The only difference is that the #1 flush uses less water than the #2 flush. The #2 flush is generally equivalent to most standard toilets today, and the #1 flush half that, for liquid waste. Tampons still need to go in the trash.

I know this is a serious post- but just out of curiosity- how will you mention this to your female house guests? If you are in the middle of dinner and they excuse themselves to the ladies room, will you ask them if they are menstruating first, and if they are, please use flush #2? I'm sorry- I really can't stop giggling at this scenario. But I'm really impressed that you would even think of this before you installed your dual fush toilet. I'm sorry I can't help you, however we just installed a Kohler Cimmaron which is 1.2 GPF as opposed to 1.6 which is supposedly the industry standard, and I haven't had a problem so far. I'm not sure what the GPF is on flush #1.

Polly929:

That's sort of a dilemma for me. If I have to post a sign in the guest bathroom that says "Do not flush tampons in this toilet!" then I probably need to look at installing a regular toilet. Because as you said, how does one really announce this rule to their houseguests?

Regardless of toilet capabilities, I wish people would put them in the trash instead of flush them, but you never know...

try_hard

try-hard:
I myself have been banned by my husband from flushing them. I personally would never flush one at someones house for fear it would clog the toilet, and then...
To encourage use of the trash- always line your trash basket with a plastic bag. This is hard to explain, without using potty language- so to speak! HTH- I'm trying not to be to graphic- but you started this thread and if you had the guts to ask, you must have been ready for the answers.

I have lived in homes with septic systems...absolutely no flushing anything like that!

Initially, I would take my female guests aside, but now I have a supply of small feminine-product disposal bags on the back of the tank. In my experience, these get used. You can get them at janitor supply stores.
Pamela

I've lived with a septic system almost my whole life, and in my current house for the last 14 years. My daughter and I both flush tampons with no problems ever.

By county rule we're supposed to have our tank emptied every five years, but we've gone past that and still no problems. I suspect you could go for many, many, many years before the number of tampons in the system caused you to have to have your tank emptied.

I can't speak to having a low flush toilet and tampons, but never any problems with a 1.6 gpf.

LOL, Polly929, I read your first sentence as "I myself have banned my husband from flushing them." It took considerable mental gymnastics on my part to figure out that there were several things wrong with this sentence, and maybe, just maybe, I had read it wrong.

Made me giggle anyway ... ;-)

We were visiting a house with a septic system. In the bathroom next to the toilet, done in caligraphy and mounted in a beautiful frame, was posted something similar to this:

No condoms, tampons, or kidney stones.

It was so beautifully framed and written that at first, the graphic nature of the piece was not obvious, and the addition of the information about the kidney stones made it somehow less offensive.

But it definitely got the point across.

Barbara

I would assume that women know not to EVER flush a tampon down the toilet. I would wrap it in toilet paper and put it in a wastebasket.
Donna

I would assume that women know not to EVER flush a tampon down the toilet.

Why would you assume that? I have always flushed mine with no problem. I believe that it says right on the package that they are flushable.
As far as the dual flush toilets go - I think that you can make it understood that liquids only - no solids, including TP - would get a #1 flush, anything more would get a #2 flush.

Yup, I just checked a package, and it says "flushable and biodegradable".

Well if you want to go by the package go ahead. Tampons should not be flushed they will clog up your pipes. Every public toilet I use has a sign that says, "do not flush tampons down the toilet". I have had clogged toilets in the past only to have the plumber pull a handful of tampons out and say, "here's your problem" lady.

Here is a link that might be useful: flushing tampons

While flushing tampons with the #2 button shouldn't be a problem, I have noticed signs in places with older plumbing that ask you to refrain. However, I can also see why it would be awkward to leave them in someone else's trash. I think your best bet would be to deter flushing if possible. Pamela's suggestion is a good one--I would certainly consider that, as well as a trash can with a lid, and plenty of toilet paper.

I think it's great that you're being so considerate, but I wouldn't let this matter stop you from getting a dual flush toilet if that's what you want. I can't wait to install one when I redo my bathroom!

Funny how different people's perspectives are. I would never, ever flush a tampon, either at my house or someone else's.

I totally agree with aunttomichael I think it's rude to flush a tampax down someone elses toilet.
I have a dual flush toilet but a lot of the time when I flush the toilet paper doesn't go all the way down. It doesn't matter which flush pressure I choose.
Donna

Well, I've never heard of anyone's plumbing lines being clogged by a tampon. Not to be crude, but human excrement is often much larger and often firmer than a tampon. And often a lot of TP is used in a single flush, which is it doesn't clog the toilet itself, does not present a problem for the plumbing pipes. Waste pipes are huge compared to the size of a tampon.

I do know someone who's plumbing was clogged by several years of flushing dental floss, which is not biodegradable.

