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Ladies, do you throw out or flush?

17 posts, 12 members
Kimrose
1412 posts
Hi ladies, every night I use cotton pads to remove my eye make up.  I have been throwing them into the rubbish bin, then I got to wondering, is that the best way to dispose of them, or shall I flush them away?  I am not sure and I do like to be enviromentally friendly.
SooziesWorld
2999 posts
I would've thought binning is better than flushing where they will have to be fished out at the water treatment station anyway. I use a good old flannel for removing makeup. I grab a fresh one each day then throw them all in the washing machine at the end of the week. Bonus from doing this is that my skin doesn't need exfoliating as the flannel acts as a natural exfoliant. (I still use acid toners though)

I also have little velour pads (similar to ones you get with face powders but they're like a little pocket) to wipe off floral toners in a bid to cut down on cotton rounds. These also get thrown in the machine at the end of the week. I do still use cotton rounds for applying acid toners as the velour pads would soak up too much of the expensive, precious liquid! But I have cut down my cotton consumption a lot. 
tannygirl
3392 posts
Wipes, cotton buds and cotton rounds I always throw out. I thought cotton is biodegrable so binning it is probably the more environmentally friendly choice.
MissQT
1547 posts
that's an interesting question and one I'd like to know the answer too as well. I think cotton pads are bio degradable right? So flushing them should be ok? I currently dispose of mine in the bin though.
SooziesWorld
2999 posts
Cotton wool doesn't break down in water so it could also clog your pipes (former water supply company worker talking here)
trudijoy
8375 posts
I'm with soozie, i use facecloths and biff them in the wash each day. I use cotton rounds every now and then and always, always bin them.

As a none-too-subtle sign I saw in Japan proclaimed, 'nothing flush in toilet except waste from body and paper of toilet!' Everything else is a no-no - I grew up on a farm and trust me, you do NOT want a clogged up septic tank pipe :/
MareeB
5239 posts
I throw them in the bin - cotton wool and cotton buds, and I use a lot of them.
SooziesWorld
2999 posts
Haha I'm sure I've seen that sign too. Even facial tissues aren't supposed to be flushed. They don't break apart the same way toilet paper does. 
MissQT
1547 posts
Good to know soozie re cotton not breaking down in water. Thanks.
ragingfrog
1289 posts
I haven't been tempted to use these for a while and now I know why.
k3r1pakai
1185 posts
Binning them I want to use the alternative to the cotton pads but will look into that next year
SooziesWorld
2999 posts
Good on you Keri. I bought my little velour pads from a 123 store. There are other alternatives available online.
Charmmy-Kitty
639 posts
I always throw it out, just in case our toilet gets clogged up. Because I use two or three at a time and sometimes also makeup wipes. And they tend to be almost like fabric.
Macs
5351 posts
I need to buy some of those. Normally if I do have them , I bin them .
Kimrose
1412 posts
Thanks for all your thoughts and advice ladies.  Good to hear so many opinions.
Julieal
915 posts
We are rural so definate bin them -we were advised by tank cleaner to always bin as non degradable.
Lisa-Lou
2679 posts
I would definately bin them. I don't really use them much except for nail polish remover.

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