How do you deal with changes in public settings?

Specifically, I am concerned with how you dispose of used products. I am finding myself going through pull-ups and diapers far quicker than I used to, necessitating some more changes throughout my day. I am currently back in school and am working very hard to complete a degree as soon as possible and treat school like my job…it is my job actually.

This means long hours around campus. I have no fears of changing in public, and find most facilities to be deserted during class times anyway. I carry a small set of supplies in my backpack with more at the car if needed.

I had changed into a fresh diaper today after a long and grueling test and was washing up when I threw the used one in the trash as normal. I usually just drop it in the bin as I walk by and head on out without thinking or really caring, like you would paper towels. I am not embarrassed by my needs after these years, but I also never really considered the disposal of the products. The thing that stuck out is that in this instance the diaper sat on top of the trash and was very visible (I don't roll used diapers, I trifold them with one set of tapes attaching around the diaper then the other set wrapping the other way. This "flat packs" the used diaper).

This started me thinking, is it right for me to just toss in a used diaper? Or, should I bag it and toss it out? Or, should I be looking for the "Family" restrooms or disabled restrooms? It never occurred to me that seeing that diaper in the bin may be jarring to other individuals, or even construed as rude.

I don't care if someone sees me toss one out, or sees me when I leave the stall with one in hand or after hearing me change if it's not a quiet diaper or pull-on. But, I don't flaunt anything either. It has just been part of my normal bathroom routine.

What do you guys do with your used products in public?

I usually roll it put it in a plastic shopping sack and in the trash. Like you after all these years of incontinence I don't care what others think if they see me. I do not however flaunt my incontinence.

I agree with Ringer, carry white garbage bags (small ones) in your backpack and always dispose of the used diaper in it.
The way I pick mine in my back pack is
1 diaper in a large ziplock bag (Keeps diaper clean) then a white plastic bag and I have several packed this way

If I am going into a mall and don't want to carry my backpack I simply grab one of my kits and just take it into the mall as far as any one can tell it's just a small shopping bag. When I need to change I put the used diaper into the ziplock bag get rid of the extra air and seal then drop into the white bag with any used wipes and dispose in the bathrooms trash can. The nice thing if you store your diapers this way is if there is no trash can in the bathroom you can carry it with you till you find one. Since the diapers sealed in a ziplock bag inside a bag there is no smell.

It works, I keep a small container of disposable wipes in my cargo pants you would never know they are there. Wall mart caries them in hard plastic containers.

I wear tape-on diapers so that I do not need to remove my pants when I change in a public restroom. I roll up the wet diaper, tape it up so that the wet part is not exposed, and put it in the washroom's wastebasket.

I use ziplock bags to dispose of them. That way any smell is contained as best I can. I use tape on diapers so its easier and I get better protection from them. After you are done you could throw the ziplock bag in a plastic shopping bag if you are worried about privacy.

When I wear pull-ups, when I know I will be doing a lot of moving and have more access to facilities, I always wear two (maybe even three). Pull-up protection is so thin (tranquility overnight) that wearing multiple ones does not add to the bulk in any great way at all. Multiple pull-ons provide me a much better fit, a tad bit of leakage protection, and the ability to change into a new one simply by tearing off the old one. I can even apply a regular diaper (I use tranquility slimline breathable) if added protection is needed for longer periods and simply pull my remaining pull-up\s over it as a diaper cover. This combination has always yielded very flexible, discreet, customizable protection without approaching the bulk of a single premium diaper.

This system works very well for me. I was just concerned with the disposal. To me, I feel it's strange and rather wasteful to bag a diaper that I am throwing away into a trash can that already has a bag. Now, I DO carry a bag or two in case of a number two accident to contain the smell, or as some have stated it I need to carry out my own trash to another location. But, if the consensus of our community is that it is better to bag or products when disposed of in public, I would consider changing my habits. I guess I am just curious as to why you would. After all, used baby diapers are just thrown away without being bagged... most of the time.

Ziploc bags.

I take a lot of intercontinental flights. I sleep on the flight and wear a diaper pad. A ziploc keeps the wet diaper pad from smelling up the restroom and the airplane.

