Most of the city of Cancun is actually not equipped with a plumbing system that can handle toilet paper. There may be some resorts where you can flush toilet paper in. But in general, this is not always the case.
When it comes to the use of toilets, every place has its own rules.
Cancun, in itself, has rules of its own. This is why it is of utmost importance for one to be familiar with these rules before visiting.
Imagine the hassle.
One day, you were walking by the beach, and you felt the need to go to the toilet. You do your thing. But then again, the signs are in their local language.
This is something you cannot understand.
How do you deal with such a situation?
This is where knowing the rules comes to be very important.
In this case, we will discuss the rules of Cancun (and the rest of Mexico) when it comes to toilet use.
Can you flush your toilet paper in the toilet? Or will you throw it in the bin instead? How about feminine products? How do you deal with them?
What do you need to expect when using a toilet in Mexico?
These and a few more questions will be answered today.
Read on.
Flushing Toilet Paper in Cancun
Let’s get into business first.
Can you flush toilet paper when in Cancun?
This may be a habit you have to learn. But when traveling to Cancun, remember not always to flush toilet paper every time.
You have to know that the city’s plumbing system cannot cope with toilet paper really well.
In short, flushing toilet paper in Cancun would have repercussions. It may result in happenings you would be embarrassed to talk about.
We can’t let you apologize to everyone in Cancun because you flushed toilet paper!
What you can do is throw the toilet paper in a bin.
Most toilets in Cancun have bins that you can throw your toilet paper in.
Although you cannot flush toilet paper in Cancun most of the time, there are instances when you can. And that is the reason why we used the term “most of the time.”
This is because there will be times when you can flush toilet paper in Cancun.
Some resorts may be capable enough to handle toilet paper that you flushed.
These resorts are usually in the city’s Hotel Zone.
Cancun’s Hotel Zone is actually equipped with a different water system. Compared to the rest of the area, this zone’s water system is more modern. It can handle your toilet paper.
When you are staying in any of the resorts in the Hotel Zone area, chances are you can flush your toilet paper here.
Flushing (or Not) Feminine Products in Cancun
We learned about the near impossibility of flushing toilet paper in Cancun.
Naturally, this should also be the case when it comes to feminine products. This should not come as a surprise.
This is because feminine products can cause more damage to toilets than toilet paper.
And yes, even in the city’s Hotel Zone, this is not advisable.
Feminine products such as tampons would clog the pipes when flushed. And this should cause disturbances not just in your room but with the area around you as well.
As much as possible, do not flush feminine products into the toilet.
Use the bin to get rid of them.
What happens to the toilet if you flush toilet paper in Cancun?
As previously mentioned, you may flush your toilet paper when in the Hotel Zone. Most of the time, nothing will happen. The toilet paper will be gone long before you know it. But when outside the hotel zone, you can cause disturbances. These would include clogging, flooding, and septic issues.
Suffice to say, flushing toilet paper, even in the Hotel Zone, is not the safest way of getting rid of it. The best way to get rid of toilet paper is by throwing it in a bin.
Cancun’s Hotel Zone would, most of the time, work well with the flushed toilet paper. But there are rare times when it won’t.
If all goes wrong, there can be a lot of problems.
Here are a few of them.
Bathroom Flooding
This is not just common in Cancun. But whether you are in Argentina or another part of the world, this too can happen.
When toilet paper clogs the pipes, it can flood your bathroom.
And when it does, it would be hard to drain the water away.
Clogging
We know we don’t like clogged toilets.
And nobody does.
Most of the time, what causes clogging are those that were previously flushed down the drain. And even when flushed, they just refuse to go away.
This results in a clogged toilet.
And yes, flushing toilet paper can do this as well.
This is especially true if the water system cannot handle the toilet paper. This should lead to more clogging.
Septic Concerns
We already know it.
Cancun does not all have a reliable septic system.
And so, when everybody else flushes toilet paper, this can accumulate. And when it does, this can create septic problems.
And repairs and maintenance are super expensive.
So, don’t ever give this one a try.
How are the toilets in other parts of Mexico?
Most of the toilets outside Cancun are no different. Just like Cancun, you are also not advised to flush toilet paper in other parts of the country. The plumbing system in the rest of the country is not as good. Flushing toilet paper can cause problems, whether in or out of Cancun.
As you can see, the plumbing system in Cancun is not alone.
The rest of Mexico also has an unreliable plumbing system.
And yes, flushing toilet paper can stress out such a plumbing system.
