How to Dispose of Adult Diapers

Incontinence refers to a medical issue where an individual has lesser control over their bowels and bladder, causing them to release urine or fecal matter involuntarily. Its negative effects are unfortunately mostly social, where embarrassing and uncomfortable incidents can occur in social situations where others witness leaks.

Fortunately, there are tools to help manage incontinence created to absorb urine and fecal matter, such as diapers, briefs, pads, and so on. You can choose products that have a range of absorption levels depending on the level of leaks youre dealing with, as well as products that reduce odor and irritation to the skin.

For those who are living with incontinence, or even caretakers who are caring for someone who has incontinence, it is important to learn how to properly utilize incontinence products, and of course, how to dispose of diapers and other products!

It might seem straightforward, but its not recommended to dispose of soiled diapers and pull-ups directly into the trash receptacle inside of a home, as they can produce an unpleasant odor and create a breeding ground for bacteria.

How To Properly Dispose of Incontinence Products

Disposable diapers and other incontinence products should be disposed of in a hygienic and responsible manner to prevent the spread of germs and minimize environmental impact. Here are some general guidelines:

1. Consider utilizing a pair of disposable gloves prior to starting the process.
2. Remove the used disposable diapers and fold them closed, making sure to seal any adhesive tabs.
3. If there is any fecal matter, dispose of it into the toilet and flush them out to reduce the smell coming from the diaper.
4. Wrap the used diaper, using the sanitary tape meant to fasten the diaper to your waste. Wrapping it can further mask the odors from the soiled diaper.
5. Place the used diapers in sealable plastic bags, commonly referred to as a ‘diaper bag, which can be purchased at most grocery stores, drug stores or online, with choices of scented or unscented!
6. Tie the disposable bags securely and place them in an outdoor trash can with a tight-fitting lid to prevent any odors from escaping.
7. If you have access to an outdoor trash bin or dumpster, dispose of the sealed disposable bag there.
8. Consider keeping hand sanitizer on you at all times, which will help keep you and your surroundings clean.

All of these tips are general and can help if youre somewhere public or at a friends house. For your own home, however, there are steps you can take to make your life a little easier.

For example, you could consider purchasing a diaper pail. Diaper pails have a tight seal and are specifically made for disposing of soiled diapers inside the home rather than in the regular trash can outside of the home. Utilizing the specialty features of a diaper pail can make disposing of diapers much simpler on a day-to-day basis.

There are also scented biodegradable sanitary bin liners, which can be placed into your diaper pail that work to reduce odor and the spread of bacteria.

It is important to note that some cities or municipalities may have specific guidelines for diaper disposal, so you should check with your local waste management authority to find out if there are any additional instructions or requirements for diaper disposal.

WellBefore and You

Wearing an appropriately fitting, quality adult incontinence diaper can play a huge part in managing the disposal process! If your diaper is loose-fitting and non-absorbent, leakage and accidents can occur, which will make that trip to the public bathroom a much more difficult process with more cleaning involved.

WellBefore has some of the best incontinence products available on the market at reasonable prices! We carry a wide range of adult diapers, incontinence pads, and more in multiple sizes and absorbency levels. You could also consider keeping an odor eliminator on you for those unforeseen incidents.

Reach out to our customer service team with any questions you may have, were here to help!