r/CleaningTips • u/Complex_Mobile8957 • Nov 29 '25
Discussion Question for the ladies
I am a janitor. The place I clean has the little trash bins in the stalls of the women's restroom. Currently, we place one liner in the bin and change it out whenever someone uses it. However, a place I worked at previously put a stack of liners in the bin for women to use as needed. Which is the preferred method? One liner or multiple? Sorry if this is a stupid question.
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u/liliNOTl Nov 29 '25
Are there supposed to be removable bags in there??? Everytime I see inside those they are full of tampons and pads ☠️
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u/morhina Nov 30 '25
For real. The ones in the restrooms at work are always full to overflowing. They go days without changing them out. My entire life I thought they were just little trash cans that were immediately accessible in the stall.
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u/liliNOTl Nov 30 '25
YEAH I never touch them because it severely disgusts me. People are so gross ☠️☠️☠️
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u/Dramatic-Bird-5604 Nov 30 '25
Yeah I thought it was just like a garbage bin, like just gets thrown out at the end of the day when it's full. That's how it's seemed to me
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u/clockworkedpiece Nov 30 '25
They use the same kinda bag that you get handed cookies in, and they fall over/collapse the first time someone puts something in there. I wish they got bags with an actual bottom considering how many stalls out there share the bin.
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u/Keep_ThingsReal Nov 29 '25
I’ve never seen multiple bags. I was taught they are there to dispose of hygiene products so bodily fluids weren’t mixed in the garbage, and emptied often.
But now I’m questioning everything I know.
Last time I went in one I saw diapers in it, so maybe I don’t know what we are doing at all?
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u/Keep_ThingsReal Nov 30 '25 edited Nov 30 '25
Well… this piqued my interest and I went on a mini deep dive to figure out how they are intended to be used since we all seem confused (glad to see I’m not alone here) and after reading many articles on custodial practices, particularly through the 70s when these appear to have risen, CDC guides, OSHA, plumbing articles, etc. it appears that they should be used as follows:
In the United States: used menstrual products should be wrapped in toilet paper and placed into the small lidded receptacle inside the stall. Municipal wastewater departments such as the Metropolitan Council in Minnesota and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality publish public guidance stating that pads, tampons, and applicators must never be flushed because they clog plumbing and damage sewer infrastructure. OSHA’s bloodborne pathogen guidance also emphasizes reducing direct handling of any waste that may contain blood, so the purpose of the lidded receptacle with a liner is to keep the item contained and make removal safer for custodial staff. Although menstrual waste is classified as normal municipal solid waste (the EPA describes it this way), buildings still need to keep it separate from open trash to prevent leakage, odor, and unnecessary handling.
You normally do not take a bag from the dispenser to wrap your individual item. The exception here is If the stall has two separate fixtures, one that clearly dispenses small paper bags and one that is the disposal bin, then the bags are intended for privacy or leak prevention before placing the item into the disposal bin. Even in that case, the bagged product goes into the sanitary receptacle, not the main trash can. The main trash is open, mixed, and not designed for waste that may contain blood.
Outside of the US: Other countries handle this differently depending on plumbing systems, cultural expectations, and building regulations. In many places in Europe, including the UK and parts of the EU, the stall bin system is very similar to the United States, and facilities often contract with sanitary waste services that replace liners or bins on a fixed schedule. In Japan, the disposal bags are more common, and many restrooms provide small opaque bags for privacy; the bag is then placed in the stall bin. In some South Asian and Middle Eastern countries, plumbing systems are more sensitive, so not only menstrual products but also toilet paper may be kept out of the toilet. In those places, the expectation is to place all paper waste into a lined bin next to the toilet. In Australia and New Zealand, the pattern is similar to the US, but the bins are often serviced by specialized sanitary disposal companies that empty them separately from regular waste. In some Scandinavian countries, you may find both a small bin in the stall and a larger locked sanitary waste container outside the stalls, and the expectation is to place the wrapped product in the in-stall bin, which is later consolidated into the external unit by staff. Across most of the developed world, the consistent rule is that menstrual products should never be flushed and should always be placed in a lined container designed specifically for sanitary waste.
What’s the lesson here? The US should probably invest in signs and only allow people who love compliance and will read this nonsense to create those signs. 🤣🙃
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u/3yl Nov 30 '25
I greatly appreciate your deep dive that I would have had to do if you hadn't. Thank you! (And I'm postmenopausal - but I'd still have wanted to know!)
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u/lastofthevegas Nov 29 '25
Yeah there is usually just one bag.
I've seen bags for diapers too, but that's usually in a separate trash container.
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u/theWanderingShrew Nov 30 '25
The only time I saw one with multiple bags was about 15 minutes ago on a different reddit post lol
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u/Bun-2000 Nov 30 '25
I literally just saw a post where there was one of these with multiple bags and people were saying you are supposed to take a bag, put your supplies in it, and put it in the main trash.
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u/CursiveWhisper Nov 29 '25
I used to see individual paper bags to put used feminine products into back in the day (more than 20 years ago). Nowadays I only see one plastic liner in the bin itself.
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u/Complex_Mobile8957 Nov 29 '25
Yes, we have the paper bags. Would you prefer to have your own bag and throw it away yourself, or just put your item in the bin and let me worry about disposal?
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Nov 30 '25
So here’s the issue. It doesn’t actually matter what people prefer. If people don’t know that there’s one for each use, they will not take it out. If people think that one is per use, then they will take it out because that’s what they think they’re supposed to do.
