It's funny how we are taught from a very young age that it is not appropriate to talk about going to the bathroom, like its some dark secret. People who will happily tell you about their sexual escapades will still revert to euphemisms when referring to using the bathroom. Crazy. So why am I breaking with social norms, and talking about that most taboo of subjects? Because the procedure is different here. Or, at least, people believe it is.

According to local social custom, you are not supposed to flush your toilet paper. You throw it in the trash can conveniently located next to the toilet. That means if you use a public restroom in an establishment that is poorly serviced or busy, you are sitting next to a trash can full of used toilet paper. It's gross and unsanitary and enough to keep me out of busy places on a Saturday night.

During the high season, signs begin to appear in the bathrooms of the places gringos frequent asking you not to flush toilet paper because it will clog the plumbing. Which cracks me up because the signs are always in Spanish, so most of the group the signs are aimed at can't read them.

Here's the thing: the belief about the plumbing started way back when the toilet paper was more like kraft paper or the paper that is now used to wrap tortillas. And yes, that will block plumbing. In the US, people had to quit using the Sears catalog when indoor plumbing became common. The problem is, it took a little longer for modern toilet paper to come into widespread use here in Mexico, so the trash can practice was instituted, and never abandoned.

Go ahead, flush with impunity. I do. There are however, a few guidelines to follow.

1. Do not use big handfuls of paper. You don't have to use the three square rule or anything, but, you know, don't go overboard.
2. Hold the handle down for an 8 count. The same rule for a bull ride goes for a toilet flush here in Mazatlan. When we first moved into our house, all the toilet flush chains were way to long and we had to hold the lever down. I promptly shortened them all, and we still have to hold the levers down. I'm not sure why.
3. Don't try to flush anything you shouldn't. No goldfish. No makeup sponges. No feminine products of any kind.
4. Occasionally, the toilet will clog. This is usually due to the biologic component of the flush, not the paper. Either way, if you wait an hour and flush again, the problem usually will resolve itself. If not, a plunger will work, just like you are used to. Plungers aren't as common here, but you can find them at most plumbing and hardware stores.

As long as we are on the subject, there are a few other tidbits that may be handy to know.

1. Some restaurants here will have a bathroom attendant. It is customary to tip them a few pesos.
2. In more remote areas, you will often see someone sitting outside the bathrooms holding a roll of toilet paper. This means you will not find any inside, so you need to get some before you go in. Give the person a peso or two for your allotment of paper.
3. Again, in remote areas, sometimes the plumbing will not be completely hooked up. In these cases, you will usually see a few buckets of water in the bathroom. You will need to pour the bucket into the tank so you can flush.
4. If you are driving around Mexico, you really should carry hand sanitizer, baby wipes, and toilet paper with you.