Issue w/neighbor and diapers

bunchiemarie · August 2014

So need a little advice. We live in a three-story condo building. The upstairs neighbors have a 3-month old baby. In the last month my husband and I have noticed a dramatic increase in flies in the garbage area, and today my husband went to take our trash out and noted the garbage bin was full of maggots and flies, totally out of control and disgusting. It looks like the neighbors have been taking their diapers out (probably 1-2x a day) in little grocery/pharmacy bags and putting them in the shared bin, where they sit for a week in the heat. The garbage area is not covered, it's just behind the building under our deck and in front of our garage.

The previous owners also had a baby but for some reason we never had this problem, I don't know if it's because they used a diaper genie or other system in their apartment and only took them out once a week or what. Does anyone have any thoughts on what we can suggest to our neighbors about this? I'm guessing they didn't want to buy a diaper container and are using the little bags to cut down on waste. They're really nice people and I don't want to offend but I also feel like this probably can be prevented. Would just using regular strength trash bags be enough to prevent this? Can we ask them to keep the diapers in their apartment longer? I'm a FTM so I really don't know whether this is to be expected. So just tell me if this is inevitable and I should keep my mouth shut.

Stargirlb · August 2014

I would mention it in passing that you have noticed a massive increase in maggots and flies in the garbage area, without blame, and that you are thinking of bringing it up to the building strata/manager.

Stargirlb · August 2014

You can't tell them what to do and I wouldn't recommend that if you want to stay on good terms. Let the building manager sort it out or send notices. You can include what you've seen about the diapers in your correspondence

MNgirl326 · August 2014

You want them to keep their dirty diapers in their apartment longer??? Gross

Flies and maggots can get into homes and can then get into your home.

I don't really think there is much you can do- its a shared garbage.

you can mention something in passing in a non judegemental way that you have noticed this and that you can't figure out where it is coming from.

you can also mention it to the landlord and see maybe an extra can can be put out - if there are babies in the apartments then there is obviously more garbage, so maybe an extra garbage can would help. Then you wouldn't need to share.

Other then that there isn't much you can do- its a shared space.

MNgirl326 · August 2014

It also may not have anything to do with the diapers. It is possible something else was rotting in the garbage can and brought the flies and such and now they have laid eggs and the eggs have hatched

Of maybe this baby is formuls a feed vs BF'd and is therefore attracting something. Who knows.

We had a diaper genie and never had fly problem though and I BF'd and did formula. So whatever.

bunchiemarie · August 2014

There is no manager or landlord -- there are three units, we are all owners. So any issue has to be resolved between us and the other units. We all went in on a huge new trashcan together about 6 months ago and it is still enough *space* for all the trash...

I was just wondering if by using the little tiny grocery bags they were needing to take them out more frequently and then they sit there all week outside in the bin. And those bags don't really seal, which may be why this is a problem now when it wasn't before. Do those of you who use disposables (with or without diaper genies) take out your diaper trash daily? Or is it possible to go a few days?

I think my husband will probably say something casually to the husband about it... and maybe DH can tell them that we're invested in a solution cause we'll only be adding to the problem in about 6 months!

BookitBoo · August 2014

Is the garbage bin also not covered? We have a garbage can with a lid and take diapers out frequently. We use Plastic bags, not genie refills. And we have lived in very hot and humid areas. We have never had this issue.

If the garbage can does not have a lid I'd suggest that you guys get a garbage can with a lid.

bunchiemarie · August 2014

I personally haven't poked my head in the trash bin for a while now (and there's no way it's happening now!) but my husband hasn't seen any food stuck in the bin. We use big regular bags as does the other tenant without kids. But you never know. Maybe they were attracted to something else and are sticking around because of the diapers. I'll see if maybe tomorrow night after the trash is picked up the guys want to go seriously hose it out

BackseatDriver · August 2014

I would look into getting a cover for the trash. You are going to be attracting pests- raccoons, rats etc. Diapers are not the only issue.

BackseatDriver · August 2014

Also taking diaper trash out daily is totally reasonable IMO.

bunchiemarie · August 2014

Lid is on, the bin is always closed. Obviously it's not airtight. The whole thing is kind of strange. Thanks to all who responded -- I'm glad to hear that other people haven't had this issue, so maybe it's not the diapers after all and I'm guessing we'll be able to fix it. DH and the guy upstairs get along fine so I think he'll be able to bring it up gently.... and offer to help figure out whatever it is.

A few months ago we had an issue where they had put a compost bin on their back deck and it leaked compost juice down all over *our* deck -- which was a greasy, smelly mess that left a permanent stain. I think they know they kind of owe us after that.

Beauxbaton · August 2014

I'd say give it a little while to see if the maggots and flies go away. We've never had an issue with diapers attracting maggots or flies. But we also use the munchkin diaper pail and don't take them out daily

babyPsarker · August 2014

I think you can ask the buildinh manager to get a cover for the trash. I think it's a simple request abd in his best interest to keep the trash out of the apartments.

LaStella25 · August 2014

I suggest hiring a good pest control man to treat the trash and surrounding area.

id012 · August 2014

I have a friend that takes every stinky diaper right to the garbage out Side. With no bag or anything . Theres never been a problem. I would think it was something else like if they didnt rinse out a ice cream container and through it out on a monday and garbage gets picked up on a saturday.

GromMom · August 2014

I'm guessing its a summer thing. Flies are rampant right now for us. We never have an issue other times of the year. To avoid issues I think we'd just suck it up and hose out the can after this weeks trash and hope cooler weather comes soon.

bunchiemarie · August 2014

So I have a drama-free update: DH ran into the upstairs H and HE actually said to my husband something about the flies! My husband said he was wondering what was causing it and the guy said, "I think it may be the diapers as we have been reusing some bags that didn't close at all". He said he would clean out the trash bin tomorrow after pickup and that he and his wife would try to seal the diaper trash better in case that was the issue. I'm glad he's willing to wash the bin and we'll see if this solves the problem. Like you all have said, maybe it isn't the diapers after all... but at least that was his first thought too. Whew.

EllenMA · August 2014

I'm glad the neighbor sounds reasonable. I can add that we have used a diaper genie for 3 summers of diapers now. Only once did we get a fly and maggot (gag) issue. Soap and the hose took care of the problem and it never came back.

summererobinson · August 2014

Im really not sure what can be done. I mean, they can’t leave the diapers in their house for a whole week, and they are putting them in bags so it’s not like they are doing something gross or trying to be mean. I am going to guess it’s the heat right now. Once you have a baby in the house you will see, even with a diaper genie it would stink after a week. Not to mention it will fill up in a few days.

Also I agree it doesn’t sound like the diapers to be an issue to be truthful. I don’t see how that would cause it. Im guessing someone put gross food in there and the eggs hatched. It just started a month ago and im guessing they have been doing this all along.

I think cleaning ti out will help fix the issue. FYI, the dollar store sells little sented bags that can fit 1 -3 diapers in them, they are like 50 in a pack, adn they can tie shut.

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