House sharing

Hersheys

Hey ladies,

Just looking for your opinion on this one.

I share a house and have an en-suite bathroom, but it looks like I'll be moving into a house where I'm going to have to share a bathroom. What does anyone who shares a bathroom do with their used sanitary waste? Currently, because I don't share a bathroom, I just use the bin and empty it myself - but I'd be mortified if someone was to look in the bin and see my mess. How does anyone else do it?

Malari

Hersheys wrote: »

Hey ladies,

Just looking for your opinion on this one.

I share a house and have an en-suite bathroom, but it looks like I'll be moving into a house where I'm going to have to share a bathroom. What does anyone who shares a bathroom do with their used sanitary waste? Currently, because I don't share a bathroom, I just use the bin and empty it myself - but I'd be mortified if someone was to look in the bin and see my mess. How does anyone else do it?

Eek, I'm not sure, as I've only ever used tampons, which flush! I would imagine if you just wrap everything up carefully and empty the bin regularly during that time you'll be ok. Otherwise remove the waste immediately?

Hersheys

Obviously I wrap it all up but I mean more people putting something into the bin and seeing that I'm "on". Would it be yuck to do the nescessary changing in my room?

Ickle Magoo

I shared a flat with five blokes and I put anything unflushable in one of those scented, non-see thru nappy sacks, tied and popped that in the bin & made sure the bin was emptied regularly. Seeing me prostrate on the couch with a hot-water-bottle was more than enough of a clue that I had my period anyway, the sight of a box of tampax or wrapper wasn't going to be any big shock and they were always very kind about refills and cups of tea or runs to the chemist for panadol... :cool:

Scarinae

Malari wrote: »

Eek, I'm not sure, as I've only ever used tampons, which flush!

Slightly off-topic, but is flushing a good idea? I thought treatment plants weren't able to deal with them

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

I shared a flat with five blokes and I put anything unflushable in one of those scented, non-see thru nappy sacks, tied and popped that in the bin & made sure the bin was emptied regularly.

Nappy sacks are a really good idea. You can't tell what's inside them and they won't smell up the bathroom on a hot day. If you're still worried that they'll see the nappy sacks and will know you're on your period, then simply change your pad/tampon in the bathroom as usual, put the waste into one of the nappy sacks and then put it in the bin in your bedroom. It's certainly a much better idea than doing the changing in your bedroom, which is doable but less convenient and potentially messy.

The other alternative is to get a reusable menstrual cup like a mooncup, then there won't be any waste to throw away

lalalovely

I say who cares - eventually you are going to live with a guy who will really really know when you are "on". Just wrap things up in a bit of tissue, or a nappy bag like Ickle suggested - and you will help the guys you are living with become at ease with dealing with the idea of a woman's TOM.

Pembily

I just wrapped them up fully in their paper they come with!!! Don't see it as a majorly big issue!!!

Malari

Fishie wrote: »

Slightly off-topic, but is flushing a good idea? I thought treatment plants weren't able to deal with them

No, I think it's fine, unless you have a private septic tank or something.

Orlee

How about using the bin in your room?

Faith

Wrap them up in the packaging, and then wrap a bit of toilet paper around it.

Or the nappy bags are a good idea too. I've used them when staying places which didn't have bins in the bathroom.

Edgedinblue

when i shared a house i used to just bring them into the bathroom with me and the waste back into my room and into the bin. i wouldnt like to think of someone emptying my bin, but thats just me!

and defo dont do what my old housemate used to do... she used to bring down her whole bin with the weeks worth of pads and throw them into the fire place and lite it up! caught her one day, said thats how it was always done at home! ive never heard of that way before in my life.... was sickened tbh, still am thinking of it

The Big Red Button

Personally when I shared a bathroom with other girls, we all just used the bathroom bin and whoever's turn it was to clean the bathroom emptied the bin, no biggie. But obviously we had a plastic bag in the bin to avoid ickiness!

When I was sharing a house with lads, I'd just wrap it in loo roll and throw it in the bin in my bedroom. If you're worried about it, then this is probably the simplest solution whether you're sharing with girls or lads.

Edgedinblue wrote: »

and defo dont do what my old housemate used to do... she used to bring down her whole bin with the weeks worth of pads and throw them into the fire place and lite it up! caught her one day, said thats how it was always done at home! ive never heard of that way before in my life.... was sickened tbh, still am thinking of it

:eek::eek::eek: That is disgusting!