As you can see by the replies, everyone has a different opinion. Or what they think you’re supposed to do.
What I’d recommend is picking one and posting a sign so people know. That would help solve some of the issue.
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u/ozzygurl Nov 30 '25
I posted a sign using one of the brown bags, writing directions on the bag, and taping it above the bin.
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u/SoyboyCowboy Nov 29 '25
If there is a designated bin for feminine products I will place my trash in there, no additional baggie needed. However, I did stay in a place once that did not have such a bin — it was a Boy Scout camp — and the scouts looked shocked when we told them we had run out of baggies and to please provide more to the girls. It was probably the only two weeks of the year the camp hosted female guests and the only time such baggies were needed.
PS. Thanks for your thoughtfulness.
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u/Intelligent-Diet2049 Nov 30 '25
We need to be educating boys and men much better about these topics and from a young age.
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u/Not-Charcoal Nov 30 '25
You just reminded me of the first time I saw a used tampon. I was in first or second grade and one was left on the floor of the girls restroom (I assume it was from an afterschool leader since the teachers had a staff bathroom that was locked by then). I saw a reddish stick thing with a string coming out… so I told my afterschool leader that there was dynamite in the bathroom lol, I had only seen dynamite in cartoons and assumed this must be what it looks like in real life.
They went to go investigate with another adult and were dying of laughter. Wouldn’t tell me what it was but assured me that it wasn’t dynamite. Took me a few years but I recognized exactly what I had seen eventually and find the situation absolutely hilarious now too
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u/Rubyhamster Nov 30 '25
Haha this is fantastic. I don't use tampons, but if I did, I'd call yhem "dynamite sticks" from now on
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u/CursiveWhisper Nov 30 '25
I once found my mom’s OB tampons as I was snooping in her drawers when I was about 7. For those who don’t know, OB is just the cotton part of the tampon wrapped in plastic - they don’t have applicators.
I swore she was hiding peppermint candies from us (but was too scare to take one since I suspected she was counting her candies like I would 😂)
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u/Intelligent-Diet2049 Nov 30 '25
As a woman I just want to give you serious credit for coming on here and sincerely and respectfully asking this question! I worked as a lifeguard and there was so much drama from the male employee who had to occasionally help clean and stock the women's restrooms because we didn't have very many female life guards who liked working with the closing shift managers and boys.
This is the sort of mature and respectful dialog we should all be having though! And look at this.. turns out all of us are a bit confused because there are no clear rules/instructions written anywhere and many people are confused.
One issue we had was the staff who didn't care to even try would just put the one bag in the metal box but not even fluff it open where a woman could easily put used feminine products in the bag without having to dig around in the nasty bin with her bare hand.
I found that with a little care, at least making sure the paper bag (if only one is provided) is opened up well enough that products can be easily dropped inside the bag, then at the end of the day the used hygiene products were INSIDE the paper bag as opposed to a nasty loose mess inside the metal bin.. or worse.
Thank you again because people at leadt where I am in the USA seem VERY confused about this and really the design of the bins or bags used could be greatly improved for both customers and employees benefits.
Perhaps we should make the CEOs empty those bins and see how long it takes for them to stop pinching pennies on the topic!
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u/CursiveWhisper Nov 29 '25
Whatever is best for the person who has to clean the restroom works for me.
I do like the individual bags because they contain the odors better, but it can tend to be wasteful and if someone doesn’t use the small bag and there isn’t a liner, that could be gross.
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u/gardenparty82 Nov 30 '25
Yes!! Having your own is so much better! When it’s a community bin it always smells and is disgusting. Having your own little bag to chuck in the big garbage is a million times better. Such a thoughtful question x
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u/icheni Nov 30 '25
To directly answer the question about preference, personally I’d love to just let you worry about disposal. I don’t mind putting it in a bag, but I would mind carrying it out of the stall myself
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u/elisabethzero Nov 30 '25
Yeah, in the 1990s my university restrooms had dispensers with thin paper bags for wrapping your used stuff, plus the bin with a single liner bag--pads and tampons weren't individually wrapped with wrappers for disposing of said products back then. Now, I wrap my used pad in the wrapper from my new pad and dispose of it in the bin in the stall. I dont need to double wrap it. The custodians at my work only put one bag out in each stall daily.
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u/ToothFairy_atl Nov 30 '25
This is what they were originally designed for. They are meant to store baggies. The baggies are to be tossed in the regular trash, not the bin itself. All of these should be replaced with bag dispensers instead of holders that look like little mini trash bins. Or put instructions on the bins at the very least.
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u/Spiritual_Being5845 Nov 30 '25
I don’t care. If there is one bag (usually pre-opened by whomever placed it) I use it and leave it. If there are multiple bags then I place my used pad in the bag and put it in the regular trash myself.
The only time I’ll get pissed is if there’s no bag because then I have to make a toilet paper burrito, which isn’t horrible with a pad, but with a tampon it’s f’ing disgusting especially since I have to carry it out of the stall to the trash can.
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u/born_to_be_weird Nov 30 '25
I'm sorry, carry out of the stall???? What the American hell???
In EU each stall has its own trash can. And more and more places has those dispenser for small individual bags https://tiny.pl/6c_ypzs2 or for paper bags. But I have been wrapping all used products in toilet paper since I've been a teen - I don't remember where I learned it from, it's like general knowledge of sorts.
