Boarders - bathroom habits..........

we recently took in a couple of boarders - 2 little boys (brothers) from OOT so they can go to school here. We noticed that (sorry if this is TMI) when they use the bathroom, they do not put their used toilet paper in the toilet - they put it in the garbage.

just wondering - I have never heard of this practice before - is this common, and just my family doesn't know about it?

I thought it was really strange........and still not sure what to do!

some plumbing can't take toilet paper at all, so it has to be put in a separate container, usually the garbage can. it's possible that this is what they have in their homes. just tell them that toilet paper is flushable in your house.

Diamond Member Joined: Nov 11 2007 Posts: 3791

We are on septic tank rather than city sewer and we have to be careful what we flush, but I've never had problems flushing normal amounts of toilet paper. It seems a little odd. But some kids tend to use wads and wads of t/p which can clog so maybe their mom told them not to flush it??

I have a neighbor with this problem. it's not a septic tank issue. it's a house problem. it's not unheard of.

Gold Member Joined: Feb 15 2011 Posts: 1107 Location: UK

In seminary I also noticed that my bathroom was always full of tissues and sometimes they were red! Shocked

Turns out some people who grew up with bad plumbing are used to it. So much my apartment were once discussing it and the girls who don't flush tissues in the toilet were shocked that I did and were convinced I Was ruining the toilet.

If it bothers you which would bother me. I suggest you tell them very nicely that in this house your system is good and there is no need to toss waste in the garbage. I don't think it's offensive to tell them.

Silver Member Joined: Feb 28 2011 Posts: 892

Yep, heard of that too, I know there are really small cans w/ scented bags for this. My landlord is very strict with what we flush, no tissues, just toilet paper. Sad

so tissues and wipes gotta be disposed of.

yes it is a cultural thing. In certain countries they throw it away rather than flush.

OP here:
the thing is, we're all from the same country! (just different states)

and also, when I see the amount of toilet paper /tissues in the garbage, I am actually hesitant to tell them to flush it because it looks like it's alot and could clog the toilet!

but it's really kind of gross to empty out the garbage........

Silver Member Joined: Mar 06 2006 Posts: 903

Some of my kids also do that, htey are afraid to flush too much at once, I explained to them they can put in only 2 at a time (we use flushable wipes). Its funny, the older ones (8+) put the wipes in the garbage (and toilet paper), but the younger ones flush, no problem. I have been telling htem for years to just flush a couple at a time and then flush again if htey need to , but I guess it is a hard habbit to break. I wonder what they do in camp, I will need to ask them.

Older houses can have major plumbing issues if you put toilet paper in the toilet. I lived in a house like that, and yes, when we were at other people's houses I had to goin the bathroom after my kids and pick the used TP out of the hosts garbage and flush it.
When we first moved in and we had sewage coming up all over the house and I called the landlord, when he came over he yelled "YOU PUT TOILET PAPER IN THE TOILET!!??" like I was the one who was doing something abnormal.

I also had a neighbor growing up that kept a paper bag in the bathroom for this purpose. I thought they were just weird. Later when I had the above situation I realized they probably just had old pipes.

Some houses can't handle flushable wipes, BTW. We used them in the states at someone else's house and they ended up having to call a plumber to fix an issue in the plumbing when the plumber left they were perplexed "Who would put WIPES in a TOILET". Toilet paper wasn't a problem though.

Just tell the boys, in our house we can flush TP, so please do.
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Fluahable wipes are really bad for every toilet. Just ask a plumber how much money it generates in clogged drains....