I've honestly never even thought about it. I just wrap them in the packaging and feck them in the bin. I feel really mortified now, I was staying with the OH's parents this weekend and they probably thing I'm a dirty slob for not wrapping them in loads of toilet paper as well. :eek:

Fox McCloud

Your putting them into a BIN! Who examines a bathroom bin contents?! Everyone knows your going to find unpleasant items in a bin, thats why there put in a bin in the first place.. Just change the bin bag regularly and I dont see what the problem is.

Also pretty sure your not supposed to flush tampons, they wont exactly break down like tissue.

Contessa Raven

When at home I just wrap them in their packaging and chuck them in the bin.

When I shared a house with other people, I changed it in the toilet, wrapped it in the packaging and brought it back into my room and put in my bin there and washed my hands afterwards. No mess and no embarrassment for anyone.

LimeFruitGum

When I house-shared, I mainly shared with guys and there was never a bin in the bathroom.
I just changed my sanitary pads in my room and put it in my bin, which I would stuff into the main outdoor bin once a week. I really wouldn't worry about it

sam34

i've lived on my own for years, but when i was living with housemates (all female) i would change in the bathroom, put the used pad in a nappy bag and then into my bedroom bin and then empty bedroom bin into wheelie bin daily.

tbh, if i was sharing a bathroom i wouldnt put them in the bathroom bin. i wouldnt like the thought of my housemates having to dump my sanitary waste... i wouldnt like to have to deal with theirs.

The Big Red Button

sam34 wrote: »

i've lived on my own for years, but when i was living with housemates (all female) i would change in the bathroom, put the used pad in a nappy bag and then into my bedroom bin and then empty bedroom bin into wheelie bin daily.

tbh, if i was sharing a bathroom i wouldnt put them in the bathroom bin. i wouldnt like the thought of my housemates having to dump my sanitary waste... i wouldnt like to have to deal with theirs.

Ah I dunno, if it's all going into a plastic bag, and if it's just a matter of quickly tying up the plastic bag and chucking it into a bigger bag, I really don't see the big deal? Particularly if it's other girls you're sharing with.

In a shop where I used to work, there were proper sanitary bins, and people came in regularly to sort them out. One lady I worked with, who was in her forties, told us that she wouldn't use these bins because she didn't want to make other people clean up her mess () so instead she would put her used pads (wrapped up I assume!) into her handbag and dispose of them at home!

sam34

i'd much rather get rid of my own properly, and not have to deal with anyone else's either.

a friend of mine visited my parents with me once, and left her weekends worth of used pads in the bin in the spare bedroom, wrapped in their own wrappers but not in anything else, for my mother to dump. i was really annoyed with her - why should my mother (or anyone else) have to do that? its unhygienic and unpleasant to have to deal with someoen else's sanitary waste.

The Big Red Button

sam34 wrote: »

i'd much rather get rid of my own properly, and not have to deal with anyone else's either.

a friend of mine visited my parents with me once, and left her weekends worth of used pads in the bin in the spare bedroom, wrapped in their own wrappers but not in anything else, for my mother to dump. i was really annoyed with her - why should my mother (or anyone else) have to do that? its unhygienic and unpleasant to have to deal with someoen else's sanitary waste.

I'm sorry, but I really don't see why it has to be unhygienic or unpleasant?

50% of us humans go through this process for on average one out of every four weeks.

It is perfectly normal and natural. It is absolutely not a thing that we should be ashamed of.

I certainly don't think that she should have thrown her used stuff in a pile in the corner or anything! But if there was a bin provided in the bedroom, then I do not see why you are annoyed with her for using it.

I mean, your mother also got periods at one stage - surely she understands!

Blush_01

Wow, would totally not be flushing tampons!

I installed a bin in the bathroom in the house I live in - sharing a bathroom with two guys, there was no bin in the loo until I moved in. I empty it, so I don't mind filling it. Besides, it's a bin, it's for waste, that's it's purpose. It's lined with a bin bag. I don't see the issue.

sam34

chatterpillar wrote: »

I'm sorry, but I really don't see why it has to be unhygienic or unpleasant?

50% of us humans go through this process for on average one out of every four weeks.

It is perfectly normal and natural. It is absolutely not a thing that we should be ashamed of.

I certainly don't think that she should have thrown her used stuff in a pile in the corner or anything! But if there was a bin provided in the bedroom, then I do not see why you are annoyed with her for using it.

