A lot of men dispose of their condoms by flushing it down the toilet. While this might seem like a good way of get rid of the evidence, it’s doing you more harm than good — especially if you’re flushing it down your own toilet.
Most condoms are made of rubber, which means they don’t easily disintegrate. As a result, they can end up blocking your pipes and causing a plumbing problem, which can lead to hundreds of dollars’ worth of plumbing repairs and a lifetime of embarrassment when your plumber discovers what caused the blockage.
Steps to Take to Dispose of Your Condoms
So, if you shouldn’t flush your used condoms down the toilet, how should you properly dispose of it, then? Well, you can take the following steps:
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1. Gently remove the condom from your penis to avoid spilling the fluids inside it. Pull the condom from the tip to avoid bringing it inside out, then gently ease the ring down your shaft.
2. Tie the condom off to prevent fluids from spilling when you dispose of it. (Tying also helps prevent odor from developing, which is great if you don’t take out the trash often.) To properly tie your condom, make a loop near the opening and pull the ring through the loop to close it.
3. Wrap the tied condom in a piece of tissue or paper towel. Doing this further prevents odor from wafting through your bedroom. If you live with other people, wrapping your used condom will keep them from guessing about your nighttime activities even when they poke through the trash.
4. Put the condom in the trashcan. Whether you’re at home, at the office, in the movie theater, or anywhere else, never leave a used condom lying on any surface — always put it in the trash.
What if you’re in a situation where you don’t have easy access to a garbage bin? The answer: keep your used condom until you can find a trash can to throw it in.
If you have a sexy romp in your car, put the used condom in your glove compartment then dispose of it properly when you get home.
Do the same thing if you find yourself getting naughty at the beach, in a public park, or any other place where trashcans are not present.
Reasons to Properly Dispose of Used Condoms
As mentioned above, condoms can cause a blockage in your home’s piping system and result to expensive plumbing repairs. But this isn’t the only reason to practice proper disposal!
By making sure that you tie, wrap, and throw your used condoms in the trash, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:
Keep your pets away from your condoms — Dogs and cats are naturally curious; they have the urge to check out everything that looks and smells unfamiliar. So, if they come across your used condom, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll check it out and even try to eat it.
Condoms can be a choking hazard since they don’t easily break apart, so disposing of them properly can help keep your pets safe. As an added measure, you can even invest in a trashcan with a tight lid that won’t be easily opened by your cat or dog. This way, your pet won’t be able to dig through your trash and cause a huge mess.
Prevent people from knowing what you’re up to — You don’t want your coworkers to know that you’ve just had a quickie in the janitor’s closet.
You also don’t want your parents, siblings, or roommates to figure out that you’ve been having some sexy time with your girlfriend.
Proper condom disposal will help you avoid these awkward and embarrassing situations.
Protect the environment — If you’re getting naughty at the beach or on a boat, it can be tempting to throw your used condom in the water once you’re done. But don’t give in to the temptation: floating condoms don’t only look unsightly, but they can also harm turtles and other marine animals who mistake them for food.
Other Condom Options to Explore
Polyurethane condoms are not biodegradable, while the jury’s still out on whether latex condoms will biodegrade or not. This means that the condoms that you throw in the trash will still end up in landfills, where they’ll stay for years on end.
If this bothers you, you might want to try lambskin condoms, which are biodegradable and won’t pollute the environment.
The catch: these condoms won’t protect you from STIs, so wear them if you’re in a monogamous relationship and are not worried that your partner will give you any sexually transmitted infection.
Image: Bigstock
Peter started condom-sizes.org in 2011 after realizing what a difference using a proper condom size really makes! In 2012 he published an e-book called 'How to Find Your Perfect Condom' which is still available on