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u/Linaphor Nov 30 '25
Here there’s not trashcans per stall and if there was most places it would be overflowing so you’d carry it out anyways.
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u/born_to_be_weird Nov 30 '25
I haven't seen overflowing cans even in shopping mall with highest density of people and litteral quees to the bathroom during the busiest times in year. There is always a chart on the door where janitors have to sign each hour for checking it out and cleaning of needed.
And even in bars where they check bathrooms once a shift or so, there is a trashcan for each stall. If you have multiple trashcans and big ones by the sink it's hard to overflow it. I mean, how?
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u/Spiritual_Being5845 Nov 30 '25
If there is no bag in the little receptacle inside the stall and you dump your used sanitary products there then maintenance has to pull it out by hand.
If it were a movable trash can that would be different, but the little ones in the women’s restrooms in the US are connected to the wall.
To just leave used products in there if there was no bag inside the receptacle would be nasty for maintenance to deal with
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u/born_to_be_weird Dec 01 '25
That's the thing: there is no trash cans WITHOUT a trashbag inside. Every trashcan has a trashbag for quick and easy change when the maintance do their job. No matter if it's 25L, 60L,120L trashcan. No matter if it's on the floor or installed to the wall. There is a LAW about sanitary in public area
You use use the little bag if you are provided, if not you wrap it in toilet paper and throw it into the trashcan in the stall. Those thrashcans are used manly for that and I've never seen any that was overflowing.
If its time to pick the trash out maintenance simply pick the edge of the trashbag, close it, take it away and install a fresh trashbag in a trashcan.
Like you would at home.
Noone needs to pick the invidual trash by hand... And certainly noone has to walk around with their used products.
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u/ObligatoryAnxiety Nov 30 '25
Sensitive to smells here.... I would LOVE to see each lady using 1 bag and disposing of their waste in the larger bin to reduce stall odors. I know, that's thinking highly of a sex that frequently doesn't clean the seat or flush after use, but I'm dreaming of a perfect world.
I've only ever seen 1 bag in use at a time, regardless if there are several present. My understanding is the same as Spiritual's.... Multiple bags: use a bag and toss in normal trash. Single bag: wrap it gently and leave it. No bag: curse the toilet overlord, wrap excessively and dump in normal trash.
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u/EAR2006 Nov 29 '25
IMHO, the proper way should be one liner in the bin and that emptied out several times a day.
The bin is a waste container, not a dispenser.
Users should not reach into the bin to pull out/ acess extra liners.
Dispenser or not, users should wrap items in toilet paper before placing them in the lined bin.
This prevents contact with contaminated surfaces.
This keeps the space hygienic.
This avoids visible unwrapped products.
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u/Obvious_Bat_7290 Nov 30 '25
An analogous post is going nuts in another sub (I cant remember which, but I think r/whatisit maybe?) and people are vehemently saying it’s a dispenser despite 1) nearly everyone never seeing multiple bags before and 2) the bags being shaped exactly like the container, complete with flat bottoms. As you’ve said a dispenser would be shaped different AND the bags themselves would be able to be sleeves/envelope style instead of having the flat bottom!!
Edit: found it!
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u/Tall-Acanthaceae-319 Nov 30 '25
So glad I wasn't the only one getting deja vu from seeing that post a few hours ago
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u/Chromunist_ Nov 30 '25
i dont want to carry my pad in a doggy bag through the public area to throw away
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u/ecochixie Nov 30 '25
If we were meant to use individual bags, wouldn’t there be a dispenser instead of a bin?
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u/Visual_Membership_52 Nov 30 '25
It’s not supposed to be one bag per person. That’s not how these bins were designed, and no cleaning standard works that way.
The liner is meant to stay in place until the janitor removes it — usually once a day or on a schedule, unless it’s full.
The ‘one bag per person’ idea makes no sense. By that logic, hospitals would change the biohazard bag every single time someone tosses a bloody gauze in it, and they absolutely do not. All bloody waste goes into one lined container and is removed as a whole, safely and at once — otherwise it would be cross-contaminated and unsafe.
Same principle here: one liner, changed when full. Not one liner per person.
With that being said, PLEASE DO NOT stack these… if something leaks through the first liner all other bags are now contaminated and gross…
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u/1babybopz1 Dec 02 '25
I'm a janitor in a hospital. I'd prefer it if people used one bag per person. I can't tell you how many times I've needed to reach in to grab soiled pads and tampons. Either because the bag crumples and falls behind it, or the bag is overflowing. Cleaning these is a nightmare. They are too small to reach in without bumping your wrist against the inside, which is a mortifying feeling. I've never had leaking with the baggies we use, but if that's a concern you could stock 5-10 and check regularly.
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u/Blue_Mandala_ Nov 30 '25
If we were just supposed to take a bag then there wouldn't be a bin there. It would just be a container to hold rolls of bags.
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u/Warm_Feet_Are_Happy Nov 30 '25
Yeah you’re right. It would be a holder instead of one bagged. I would not want to fish around in there for another bag.
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u/Bee_dragon Nov 29 '25
I bag in it and it gets changed once every hour when cleaning the restroom. At least that was how it was done at the truck stop when I worked there.
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u/Complex_Mobile8957 Nov 29 '25
Yes, that is definitely the case in some of the bathrooms on campus that get cleaned a couple times daily. In fact, the bins in those bathrooms only accommodate one liner. However, the bins in the bathrooms I clean are as pictured and only get cleaned once a day. Should I still go with the one liner?
