Getting the message across

[Maddie]

Hi there

How do you folks get around the delicate subject of what can and can't go into your fosse?

• The personal approach - tell 'em up front face to face?
• Signs?
• Don't bother and hope for the best?

I'd be interested to hear how you do it!

 

 

 

[Moorejw]

It is very simple, really, a sign stating 'Please do not put anything other than toilet paper in the toilet', reinforced by a polite mention on the day that they arrive and a suitable waste bin with liner in the bathroom. I think most people understand this. When we holidayed in Greece we were not allowed to put even the loo roll in the pan!!!!

[Val_2]

My god John and Angie are you saying you couldn't put soiled toiled paper down the loo or do you mean the cardboard roll bit inside? If the first, then I don't fancy a visit to Greece,can't imagine what you would do if the whole family had DelhiBelly for a week!!

[Tresco]

Saying nothing and hoping for the best might be asking for trouble, when you think about the things people sling down toilets without a second thought in England.

I'm considering putting a sign up next time we have a mixed party, rather than making an 'announcement' to the whole family (bit embarrasing for the adolescent boys and girls perhaps). You need to be quite clear it includes no cotton wool pads etc. The bin should be lined and have a cover, and there should also be little 'nappy bags' for the 'girly' things.

I'ts a while since i've been to Greece, but where we stayed the signs did say NOTHING 'extra' to be placed in the toilet

[zeb]

MDW - just a little note on the wall by the loo is the best way as Angie says. You can also explain in your information booklet how cantankerous a fosse-septique can be.

(Back in the UK, we went on a Phab course at a rural farm to learn how to use lime in renovating old buildings - the notice in the loo asks guys to wee behind a hedge!!)

Val - it's also the case in Turkey. The plumbing won't stand up to loo paper so everything is placed in a bin beside the loo and really it's preferable to use the Turkish equivalent of a bidet. You get used to it. Spent many happy holidays on Greek islands and this was never a problem. Even thought about buying a small holding on Kos but had second thoughts as the island, although wonderful for a two week stay, was too small for extended living.

regards........helen 

[Moulin]

Yep Val they mean nothing!

Sanitation has improved in the main centres of population but once you get into rural Greece John and Angie are quite right, nothing ‘non organic’ goes down the toilet as there systems are simply not designed for it!

A Rep. who visits me is married to a Greek girl and two of the things she apparently found the strangest when she first move to the UK were our excellent sanitation and our disgusting pre-packed supermarket food! Does one bring a need for the other I ask?

[Maddie]

Thanks for all your replies.  My reason for posting is after seeing a TV programme involving a house exchange - a French family and some Brits.  The Brits were appalled at the "thin" loo paper and this was echoed by the narrator.  Nowhere did anyone explain why there was this "thin" paper ie the fosse.   I felt quite indignant on behalf of the French family that there was no explanation.  Having had the UK equivalent of a fosse it came as second nature to me but for those on mains drains it obviously was quite bizarre.

We stayed at a place in France and they had this great poem (thanks to Ariela and Martin for this) and I added a about food remains. Here goes:

All of us with septic tanks

Give to you our heartfelt thanks

For putting nothing down the sink or “pot”

That is not guaranteed to rot

 

Alien loo rolls, tissues too

Floss and tampons are quite taboo

And cooking fat and food remains

Are sure to clog up all our drains!

 

To give our fosse its greatest ease

Please remember these 4 “Ps”

Only pink loo paper, poo and pee

Keep a fosse clean and trouble free

 

Should you choose to ignore our plea

You’ll soon find, unhappily,

That smelly floods invade your gîte

With solids, paper, smell – not sweet!

 

Thank you for reading our request

For we live here and really do know best

That well kept fosses, running clear

Mean you’ll return year after year!

I thought this was a great idea and did the trick in a humorous way but wondered how others dealt with this "sensitive" issue.  I need to remember to get some nappy /girly bags and to line the bins!

[zeb]

Nice one MDW, that should do the trick!

That leads me on to ask people who are renting out gites - do you supply enought loo paper for folks or do you just hope that they will buy some suitable for the fosse? I can imagine car loads of people turning up with enough shopping from Tescos (sans baguettes) for their week in France including the dreaded Andrex.

regards.......helen

[Wully]

I remember last year when we spent two weeks in a gite in Southern France and we were asked not to put the used loo paper in the toilet but to place it in a bin!!!  A friend of ours who owns a yacht has this notice placed above the toilet:-   'PLEASE PUT NOTHING DOWN THIS LOO THAT HASN'T FIRST PASSED THROUGH YOUR MOUTH'

Sound advice I think for fosse owners.

[Tresco]

Wully, as far as I know the only problem with toilet paper is when it is something like Andrex, which is exceptionally thick compared to most of the stuff available here.

One more thing I thought of about fosse protection for MDW was, even if you use a touch of bleach yourself from time to time, don't leave any around for your guests to use.

[Causette]

I always supply loo paper and fosse friendly loo cleaner in our cottage - and when I send out welcome letter and directions to our guests before they arrive, I tell them there is a wlecome pack of local goodies, and that the cottage is supplied with all the essentials, including cleaning materials and a supply of loo paper.  That way, hopefully, they don't go out and buy Andrex!

[Teamedup]

Even when not running a business it is still important for those of us with a fosse septique to tell our guests the don't's. I say no paper other than what is provided, paper hankies must not be thrown into the toilet and tampax and/or santiary towels are forbidden.

And the rest, well anything that one has consumed is fine.

[Causette]

[quote]Even when not running a business it is still important for those of us with a fosse septique to tell our guests the don't's. I say no paper other than what is provided, paper hankies must not be throw...[/quote]

TU, You're absolutely right.  I am so careful to tell cottage guests the mysteries of the fosse, but I tend to take our own home for granted.  TOH had a very unpleasant job just before Chrtistmas, because our friends staying with us chucked BABY WIPES down the loo, can you believe?!  I hadn't said not to, but they have a septic tank back home in Derbyshire, so I sort of assumed.....

[Coco]

Just been back to the UK and stocked up on "Pop-ins", little purple, lavendar scented bags, which are so much nicer for the ladies than nappy bags.  500 should last us a while!

Nice to have a reminder for oneself too!  I have started buying some of the thicker loo paper recently - you tend to forgt that not everyone is on a fosse septique and therefore if it's in the supermarket it must be OK.  Must get back to wearing the hair shirt!!!