Llayden, I'm double incontinent - both bowel and bladder, so I always am prepared do deal with an accident when I leave the house. I carry both grocery store plastic bags and commercial small white plastic trash bags.

If the diaper is only a little wet, I place it in a grocery store plastic bag, tie it up, and place it in the trash. The grocery store bag also makes it a little less obvious what your trash is.

However, the small commercial white plastic trash bags seal better to stop odor from spreading. So, if the diaper is wet to the point of leaking, I will bag it in a white trash bag.

If the diaper is "messy," I put it in one of the white trash bags. If the diaper is "very messy" I will double bag it. You really can't see through the white plastic bags so they give an element of privacy and are more considerate of the other folk who will use the restroom.

--John

When I was in college I'd carry the diapers in my backpack, with each one stored in its own plastic grocery bag. The bag helped to keep the diaper from getting torn or having pinhole leaks from abuse when my backpack got kicked around. Then when I changed, the new diaper came out of the plastic bag to be replaced by the rolled up used one.

The plastic bag isn't perfect stealth, but I think it does a decent job of not making making the next guy to throw something in the trash can find himself face to face with a used diaper. If you object to plastic bags for some reason, those brown paper lunch bags would probably work just as well for not making it obvious.

What I'm planning to do when I try wearing in public is to make sure there is a single-stall restroom wherever I'm going. My college campus has 13 of them and I know where they all are, so changing in there would be safe. My second plan is to make sure I look femme enough that day to sneak into the women's restroom, because it's easier to dispose of things in there than in the men's room.

I appreciate everyones responses and routine descriptions. I too am always prepared for a change and have no reservations changing in a public restroom. What I am curious about is, why bag the diaper? I never have, unless messy due to the smell. Otherwise I don't see a reason to and never have. The only reason the question pops up now was because of the one I threw away and noticed that it was just sitting on top of a fairly full bin. I am not embarrassed to be seen tossing one away or having someone in the restroom while I change. I just want to know, is it just social etiquette to bag it in a public restroom where cans are emptied regularly? If it is (other than for the obvious #2), why?

My reasoning is that you are already disposing of it in a bin and it's already wrapped in its own back sheet. Baby diapers and pull-ups are not bagged, and I am not sure about feminine stuff, but I don't see any girls carrying around plastic bags. Other than trash cans that aren't emptied everyday where odor is a concern, I see not reason to bag a diaper other than #2 accidents. Those smell foul and should be bagged immediately.

So, is the consensus that my reasoning is flawed? If it is I will change my changing habits, but I'd like to know why. That's all!

I am currently in college too. Studying for my masters so I understand the long hours and school is basically my job as well. I am incontinent and a veteran. I just take a few grocery bags. The schools normally empty the trash pretty regularly. I use tabbed diapers. Normally the Northshore brands or Seni brands. They are extremely quiet when changing out and I do just like you. Throw them out right in the trash. I only use the bag when it is a bigger mess. I wouldn't worry about or stop you normal procedures.

Llayden said:

I just want to know, is it just social etiquette to bag it in a public restroom where cans are emptied regularly? If it is (other than for the obvious #2), why?

So, is the consensus that my reasoning is flawed? If it is I will change my changing habits, but I'd like to know why. That's all!

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I am not aware of social ettiquette for throwing away a used diaper in public. However, I choose to bag used ones in small white trash bags for extra privacy. This way, the next person does not plainly see an adult diaper on top of the trash. Also, depending on how warm it is, the trash may not be emptied quick enough before the urine stinks up the place. Restrooms reeking of urine bother me; having the smell come from the trash is even worse. So, I bag the diapers for privacy and odor control. Mostly privacy.

Honestly, I think you guys worry too much about the etiquette of adult diaper disposal in a public washroom trash container. Rolling the diaper up and taping it shut so that the wet part is not exposed should be sufficient. People throw away baby diapers in that manner all the time.

Some of the above reasons, ie courtesy for others and privacy etc make a lot of sense to me. But I think it's a lot deeper than that.

See how dogs, cats and lots of other animals try to hide their excrement? We're all animals, thats the bottom line. Thats what we do