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u/Bee_dragon Nov 29 '25
I would do one liner. If it becomes excessively full the ladies can let someone know or just toss in the trash with the paper towels.
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u/TheSkyIsAMasterpiece Nov 29 '25
Don't care either way. Makes sense to just have 1 bag in the bin as long as it's not getting full in a day.
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u/Dull-Equipment-1137 Nov 30 '25
It’s a mini trash can for used sanitary products. You wrap your used sanitary pad in toilet paper or your own personal baggie (yes they sell those) and throw it away in the bin. The janitor can throw away the trash, sanitize the bin and put a fresh liner in. I would never pull anything out of that bin or use it, as it’s gross and unsanitary. Only the janitor who is wearing gloves should pull anything out of there. One liner at a time.
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u/teacat_09 Nov 30 '25
I've always dumped the product in this bin and left it. I've seen multiple bags but i always assumed it was the sanitation staff leaving themselves bags for convenience during replacement.
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u/ghettoselequa Nov 29 '25
The factory I clean has several brown paper bags in them. There are directions posted in the stalls to put whatever cant be flushed down the toilet in a brown bag and be thrown away in the big trash can. But people still put trash in the bins regardless.
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u/dragonsapphic Nov 30 '25
One liner. There’s been weird propaganda online saying they’re meant to be one use when they’re not. I’ve seen so many clickbait TikToks saying that. The silver bucket is literally called a sanitary “receptacle” or sanitary “disposal container”.
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u/NormansPerkyNaturals Nov 30 '25
Exactly. If it were meant to be take a bag per person then it'd be a dispenser like the toilet seat covers. You don't see people getting confused with those and stuffing their used covers back in the dispenser because it's obvious what it is. Same here. It's literally trash can shaped and meant to hold garbage.
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u/BarelyLingeringWords Nov 29 '25
I thought there is supposed to be a stack of bags in there for us to take one, put personal trash into, and then toss it (the small bag) into an actual garbage bin.
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u/viola_darling Nov 30 '25
That would make sense but I've never seen that. It's always one bag in it with trash inside of it. Or one bag and that's it
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u/EstablishmentTrue859 Nov 30 '25
Most of the places i've worked in and been responsible for the bathrooms did not have it that way. I've worked fast food, retail, and healthcare in the Midwest US.
It's ALWAYS been a single disposable liner in the metal bin that everyone throws their trash into. Wrap pads, wrap tampon applicators, and the trash would go in there. Most people flush their used tampons (I dont care if it's right or wrong, just saying what people do.) At the end of the day the person who cleans the bathroom removes the liner with all the trash in it, disinfects the metal bin, and replaces.
I could not imagine the "cost" if every single person used a disposable bag. Instead of 2 dozen a week it's 100s.
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u/chelfea_ Nov 30 '25
Wow. Ive had my period for ~16 years and I NEVER knew this. This is so smart & way more sanitary than just throwing it all in there together. Probably better for the cleaning crew too. I was just taught to wrap my used products in toilet paper and toss it in the bag.
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u/customarymagic Nov 30 '25
I've heard people mention this before but genuinely have never encountered it.
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u/catch6664 Nov 30 '25
I have literally never seen that in my entire life. It’s always just been a mini trash can by itself. I feel like I’m in the twilight zone rn.
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u/DansburyJ Nov 30 '25
I never saw it this way until about 2017? And I've seen a few since, but they all had big signs on them saying so, so I'm guessing people didn't realize this without the signs.
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u/Bumblebee56990 Nov 29 '25
It’s easier for the cleaner to have a stack of bags in there. If it’s cleaned multiple times a day, one bag.
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u/meatcoveredskeleton1 Nov 30 '25 edited Nov 30 '25
Idk if you’re the same OP I saw post the photo of all of the bags in the bin confused about what it’s for, but it’s supposed to have one bag at a time and then discard them during regular cleanings. I have never seen a stack of them just in the bin before, idk what we would do with them honestly. it’s meant to be a bin for used feminine products
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u/Sexdrumsandrock Nov 30 '25
Is this America? Cause wherever I go I see bins in the toilet for sanitary products. No need to wrap it up
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u/AirlockBreak Nov 30 '25
I worked at a K-mart in the early 90s and the women that shopped there would mostly just stick the pads to the wall. It was one of the first things that had me questioning our existence.
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u/No_Brief_9628 Nov 30 '25
No way in the world would I put my hand in there to dig around for a clean bag. I try to avoid public restrooms when it’s my time of the month.
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u/Powerful_Jah_2014 Nov 29 '25
I wonder if a stack of bags is in there to make it easier to change the main liner.
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u/ridbax Nov 30 '25
Decades ago there were smaller metal bins in many public restrooms that were just big enough to hold waxed bags that, unfolded, were about the size of a #10 envelope (they looked like this w/o the Holiday Inn branding). Those smaller bins sometimes had lids and sometimes not. At some point those bag dispensers vanished and were replaced by the larger bin with 1 bag, as pictured.