I mean, your mother also got periods at one stage - surely she understands!

i'm not ashamed of it, and i know it's natural.

(using that logic, defecation is something that everyone does, not just 50% of the population... should we all leave the toilet unflushed after us, just cause its natural?)

however, used pads contain blood and other vaginal secretions. plus, there is an odour from them, particularly if they are left accumulate for a few days. plus, those sticky tabs they come with to secure them after wrapping them are often not the strongest/mose secure, and they can unravel and open, leaving the contents on display for you to see - not pleasant.

i wouldnt leave my worn knickers lying around for someone else to sort out, and i dont see why used pads are any different.

Truley

When I house shared with other girls I used to change at college/work where they had proper bins. Or if I was at home wrap it up and bin it in my bedroom. I have such light periods mess/odour was never an issue. Then I moved in with my boyfriend and used a bin with a closed lid. It was sort of known as 'my bin' and only I ever emptied it so it wasn't an issue. Shortly after I discovered the mooncup and I haven't had this problem since :P

Flushing tampons is a BIG no no! Always put it in the bin.

sam34

sam34 wrote: »

i'm not ashamed of it, and i know it's natural.

(using that logic, defecation is something that everyone does, not just 50% of the population... should we all leave the toilet unflushed after us, just cause its natural?)

however, used pads contain blood and other vaginal secretions. plus, there is an odour from them, particularly if they are left accumulate for a few days. plus, those sticky tabs they come with to secure them after wrapping them are often not the strongest/mose secure, and they can unravel and open, leaving the contents on display for you to see - not pleasant.

i wouldnt leave my worn knickers lying around for someone else to sort out, and i dont see why used pads are any different.

But it's a bin. That's what bins are for. I don't see what's so awful about emptying a bin into a bin bag, I did it all the time in house shares with other peoples' used sanitary waste. I hated it but assumed it was because of my OCD-ness about blood than something unreasonable. I actually told my OH I was uncomfortable about leaving my wrapped up pads in the bathroom bin at his parents' and he told me I was mental. Where was your guest supposed to dispose of the pads, if it wasn't bin day and all that?

mSe265

[quote=[Deleted User];67034663]But it's a bin. That's what bins are for. I don't see what's so awful about emptying a bin into a bin bag, I did it all the time in house shares with other peoples' used sanitary waste. I hated it but assumed it was because of my OCD-ness about blood than something unreasonable. I actually told my OH I was uncomfortable about leaving my wrapped up pads in the bathroom bin at his parents' and he told me I was mental. Where was your guest supposed to dispose of the pads, if it wasn't bin day and all that?[/QUOTE]
I agree, it would be awful enough to be a guest at someone's house while you're on the rag, but it can't be helped and what else would you do with the waste?? Now it just seems to confirms the fact people will judge :[
It seems crazier to.. I don't know.. bring them back with you and throw them away somewhere else? Yikes!

sam34

[quote=[Deleted User];67034663] Where was your guest supposed to dispose of the pads, if it wasn't bin day and all that?[/QUOTE]

she could have bought nappy bags and put them in those, and put those into the outside wheelie bin herself.

thats what i would do if i was in someone else's house.

ztoical

This thread is a great sales pitch for mooncups

Faith

sam34 wrote: »

i wouldnt leave my worn knickers lying around for someone else to sort out, and i dont see why used pads are any different.

You wouldn't leave them on the floor, but you'd put them in the washing machine with everyone elses underwear, I'm sure. Your friend didn't leave pads on the floor, she disposed of them in the correct manner (knickers in a washing machine, pads in a bin).

What would you do if you were staying in a hotel? Would you not want housekeeping having to empty the bin? Where do you draw the line then? Snotty tissues, condoms...?

I'd have no more issue emptying a bin that contained a wrapped up sanitary towel than I would with one containing a gone-off piece of food.

sam34

Faith wrote: »

You wouldn't leave them on the floor, but you'd put them in the washing machine with everyone elses underwear, I'm sure. Your friend didn't leave pads on the floor, she disposed of them in the correct manner (knickers in a washing machine, pads in a bin).

What would you do if you were staying in a hotel? Would you not want housekeeping having to empty the bin? Where do you draw the line then? Snotty tissues, condoms...?