For most of Mexico, flushing toilet paper can create problems. But there are a few areas where you can do this.
But just like the Hotel Zone in Cancun, one should always be careful. Just to be safe, it is advisable just to throw the toilet paper in the bin.
And speaking of bins, they can be good signs of whether you flush the toilet paper or not.
If you find yourself in a toilet, look for a trash can or a bin next to it. If there is, there’s a reason why. And that is that the toilet would not be able to handle the toilet paper.
When the bin is next to the toilet, throw the toilet paper into the bin. Do not flush it.
Or, if you can, you can ask if it’s possible to flush the toilet paper. The people around would surely know.
Why Can’t They?
There are a lot of reasons why Cancun’s plumbing system cannot handle toilet paper. There are actually a lot of considerations that are at play here.
Here, we take a look at these factors.
There seem to be different fittings in Cancun (and the rest of the country). This is one of the main reasons why.
There is always a lack of sanitary Ys when we talk of toilet fittings.
The fittings that they have tend to be short. They are always sluggish. Because of its sheer size, it is almost always possible to find clogs somewhere in those pipes.
Another reason is the size of their septic tanks.
They tend to be smaller.
And because of their small size, these tanks always need some cleaning.
The drains are also one of the main reasons you cannot flush toilet paper in Cancun.
These drains tend to have poor venting.
When the venting is poor, the wastes have a slower pace. They move slowly. As such, this results in more possibilities of clogging.
Finally, another common reason is the water flow.
The water flow for most of Cancun is poor. And this is also the same in most cities in Mexico.
Poor water flow causes a lot of problems with toilets all over the country. The weaker water pressure just cannot handle toilet paper or any other paper product.
What to Expect
Now, you know there are a lot of differences between toilets in Mexico and the US. By now, it is important to know what to expect.
The toilets in Cancun alone can be totally different from your usual toilet in the US.
If you are staying outside the Hotel Zone, you may encounter any or all of these differences. As early as now, you should know what to expect.
Here, we tell you all about them.
Signs
Hotels and resorts always put up signs on toilet expectations.
Some hotels would prefer that you use the bins in discarding your toilet paper. And they would surely put up a sign that says so.
Watch out for these signs.
These should at least provide you with guidance on how to discard your toilet paper.
No Toilet Seat?
You may find this weird.
But there are areas in Cancun where there are actually no toilet seats.
Most of the resorts in the Hotel Zone should have toilet seats. But when you explore beyond the zone to cheaper resorts, chances are you would encounter this.
And don’t fret much about it.
The reason for this is because when cleaning toilets, locals always use acids. Such acids tend to melt the plastic away. And this can be an eyesore if it happens.
This is why most toilets come without toilet seats.
But this should not be a worry.
The tropical climate makes sitting without a toilet seat just fine.
The Smells
People who have gone to certain parts of Cancun may have also experienced this.
A common complaint is that the sewage can sometimes smell.
But no, this is not a sign of bad hygiene. It is just with the design of the toilets in the country.
Most of them do not come with U-trap drains. These drains should be able to rid the toilet of the smell. But this is quite uncommon in resorts outside the Hotel Zone of Cancun.
And if the toilet has a U-trap, the quality may also not be that good. This, again, results in the smell emitting through to the toilet.
But if it’s of any assurance, the smell is not super bad.
The Hotel Zone
Now, if throwing the toilet paper into the bin is something you cannot do, there is one option you can take. And that is that you check-in at a hotel or resort in the Hotel Zone area.
This should minimize your chances of encountering a local toilet.
All of the hotels in the Hotel Zone have one thing in mind – tourists. And their toilets should be able to handle your toilet paper. Their toilets will also come with toilet seats.
And most important of all, there will be no funny smells inside the toilet.
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Because of many reasons, flushing toilet paper is something you should not do on a whim when in Mexico. Some toilets may be able to take it. Other toilets may not.
When you are in Cancun, flushing your toilet paper may not be the best option there is.
Most establishments in Cancun do not allow the flushing of toilet paper. This is because doing so will absolutely cause clogging and a horde of other problems.
Unless, of course, you are in Cancun’s Hotel Zone.
This area was actually built with the tourists in mind.
You can flush your toilet paper just like you do it back home in the US in this area.
But remember, once you are out of the zone, you should always be careful.
Things may be a bit different outside the zone.
And when you are not sure whether you can flush or not, ask around. Or better yet, just don’t flush it down.
Use a bin.
That should be safer.