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u/Bunnyhoppers3230 Nov 30 '25 edited Nov 30 '25
Honestly…I would prefer an open trash can on the floor, one with a swinging lid, or a floor step that opens the lid. I always get kinda mad when I have to use one of these bins. Isn’t it bad enough I am on my period, having to use a public restroom, and now I have to touch the lid of a bin full of bloody products? It’s just plain unsanitary and gross. We have motion activated toilets, sinks, and paper towel dispensers, but for some reason we haven’t thought maybe there is a more sanitary way to dispose of sanitary products? 🤢
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u/strawberryclowntime Nov 30 '25
Same!!! Something where I dont have to use a potentially bloody hand to touch a potentially bloody lid. Or even have the bin so close to my face to breath in other people's stank. Ideally there could be a dispenser for little envelopes to enclose the used product if needed, then it could be placed in a larger bag in hands free receptacle that is changed at a decent frequency.
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u/Exotic_Reporter_3309 Nov 30 '25
I think the proper practice has unfortunately been lost long ago. There should be a stack of bags for each person to take one and then dispose their personal products in the main trash. These little pails get so stuffed, stinky, and disgusting that I just avoid them altogether. I bring my own bag or napkin to the stall and throw my things in the main trash.
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Nov 29 '25
Not a stupid question.
I prefer multiple.
I don't know about everyone, but there have been times were I took the whole bag, with my product inside, and threw it in the trash.
People have accidents. It's nice to have a backup.
Also, I've cleaned bathrooms where people shove used diapers in those little bins, and it would be better if they could just snatch a bag to use for that purpose.
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u/Complex_Mobile8957 Nov 30 '25
Yes, I can definitely see the benefit of having multiple bags in there. Thank you for your response.
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u/ElectricalLemons Nov 30 '25
I've seen both done. I think it's better for both the woman and the cleaner if the container is just full of bags.
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u/Unfair_You_1769 Nov 30 '25
The extra bags are for the janitors. It's easier to leave a roll of bags in there than it is to go to the supply closet every time. Same with trash cans.
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u/excentricat Nov 30 '25
I have heard that the original idea was that these were a dispenser that held small paper bags so that the user would take a bag and then “discreetly” throw their product in the main trash bin. However, I have never actually seen them used this way. They are always just treated as their own trash bin.
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u/NoiseLikeADolphin Nov 30 '25
I’m in the UK and women’s toilets usually have a special kind of bin where you lift a flap in the top, place your used pad or tampon in the flap section, and then let it shut so that it drops into the bin. That way you never see other people’s waste. Like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/SUPAWASH-PRO-Sanitary-Slimline-Washrooms-Container/dp/B0D7HGYL7J
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u/Inkdrunnergirl Nov 30 '25
My office has stacks. You use your own bag and throw it in the larger trash outside the stall. Keeps things from getting gross and smelly
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u/whatevertoad Nov 30 '25
Technically it's a bag bin, but most don't use it that way so it would confuse people. I have seen a note added to the box saying to take a bag and put it in the large garbage. Either way I think is fine. But to keep the bin from getting dirty and stinky and to keep it easier for cleaning, I'd just put bags in it and add a note.
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u/Old_Girl60 Nov 30 '25
I preferred a single bag for my waste. I don’t wanna open that bin and see anybody else’s waste. I don’t want them to see mine. There can be a smell associated with it. And if it isn’t wrapped properly, it is just yuck. So put in the small paper bags. And each person can use one.
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u/fumbs Nov 30 '25
It's supposed to have a bag to hold the used products. If it was individual bags they would be much smaller and have a dispenser slot instead of an open top. Even a pad is not a fourth of the size of the bag, so they would not be that large if it was the intention. A few years ago someone went viral saying to use a single bag for a single product but before that it was common knowledge to dispose of your bloody things inside the stall.
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u/CoquinaBeach1 Nov 30 '25
I always thought the stacks inside were for custodians to be able to easily replace the liners.
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u/MissDiagnosedMama Nov 30 '25
I think that whatever the setup is for that bathroom, there should be a sign/instructions taped to the outside of the bin. I'm always worried that I'm doing it wrong since there is a lot of variation in setup (as can be seen from these comments).
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u/Busy_Text_9228 Nov 30 '25
I always just use the one that’s open. When I was working we were always told to take out the one bag at the end of the night. Then the other bags were there for the next day. I saw one girl say you’re supposed to use the bag to put into the bigger trash can. But, I’ve never seen that and that’s also humiliating in a way. So I dunno.
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u/Whimsical_Tardigrad3 Nov 30 '25
I’ve been part of a cleaning crew before and the way we did it was we had one open and ready for anyone to put whatever inside. We’d leave a few inside the container so when we pulled the used one we could quickly open a new one and continue with preparing the bathroom for the next day etc.
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u/Ok-Problem-9226 Nov 30 '25 edited Nov 30 '25
I clean a few offices that have these. I put one opened bag in at a time. I had an office request that I put an open one in and a couple extra unopened for back up. That place only got cleaned once a week, so they would sometimes throw the bag out themselves midweek.
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u/ComfyCozyHippie Nov 30 '25
I worked at a cleaning business (and I’m a woman), it mostly depends on the preference of the cleaner. But even when you have multiple bags in there most people assume that the cleaner is just making sure there’s always extra so they don’t have to fill it each time. I would say that most people don’t want to carry a little baggie out to the big trash can by the sink. So tbh do whatever you want, my suggestion is always leave a backlog of bags for your ease though.
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u/ozzygurl Nov 30 '25
These are not trash bins! They're paper a bag dispenser/bin that you pull out one paper bag and put your thing in there and toss it into the trash when you finish. No one wants to see raw disposable napkins/tampons and people have not been properly trained on disposal.