I'd have no more issue emptying a bin that contained a wrapped up sanitary towel than I would with one containing a gone-off piece of food.

no, i'd put my knickers in my laundry basket in my room until i'm readly to put on a load of washing. i wouldnt put them into the washing machine unless i was putting on a wash.

in a hotel, i wouldnt leave used condoms or pads in a regular bin, i would wrap & bag them and put them in the special sanitary bins in the main loo.



clearly everyone doesnt think the same as me, but i would not want to have to dump anyone's sanitary waste for them, and i would not expect anyone else to deal with mine for me.

The Big Red Button

sam34 wrote: »

in a hotel, i wouldnt leave used condoms or pads in a regular bin, i would wrap & bag them and put them in the special sanitary bins in the main loo.

Would you really?! I have never heard of anyone doing that before, and I am sure that hotel workers are well used to emptying bathroom bins containing condoms and tampons etc (isn't that what bathroom bins are for?!)

As a matter of interest, why is it OK for you to put them in the bins in the main loo? After all, they have to be emptied too eventually!

sam34 wrote: »

clearly everyone doesnt think the same as me, but i would not want to have to dump anyone's sanitary waste for them, and i would not expect anyone else to deal with mine for me.

I've often done it, working in shops and cafes, and of course in places I've lived. It's no biggie. They're usually wrapped up, I would have been wearing gloves anyways, and it's just a case of tying the top of the bag and throwing it in a bigger bin, it's not like you have to touch anything. It never bothered me in the slightest.

sam34

chatterpillar wrote: »

Would you really?! I have never heard of anyone doing that before, and I am sure that hotel workers are well used to emptying bathroom bins containing condoms and tampons etc (isn't that what bathroom bins are for?!).

yeah i do. i feel sorry for housekeeping staff having to deal with that tbh.

chatterpillar wrote: »

As a matter of interest, why is it OK for you to put them in the bins in the main loo? After all, they have to be emptied too eventually!.

oh i know that but afaik, the proper sanitary bins (dont know if there's a proper name for them...) are not emptied by hand, they have some sort of mechanism-yoke for emptying them into... whereever they go.

i'm surprised to see people think i'm ott, but tbh i havent read anything here that would make me change my habits.

each to their own i guess

Maple

To be honest it actually depends on the bin. If i'm staying over in a mates house and the bathroom bin is obviously used and has bits of detritus in there already, then i'll just wrap the tampon/pad up securely and stick it in there. If the bin is sparkly new and obviously not being used then I'll dump it elsewhere.

At home I just wrap it up and bung it in the bin.

I think it's just about being considerate really, once it's all wrapped up I can't see anybody actually going to the bother of unwrapping it.

I absolutely dread public loos where you see pads bundled up and shoved down the back of the cistern, despite there being a sanitary bin.

Scarinae

maple wrote: »

I absolutely dread public loos where you see pads bundled up and shoved down the back of the cistern, despite there being a sanitary bin.

Ugh, I know! Who are the people who do this, it's absolutely disgusting!

Like someone already pointed out, this thread would make a great ad for a mooncup. OP, if you're that worried about it being obvious you have your period, maybe look into getting one? They really are fantastic

sam34

sam34 wrote: »

she could have bought nappy bags and put them in those, and put those into the outside wheelie bin herself.

thats what i would do if i was in someone else's house.

Really? Honestly, I thought about this and decided it was more weird to be walking around with a bag full of used pads trying to find somewhere to dump them than just to use the bin, which is often provided for this very purpose. And don't you have to put special bin bags in the wheelie bin?

chatterpillar wrote: »

Would you really?! I have never heard of anyone doing that before, and I am sure that hotel workers are well used to emptying bathroom bins containing condoms and tampons etc (isn't that what bathroom bins are for?!)

I used to be a maid in a hotel and never even thought twice about emptying a bin. We had to clean poo, urine and blood off the inside of the toilet with a sponge, touch peoples' sweaty sheets, emptying a bin of which I only had to touch the outside was the least gross thing in my daily routine.

I've often done it, working in shops and cafes, and of course in places I've lived. It's no biggie. They're usually wrapped up, I would have been wearing gloves anyways, and it's just a case of tying the top of the bag and throwing it in a bigger bin, it's not like you have to touch anything. It never bothered me in the slightest.

I usually don't wear gloves (we didn't have them in the hotel, hotel maids often don't because it's so awkward to put them on and off all day, so remember that when staying in one!). In the last few years I've been very uncomfortable doing this sort of stuff which is why I try to have my own bathroom, but I presumed it was my OCD issues.

