Women Everywhere Are Still Debating About Whether You Should Flush Tampons or Not

From Good Housekeeping

To flush or not to flush, that is the question. Women just can't agree on what to do with tampons. A Scary Mommy writer reignited the menstruation investigation after sharing her shock that the trash can might actually trump the toilet bowl.

"My mind is absolutely blown that I've been doing this wrong for nearly three decades," Senior News Editor Maria Guido wrote. But poll a group of ladies and things don't look so clear:

When we asked the women in our office, it got heated. Some insist it's basic courtesy to save others' eyes (and noses). Some recalled moments when dogs made unfortunate scavenging expeditions. Others bemoaned the health of their poor, poor plumbing. Clogging the pipes with cottons wads sounds seriously risky. No matter which side you're on, it's time to read up on the arguments. Things are about to get messy.

The Pros

Team Toilet says it's simple. Used tampons (not applicators) should go down, down, down. It's the way their moms (and Playtex!) said to do it. Besides, think of the saintly people who clean public restrooms. No one should have to deal with soaking wads of strangers' blood. Sometimes the trash cans are missing liners, or the bathroom doesn't have a bin at all. What are you supposed to do? Carry around a cotton tube saturated with bodily fluid? No, thank you. Call tampons a modern marvel, but they shouldn't hang around until they stink to high heaven.