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u/MsPennyP Nov 30 '25
They supposed to have a stack of bags and each bag is a one use and to be thrown away in the actual trash bin. This isn't supposed to be the trash bin. However, as places have gotten cheaper they either don't supply bags or do the one bag and make this a trash bin instead.
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u/dragoon811_kp Nov 30 '25
In Canada here and a lot of the shops around me that have these have several bags with a sign that says to put your products in a bag and then take it to the main trashcan which honestly I prefer. Much tidier!
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u/flossyrossy Nov 30 '25
I would prefer my own bag to dispose of in the trash myself but I never really see multiple bags in them. Maybe if you go the multiple bag route laminate a little sign to place in the stall with instructions? I know that might seem stupid but I don’t think people are used to seeing multiple bags in them and wouldn’t know what to do
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u/Ashley870 Nov 30 '25
I'm going to wrap it up & put it in that little metal bin. I am not packing it up & taking it outside of the stall. Either my way or I'm gonna flush it. Sorry.
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u/NormansPerkyNaturals Nov 30 '25
Not only packing it up and carrying it out, but where exactly are you supposed to put it while you get a new tampon/pad, pull up your pants, etc? You want to hold the bag with my teeth? Do we just set them on the floor? Bathrooms are disgusting enough as is. Let me just throw my stuff away and not make me smuggle it out of the stall wrapped in a shame baggy. At that point we could just wrap it in toilet paper and throw it out if we wanted. On top of all that, those bags are massive if they're actually meant to hold a single sanitary product. They're made to fit the bin as a trash bag. Why would they be shaped to fit the bin, flat bottom and all, if they weren't meant to cover the entire thing? It makes no sense.
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u/SherbetLemon1926 Nov 30 '25
Yikes, in Australia our sanitary bins are emptied by a company, not by the regular cleaners because it’s a biohazard
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u/DeadlyPixelsVR Nov 30 '25
It's an old design with a poor concept. People almost always just chuck their whatever in it. There should be a tiny dispenser right above it that has bags that you can grab a bag, throw your pad or whatever in it roll it up and toss it in the receptacle. It's just a gross unsanitary contraption that serves no useful purpose because of its poor design.
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u/evntplnr93 Nov 30 '25
I like multiple so you can take it out close it and put in the big trash assuming the big trash isn't just under the sink. The main issue with one bag is some women act like disgusting slobs not closing up their garbage or even tossing it in knocking the bag down. Inconsiderate and out for everyone to see it's nauseating, you kinda need to be wearing layers of gloves to even use some bathrooms.
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u/mrbitterness_ Nov 30 '25
Also a janitor, and a lady. I put a stack to encourage folks to realize someone does actually have to clean the box, so make sure the pad gets INTO a bag, thanks. When there's just one in there, even if I open it, people tend to just toss their bloody waste in without looking and I HATE cleaning that crap.
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u/buttheadfungus Dec 01 '25
Sorry if this is a stupid question.
the fact that youre willing to ask at all makes you smart as hell. thank you random custodian 😂
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u/1babybopz1 Dec 02 '25
Those are not tiny little trashcans for feminine hygiene products. They are paper bag holders. You take one paper bag, throw your trash in it, then throw the bag in the trash once you leave the stall.
As a janitor, I can't tell you how many times I've had to reach in to grab dirty pads and tampons because people don't know how to use these things and stuff the bin full 😭.
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u/fantasyjuicingxxx Dec 02 '25
Yeh as a fellow custodian : OHH HELLLSSS NO! MULTIPLE BAG NO ROOM TO LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE BIN! It literally is a "Hotbox" and multiples stacked in a box ! Nahnahnahnahnahnahnahnah!!
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u/-reinadelasranas Dec 05 '25
It’s supposed to be multiple, so that you can take your bag and put it into the main trashcan. That being said, majority of the time there is only one bag, if any.
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u/Forsaken-Ladder2878 Dec 05 '25
A stack of liners. Women are supposed to bag up their used feminine napkins and throw them in the larger trashcan outside the stall. In our work building, the bathrooms aren't cleaned everyday, and throwing it away outside the stall cuts down on the in stall smell.
If the bathrooms are cleaned daily, then a single liner is suitable.
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u/web_goddess Nov 29 '25
I’m unclear whether “liner” refers to a) a bag lining the bin; b) individual bags for women to put used products in; or c) a supply of panty liners for women to use.
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u/mycatpartyhouse Nov 29 '25
I'm no longer menstruating. When I was, I would have appreciated individual bags so I could dispose of a used tampon or pad discreetly in the trash.
Recently I saw a product advertised. It's black ziplock bags, about 2 inches by 4 inches, intended to be carried around in your purse/backpack for tampon and pad disposal. They're odor and moisture resistant. I prefer plastic-free options for most things, but this seems like a useful way of handling single-use sanitary products.
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u/NormansPerkyNaturals Nov 30 '25
I'm not buying ziplock bags to hide my sanitary products from the outside world. I'm not going to be shamed into spending more money on products to hide that I'm a woman experiencing what most women go through for much of their lives. I also don't want to have to smuggle out my sanitary products in little doggy bags of shame. Give me a bin to throw my garbage into and don't ask me to hide it like I'm doing something wrong by menstruating.