I will continue flushing tampons wherever I am. Handling them afterwards is just plain yucky in my opinion.

" I think it's rude to flush a tampax down someone elses toilet"
Just have to chime in here:
If they don't have a trash basket in the bathroom- or if they have a trash basket with no liner or plastic bag- what do you do with it?? Do you come out of the bathroom with it in your hand (rolled up in TP of course)and put it in their kitchen garbage? Is it totally acceptable to just leave that in someones trash can and expect them to clean it out? I kind of think that would be rude.

Organic_Donna: Did you say that many times when you flush your dual-flush toilet, the toilet paper doesn't go down? Does this bother you enough that you would like to trade your toilet for a different model? Which dual-flush do you have?

try_hard
...

The question was directed at Organic_Donna, but I'll answer for me: When I am at someone else's house and have to change a tampon, I go into the bathroom with whatever I am carrying the clean tampon in (plastic bag, whatever) and then I put the (well-wrapped) old tampon in that same container, take it home and dispose of it there.

I am probably older than most of you, because I remember the days when tampons did clog up toilets.

I agree that handling tampons afterwards is yucky - that is one of the few upsides of menopause, or so I keep telling myself. :-)

Just be very careful flushing them with a septic system. We had a friend who had an unknown leak in a toilet and the containment chamber completely filled up, which caused things floating on the top to exit into the drain lines, completely blocking some. It can't be fixed; they have to come out. A big problem.

I would never put a feminine product of any kind in my toilet or anyone else's. We've lived in the country, on a septic system, for 26 years. We've had our 3 tanks pumped once till last month. We were out $350 for that procedure, that didn't work, and then another $522 to have the lateral lines cleaned with a high powered water jet system. As far as I know, there have been no tampons or pads flushed down the toilet. The septic guy said he would have been out here way before he was if those were routinely flushed. OT but the biggest problem (other than 26 years of usage) was the use of RidX. HE told ME what I'd been using. According to him, a BIG no-no. It hardens the waste. He had to use a metal stick and water pressure to break it up. His advice was to only use yeast once a month.
Monica

I don't know anyone that doesn't have a wastebasket in their bathroom. I would wrap the tampon in a lot of toilet paper and dispose of it in the trash. I would treat it the same as you would a diaper.
I have a new Kohler Escale toilet. It is a very poorly manufactured product. I had problems with it during installation and Kohler customer service is terrible. I would never purchase Kohler again. I don't really see much difference between the single flush pressure and the dual flush.

thetews,
Human waste breaks up and degrades, tampons don't. Do as you wish in your own home.

Tampons do degrade, feminine napkins and the Tampon applicators with plastic do not, and THEY need to be wrapped and thrown away. I guess this topic is debatable, but gee - I would be grossed out to find wrapped up tampons in my waste basket. Please flush them at my house! I grew up in a house with 6 women, all flushing without ever a problem! So, after reviewing this tread, EITHER way is acceptable (IMHO)

Organic donna-
We are having a lot of problems with our Kohler toilet too. To get back to the other thing, we have always lived in really old houses which is the reason I don't flush tampons. But I know many people that have more than one bathroom in the house and some of them do not have waste baskets.

tinker-2006,
How would you know that there are wrapped tampons in your wastebasket?
Donna

try_hard
I think that you should be more concerned about someone using the #1 button to flush a #2. Most people are not as toilet savy as we are on this forum and may just push the first button they see. I don't think flushing one or two tampons during a dinner party will destroy the eco system. Unless you install surveilance cameras in the bathroom you will never really know what is being flushed. I have been married 17yrs and I only found out today over breakfast that DW flushes tampons. After this post I had to ask. She also never had to change one at someone's house. She takes care of that just before we leave for an event.

On another topic. DW at times will ask me to go into her handbag to get the check book and I refuse. I tell her that to me a women's handbag is very personal and you never know what you may find. After reading aunttomichael's post I rest my case.

You wouldn't want to put a used tampon in a wastepaper basket, wrapped or not, if there is a dog in the house. Use your imagination about what happens.

Well, that sight would liven up a dinner party.

Wow - this whole discussion cracked me up. I'm pondering a bathroom remodel and was hoping a dual flush toilet might be the answer to my modern day low water usage toilet that frequently needs to be supplemented by a plunger. Never expected to find an in depth discussion about the flushability of tampons. I'm just hoping to find a more effective way to flush human waste. I don't flush tampons down my toilet since I'm on a septic system. But I gotta say I've never had any problem flushing them down toilets - which I do if not on a septic system. And I've rarely seen signs advising me not to. I'm having way more trouble flushing other matter. Sounds like dual flush isn't the answer to that problem though - and wrapping that up and putting it in the wastebasket sure isn't the answer.