Monkey61

Wrap anything in tissue and put in bin I would imagine. Although I always flush tampons (is there any reason not to do that? Surely they are only made of a cotton wool type substance.) I probably wouldn't leave sanitary towels sitting around for days in the bin because they can start to smell, but as long as the bin is emptied regularly it would be fine.

Who cares if your house mates know you're on your period?? It is the most normal thing in the world.

Scarinae

Ok, I've looked up the tampon thing cos there seems to be a lot of confusion! Basically, tampon manufacturers will say that they are flushable because they want to emphasise the convenience of tampons. However, the average wastewater drain running from a house is ~4 inches wide and can deal with toilet paper but not wodges of absorbent expanding material such as tampons and cotton wool. Flushing tampons increases the risk of pipe blockage, which would require a plumber to fix and therefore money.

Tampons can also block public sewers and damage screens which are used to filter out the waste. These screens are important as during heavy rainfall the flow in the sewers increases hundreds of times. Diluted wastewater can sometimes be allowed to flow into rivers or the sea to prevent homes from flooding. If tampons are flushed they can escape through these damaged screens and pollute rivers and beaches. This can cause a health hazard, harm wildlife, and is awful to look at. Apparently in the UK for every kilometre of coastline there are 14 tampons - EWWW!!

Also, tampons are full of chemicals (most have chlorine-bleached rayon and cotton in them, dioxins are a byproduct) so it's adding to chemical pollution when you flush them. Dioxins are bad for the environment because they build up in fatty tissues and in high enough concentrations they are toxic, as anyone who remembers the pork/dioxin scare in 2008 will know (Although I don't really see how putting them in landfill is any better on that count?)

Blush_01

sam34 wrote: »

oh i know that but afaik, the proper sanitary bins (dont know if there's a proper name for them...) are not emptied by hand, they have some sort of mechanism-yoke for emptying them into... whereever they go.

i'm surprised to see people think i'm ott, but tbh i havent read anything here that would make me change my habits.

each to their own i guess

The bins in our office are emptied by hand by a company once a month. A woman just comes in, swaps one bin bag for another, throws the full bin bag into a black carry-all she has on her shoulder and sprays disinfectant in the bin. Now, personally I find the fact that I have to sign her piece of paper to confirm she's been in the bathroom to empty the bins a bit disgusting. However, that has more to do with the state of her fingernails, which would lead me to believe that she hasn't washed her hands in months - I have no idea if she wears gloves or not while doing the "swap" so I always make sure to scrub and use antibacterial gel after signing the form, and once she has left the office. My squeamishness is not with her job, but her personal level of visible hygiene, but I'm just saying this to illustrate that those bins are often emptied by hand.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm not wearing a nappy, I have no reason to buy nappy bags. If there is a bin in the bathroom I will assume it is meant to be used for non-flushable waste, I will discretely wrap my sanitary waste, and I will bin it. Otherwise, why have a bin? My preference would be for a flip-top bin, obviously, but if it's an open bin, what difference does something that looks like a wad of paper make, it could actually be a wad of paper, and if you're the kind of person who actively examines each item of rubbish in the bin you're emptying you deserve to find what you're looking for imho.

MJOR

you can buy bags in tesco called pop ins, they are slightly scented purple and these are small and discreet. I on weekends away would have these with me and then maybe put in in the wheelie bin i wouldn't be leaving them build up but I am a weirdo about bacteria and stuff.

sam34

Blush_01 wrote: »

what difference does something that looks like a wad of paper make, it could actually be a wad of paper, and if you're the kind of person who actively examines each item of rubbish in the bin you're emptying you deserve to find what you're looking for imho.

seriously, who mentioned "actively examining each item of rubbish"?

many people dont discreetly wrap pads in tissue, they wrap them in their own wrapping, which is tied by a amall piece of sticky tape, which often isnt all that sticky/secure.

chocgirl

sam34 wrote: »

many people dont discreetly wrap pads in tissue, they wrap them in their own wrapping, which is tied by a amall piece of sticky tape, which often isnt all that sticky/secure.

Yeah I'd have to agree, have often seen used sanitary towels thrown into "normal" bins and they all tend to be either fully unravelled or unravelling.

I think that used sanitary wear should be disposed of discreetly too, in nappy bags or whatever they are called and ideally but directly into a wheelie bin never to be seen again.

Although having said that I always flush tampons and hadn't honestly given it a second thought:o