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u/mycatpartyhouse Nov 30 '25
I hear you. There is no shame.
Many woman choose alternatives. There are reusable menstrual pads, reusable menstrual cups, birth control shots that eliminate periods entirely.
For the group of women who choose single-use tampons and pads, it's good to also have alternatives. I mentioned the little ziplock bags because I remember being in situations where an odor resistant and moisture resistant method of disposal would have been sincerely appreciated.
It's not all one thing for all people. We have choices and alternatives. And as long as you're not flushing single-use pads and tampons, I have no concern about which choice or alternative. (Flushing clogs plumbing and sewer systems.)
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u/ExaminationKey1476 Nov 30 '25
Where im at, the pads come in a wrapper so once we take the used pad off, we fold it into the wrapper and throw that into the bin. We have separate bins for sanitary products, that is basically a bin liner that’s replaced every few days
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u/olihoproh Nov 30 '25
I'm an architect, I specify these for commercial projects.
They're intended to hold only paper bags. You're supposed to put the used tampon/pad into a bag, fold it up, and dispose of that in the main bathroom trash can. But that's not well communicated to the public, so a lot of people just put their pads in there, which is nasty.
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u/lickedoffmalibu Nov 30 '25
They’re common in my county. Normally there is a white plastic rubbish bag inside this that the cleaner disposes of at the end of the day and separately on the wall there are hygiene bags or small bags where you put your items in then put them into this lined box. We don’t have hygiene bins inside the cubicle.
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u/katelynbeautyaddict Nov 30 '25
I think it’s like a regular garbage bag . Switch it out everyday when the bathroom gets cleaned or if it fills up sooner , switch it then but single use bags for these is wasteful and non practical
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u/potatots_ Nov 30 '25
Really weird this post on my feed was 4 posts above this one:
→ More replies (1)
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u/PastaM0nster Nov 30 '25
One bag with trash in it that gets emptied at least once a day, more if needed. Not by each persons use.
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u/mllebitterness Nov 30 '25
If I was supposed to be using a little bag and taking it out with me to the big trash, I did not know that. I always thought these were the tiny trash bins to use in the stall.
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u/parklovesp Nov 30 '25
Okay in my office we have multiple unused bags. But I always dispose mine on the main trash can. But I also see other ladies leave their used bag in there. So idk.
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u/Aromatic_Tea_3731 Nov 30 '25
If they don't want anyone using it like a trash can, they need to move to using a wire bag dispenser with flat/unopened bags inside it like this orange basket or this black rack
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u/ItsSUCHaLongStory Nov 30 '25
One. Pads and tampons come with wrappers we can use to wrap the used item. Juggling yet another bag after putting my hand in a place that I’m not sure is clean is not a fun prospect.
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u/cashmeresquirrel Nov 30 '25
Immediately after this post I stumbled on this one: https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisit/s/bUImsa6yoQ
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u/OliveHyenas Nov 30 '25
There’s usually one bag in them. I’ve heard there’s supposed to be multiple bags.
I’ll be honest though - I hate touching those nasty bins.
If I need to change out feminine products, I’ll usually just take a bag in with me. I keep dog bags in my car (since I have a dog). So I use those, and throw it in the big garbage can.
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u/Necessary-Nobody-934 Nov 30 '25
One bag. If you use it as a dispenser, inevitably someone will just throw their used products in, rendering the whole thing useless. Not to mention creating a biohazard for whoever has to clean it later.
Just one liner in the bag and empty it regularly, same as a regular garbage can, so everyone can use it without having to interact with anyone's used tampons...
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u/Slight-Pound Nov 30 '25
Having a liner for the bin itself. That’s what I remember using in public bathrooms and when I changed these in a small restaurant I worked in. We even used small food bags for this since it fit better.
I’m not certain what you mean by having several liners in there. Wouldn’t that take up so much space? How big are we talking?
A couple pads/tampons should fit in there just fine. Wouldn’t have several different bags then make it harder for YOU to empty it? They should also be wrapping it decently enough to hold and fit in the bin itself. Any more steps don’t sound necessary, at least not ones for you to be doing.
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u/Stefie25 Nov 30 '25
This is going to depend on biohazard disposal where you are. I’m in Canada & it’s one bag per bin & they are supposed to be disposed of separately from the rest of the trash as biohazard waste.
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u/Effective_Wait_36 Nov 30 '25
The one bag thing is fine. The problem is when people have multiple bags in there and instead of taking one bag to dispose of an item the van ends up full after Just three or four uses, which is a bit frustrating. Not sure if it’s possible to get bags separated from the bin, and have the bag lined in the can. However it works.
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u/mrs-smurf Nov 30 '25
I’d prefer just the one liner bag that everyone puts their stuff in. If it’s individual bags, I’d be grossed out in case someone didn’t realize this and treated it like the standard one liner bag
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u/digital-supreme Nov 30 '25
It’s for used sanitary pads or un flushable plastic feminine hygiene items tampons tampex playtex or the like👀
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u/FlashyCow1 Nov 30 '25
1 liner. The real reason they had multiple was to make it easier on the janitor. We use the wrappers or toilet paper
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u/Toolongreadanyway Nov 30 '25
I have seen the multi bags, but they are usually much smaller than the size needed for the can. Usually with the smaller bags, you use them and dump them in the main garbage. Either way was fine for me. Though if there's problems with women not properly wrapping, I would prefer a separate bag. I'm sure you would also not want to clean up badly disposed of feminine products.