gibby2000 - I have a Toto Aquia, which is a dual flush, and a septic system. Whiled would never flush a tampon because of the septic, I can happily report that it has no problems whatsoever with any human waste. No plunging, ever. No remnants, no double flushing required. In fact, usually only the smaller flush is necessary.

hi all my brother lived in the country (septic) and i bought him an engraved brass sign for the powder room that said "septic system, paper only please". more delicately worded than the cross stitch mentioned above, but with the same message. for the dog problem...that's why god gave us stepcans with covered lids. good luck with that dual flush....sounds too new fangled for me. kren

I had the same embarassing situation as Donna. I had a big burly plumber pull a handful of tampons out of a clogged toilet and tell me it was my fault. How humiliating! That was when we lived in an urban area with a good sewer system, so you would never catch me flushing a tampon with our current septic system, or anywhere else for that matter!

lol...I came here looking for decorating ideas, found this post, and had to join just to throw in my 2 cents!

I am a very modest person, get embarrassed easily, and always seem to find myself in situations like this! :P

My thoughts: tampon applicators should never be flushed...but I HAVE been in houses that there wasn't a trash can, or had to really LOOK to find it (& feel like, if they heard me opening all the cabinet doors they would think I was going thru all their stuff!) I always wrap them well & put them in the trash. As far as a USED tampon *cough* and as for how would someone know there was a wrapped used tampon in their trash? I would be paranoid that the smell would alert them to the presence. Anyone who has a heavy flow would feel this way, I would think. (and, working as a nurse intern at the hospital, I can speak from personal experience about body odors, not to mention germs--from patients, as well as co-workers!) I mean, it came out of a body orifice. I'm a cat person, not dog, but that post opened my eyes, too. Dogs have a better sense of smell than we do.

So, having said all that, I would prefer to be able to flush them--they are just cotton--less substantial than the wads of toilet tissue some of us use. But, from what I understand, the newer toilets don't have much flush power, and I guess it probably depends on where you live (I rotate between TN & AR--some out in the country, some w/ septic systems, some w/ the newer smaller flush, but I had never even heard of a "dual-flush" until reading this post). I actually do have a friend who lived in an apt. and she had to call a plumber, who said she needed to tell her many visitors not to flush--but at the time I honestly thought she meant the applicators. My mother doesn't like even toilet tissue flushed, but she has basically no water pressure.

On another note-I have also been in a number of bathrooms lately that had no towels! As I said--I am very germ aware, and it's just natural to wash my hands after using the bathroom--look around, realize there's no towel--what's a girl to do??? It's unfathomable to me. Do you know how hard it is to dry your hands w/ toilet paper??? :P

Dear Grape, Wear jeans!!! They were made for wiping hands.

Just logged on out of the blue tonight and am cracking up here. Here are my $.02:

I grew up with a septic system and was told never to flush tampons, so I never have. Not there, nor anywhere else. I wrap them up and throw them away.

I *have* been in houses where the bathrooms had no trash cans, which I have never understood. Where do they put their used tissues? floss? band-aid wrappers? empty toothpaste tubes? Very strange.

We have a dog, and we have a lid on all our garbage cans...

I wasn't going to add anything else to this post, but my sense of needing to point out the illogical is too strong not to.

I now, from this thread, understand that many people have lousy plumbing in their houses and because they have lousy plumbing, flushing tampons is a bad idea. Don't want to clog pipes. Understood. I would say I'd never do it at anyone else's house again, but that's the case regardless; menopause has some benefits.

But, the idea of not flushing tampons because of having a septic system does not make sense. Septic tanks are very large, tampons ARE biodegradable, though probably less quickly than toilet paper. If 5 to 6 women between 13 and 50ish lived in a house together and always flushed tampons you could still go many years between pumping out the tank. But lets say it was only 5 years (and it would be more for one or two women living there). Last time my was pumped it was about $300. So $300 divided by 5 is $60 a year, or $5 a month. Who can't afford $5 a month? That is nothing. And even if the prices go up and it's more than that, I still think it's very, very, very much worth the money to not have to handle used tampons, IMO. And to put up a sign asking visitors to not flush tampons because you want to save the 1 cent per 10 tampon flushes (I'm estimating here, you understand), seems pretty rude to your visitors, again, imo.

I am the original poster and I have to tell you guys that I never dreamed my question would result in this much discussion! How funny!

And by the way, DH and I decided to put a 'regular' toilet in the guest bathroom but not only because of the tampon issue. Mostly it was because we needed to cut back on our plumbing fixtures expense because we were way over our allowance. We're still putting a Sterling dual-flush in the master bathroom.

try_hard

Dual flush Toto Aquia here. Flush on small flush. No problem.

So, try_hard, putting aside your original question how have you found the Sterling?

I lived on a sailboat. Some yachties have a sign in the head that you should not put anything down the toilet unless you have eaten it first.