be a relationship breaker - but:

Tampons - and paper towels, Qtips, make up removal pads, Kleenex - should never be flushed down the toilet ...

I had used pads all the time and so when I started using tampons was relieved to be able to just flush them.. first thing that happened.. our sewer backed up.. we have bad pipes and it royally plugged them up! PLEASE if you do not have BRAND NEW plumbing and have NO chance of having tree roots in them.. PLEASE do not flush them! It's a pain in the arse to get it cleaned out!
:o

Good, honest, post... Thank you

I would add: do not flush any feminine / hygiene products even if you have brand new sewer lines. They will still create exactly the same problem.

That's a good idea.. it's really not a good idea.. the guy we had clean our our sewer line is kind of different.. he doesn't even put toilet paper in there.. puts it in a basket beside his toilet. Has a septic tank and old pipes. I don't know if I could handle that.

Let's wrap this up. Are there any plumbers in here, besides Letmetellu, that think it's OK to flush any feminine / hygiene products down the John? All together now, 1--2--3-----FLUSH!! Cheers Tom

Don't put anything down a toilet that you haven't eaten first.

Tinks 69 doe pee for whitetails and used tampons have a lot in common.

They can draw the big buck. LOL

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?!


The US is totally different from Europe in this regard. I've flushed tampons in the UK and other European countries all my life, just as my mother and friends taught me was OK. Then I came to stay with American friends this summer, and had the excruciatingly embarssing experience of blocking their toilet. Asked around my girlfriends in Britain and the US - all the Brits were amazed that you couldn't flush them here, whereas the Americans all told me they've been trained all their lives never to flush a tampon. I really really wish I'd known. It was horrible to cause so much stress for my American hosts, in such an embarrassing fashion...

Rule of thumb here in the US. Anything but human waste belongs in the trash. Not in the toilet!!!

The entire problem here is why a product has been invented for women who use
Tampons , It is called " Throwawayz " and it is a biodegradable tampon and small pad
Disposable bag.

As a group we plumbers would like to thank you ladies who dispose feminine/hygiene products by flushing them down the toilet.
You are really helping the economy by creating more disposable income for us in the way of service calls.
We advise against it but we laugh all the way to the bank when you ignore that advice. Thank you! Tom

I know it may be a relationship breaker - but:

Tampons - and paper towels, Qtips, make up removal pads, Kleenex - should never be flushed down the toilet ...

I generally don't flush Kleenex, but I never realized flushing it was a no-no. Good to know.

I just don't get this. I explain this to all the young girls, and still I find this is an issue. "all the girls do it". Good to know it's national. (rolling eyes)

I believe the best way to dispose of used tampons and small pads is to use the product Throwawayz as it seems to be a clean and biodegradable way to dispose of used tampons. Not to mention that using this method helps to keep the plumbing clear and saves you the expense of a plumber !

I can only repeat my earlier post:
As a group we plumbers would like to thank you ladies who dispose feminine/hygiene products by flushing them down the toilet.
You are really helping the economy by creating more disposable income for us in the way of service calls.
We advise against it but we laugh all the way to the bank when you ignore that advice. Thank you! Tom
__________________

My neighbor, a plumber, told me only three things should be flushed (and we have a city sewer system) -- two of those things are obvious, and the third is toilet paper that disintegrates when wet. Never flush tampons, baby wipes, paper towels, kleenex, Q-tips, anything made of cloth, or kitty litter (even if it's supposedly flushable).

Thanks for the information Wonder Girl but what are you doing digging up a 6 year old dead thread? Always look in the upper left hand corner for the date before you post. Cheers, Tom