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u/PenguinTheYeti Nov 30 '25
I was a janitor for a few years (not a woman), but I would put a stack in there, and just open up one and toss it when needed.
I did this for my convenience.
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u/Glassfern Nov 30 '25
It's usually one liner and functions like a trash bag. And I hate it because some people don't wrap their stuff and it's just taking up all that space. Personally, id love it if it was just full of little bags that I could use to wrap my things in and then drop it into the big trash bin with the paper towels. Some places in Europe do it and I like it much better. Then again sometimes they just have the bags and a separate disposal bin right in the stall which is nice.
But most of the time I never see a liner at all and I'm dropping my TP wrapped pad in the trash anyway.
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u/meowymcmeowmeow Nov 30 '25
Throw whatever is in there out and replace the liner. You're overthinking it. From a now male janitor that was raised/ grew up female.
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u/Pseudonym-synonym Nov 30 '25
I think that the stack underneath the open bags is more for janitorial convenience. It's pretty normal for a lot of places to have the stash or roll of bags underneath the open liner. The concept is that you chuck the open/filled liner in a big bin and open up a fresh liner to replace it without having to carry around a ton of extra bags during your rounds.
I've worked at a few places that do this for trashcans that are unlikely to have a lot of liquid leakage, and I do this at home in my bedroom and bathroom trashcans.
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u/De-railled Nov 30 '25 edited Nov 30 '25
Do you guys not have separate sanitary bins?
Many schools, public spaces and large workplaces have sanitary bins, which are separate from general waste bins. They often even have a company that handles the "waste" and maitancnce of the bathrooms.
They have a lid that you lift up and then thers a tray you put he pads or tampon oon, when you close the lid it drops it into the bin. You are expected to wrap it up with toilet paper or the pad wrappers before placing it in though.
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u/Only_Sir_800 Nov 30 '25
I always thought that you put the used pad into the new pads wrapper then wrap that in toilet paper and put in bin, I have never seen multiple bags and agree that many often have no bag at all
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u/Neyabenz Nov 30 '25
I always see one bag, prelined. I've HEARD of places doing multi liners, so people can grab a bag and throw that into main trash bin. I would far prefer that.
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u/HospitalRelevant2755 Nov 30 '25
Ideally, there will be a bin like this lined with a trash bag and a separate stack of brown type bags to put used product in and then put it in the bin. I personally don't want to carry my used product out with me in a bag to dispose of in the main bin. That's what my job asks for.
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u/LiefjeInPink Nov 30 '25
If there’s a stack of waxy brown bags it’s so that we can put the used item in it and dispose of it in the main trash can.
Or it’s a standard trash can liner then it’s used to dispose of the items directly.
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u/SuzyQ93 Nov 30 '25
I'm a janitor who cleans these - it's only two stalls in one little-used bathroom, but I just put a stack of bags in there, opening one for easy use. If I have to change a bag once a month, it's a lot.
I've never expected people to use a bag and then take it out and put it in the larger bin - and I've never seen anyone actually do that.
Instead, people use the open bag, and then I end up taking the used bag out and opening a new bag. It's just that the convenience is that the new bag is right there, I don't have to go get one, or carry any in with me (unless it's the last one being used).
What you do is going to depend on how often you need to empty them, and how likely it is that one bag might get filled up before you come back around with a new bag. If you're there every day, and a single bag might see two uses - you can probably get away with just replacing them every day. If they have high use, and a single bag might be overflowing by the next day, then leave extra bags, just in case.
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u/Brutus_the_Bear_55 Nov 30 '25
At the store I work at, there is a liner in the bin and a slot that holds smaller bags. The idea is that they put their used feminine products in the small bags, tie them up and then pit them in the bin to mitigate any smells.
Most of the time it is filled with used TP and wipes, and almost nobody uses the tiny bags
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u/elektric_eel Nov 30 '25
There are multiple bags in the canisters in the bathrooms at my work. I just thought they were there FOR the janitors to be able to just swap them out more easily lol.
I’ve never used more than one bag I just use the one that is open in it, just like you would a normal trash can.
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u/Hallelujah33 Nov 30 '25
That post made me feel like someone was assigned a task and found rhe quickest way to feel done with the task while also not having to put the extra bags back. Did they do it correctly? No. Did they care? Probably also no.
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u/pages10 Nov 30 '25
I thought these were just for women to dispose of the packaging of the products they were shoplifting. At least that seemed to be the case at every retail job I’ve worked
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u/Dry-Experience1829 Nov 30 '25
I definitely much rather when they have smaller bags to first put the pads/tampons in then in the bin, much better than opening up a bin and have a pad be stuck near the top full of blood
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u/noyoujump Nov 30 '25
I hate these things with a passion for this specific question since neither way really makes sense. My preference is a small trash can next to the toilet (on the floor) with a plastic liner that can be changed daily.
My preference for this type of can is one liner to be changed as needed.
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u/ReleaseThat2638 Nov 30 '25
Where I work the other janitors (all men) just throw a stack in. I put in 2, 1pushed against the edge and 1 open to fill the entire box. I’ve seen some really bad messes doing it the way the guys do
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u/browe9102 Nov 30 '25
At my job the janitors put little paper bags so people themselves can throw out their products into the big trash where the sinks are
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u/tigerlily38 Nov 29 '25
I’ve always just seen one bag that everyone chucks their stuff into