WingColors Thread: My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

auburn — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 05:10:29

OK. Whether we flush every time or not, we wash our hands----right? So where is the save on water?

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

davidhayes — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:16:41

@Nuthatch
I always heard it as "When it's yellow, let it mellow; when it's brown, flush it down." But it was certainly one of my favorite rhymes when I was about five and first heard it.

And in addition to the point about saving water, I've also heard people with their own septic systems request that you only flush #2.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

Nuthatch — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:25:27

Hasn't anybody heard, "If it's brown, flush it down; if it's yellow, let it mellow"?

Older toilets here use 3.5 gallons a flush, newer ones 1.6 gallons. It's not so much a matter of saving money, because water is very cheap in the U.S., but saving water. If you don't think this is important, someone who lives in Atlanta might give us their opinion.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

a_romig — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:27:38

We generally do flush everytime but when we're visiting her relatives in Kentucky, we only flush for #2 since they're running on well water and conservation is key up there.

In public restrooms though you should always flush.

ESPECIALLY URINALS. I hate that junk.

In one of our restrooms at work, they're trying out those new waterless urinals. It's weird.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

Gnorb — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:30:31

I used to work with this guy in a two person office, and he would start flushing before he was really done peeing, and then it wouldn't all be gone.

See, I just do that so I can watch the stream go into the center of the vortex. It's very entertaining.

But yeah, I also flush when I'm done. Only time I don't is when I've been drinking a ton of water that day (like, 2+ gallons) and my urine is voluminous, but virtually clear. And I'm alone in the house.

You know what, just talking about this makes me want to go right now.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

silvertje — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:24:28

Dual flush is pretty common here.

What about a water saving repository? Almost all cheap toilets here have one. If you press the flush softly it will just flush 1/2 the amount of water. Would be the answer to all your problems!

Oldskool solution: put a brick in your repository, it will load less water.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

JoeLencioni — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:04:05

I'd have a tough time with feeling okay brushing my teeth while straddling the toilet

You could use a regular sink for that. The toilet lid sink only (and always) runs after you flush, so it's really great for washing your hands after going.

But otherwise, what I'm reading is all yall are pansies ;)

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

Scoopersmith — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:06:29

I'm not sure if someone mentioned this before because I'm a little too lazy to read through all the comments but a good way to conserve toilet water (because it is a big waste!) is to get a brick from perhaps the hardware store and put it in the tank so that with the water displacement you don't use so much water when ya flush!

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

fuscom — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:59:16

I too know the water's clean, I've repaired and replaced more than I can remember many a toilet flushing mechanism in my day and have no problems understanding the water's coming from the same place. But like Josh, I think it's just the idea of putting the two together on the same porcelain device.

Just can't go with you there, sorry bro.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

Josh — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 08:42:47

Joe: I'm not feeling it either, truth be told. I know the water is clean, but I'd have a tough time with feeling okay brushing my teeth while straddling the toilet.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

JoeLencioni — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 08:17:44

I'm not feelin' that toilet sink lid though.

How come? It uses clean water that is on it's way into your toilet's reservoir that will wait until the next flush.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

fuscom — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 08:02:49

That dual flush system is pretty ingenious. I'm not feelin' that toilet sink lid though.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

JoeLencioni — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:28:53

You could get a dual flush toilet, which would help.

And if you really want to save water, get a toilet lid sink, or build one.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

Kamigoroshi — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 06:21:58

Only at home I do this and not in public toilets. I'd use the toilet to pee and then not flush it (and put the toilet seat down) in turn for my girlfriend to use and vice versa (except she puts the toilet seat up if it's my turn next).

Of course, we take water saving to a new maximum. We also use the water to wash the dishes to water the lawn and the plants and collected rainwater to do the same thing.

Talk about frugal. :)

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

fuscom — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 04:37:35

Well...if you don't flush you'll save money indirectly cause you probably won't have to worry about buying that couch.

Why even worry with a toilet? Just go buy yourself a shovel and dig a really deep hole -- works like that in some countries.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

alexsuraci — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 04:18:03

In public restrooms though you should always flush.

ESPECIALLY URINALS. I hate that junk.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

ErinR — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 04:12:58

When I was younger, we always vacationed in the Caribbean and one of my favorite signs (in many of the bathrooms) read:

In the land of sun and fun, we don't flush for number one.

Cleanliness/personal preferences aside, not flushing will definitely help you save money. In addition, baths use up more water than showers.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

estarla — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 04:09:26

LOL. That is awesome. It makes perfect sense if you take out the etiquitte part. ;)

Then again there are people in other parts of the world who don't have enough water to drink much less flush a toilet so ... it's all about perspective, no?

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

dreamweaver — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 03:49:42

people will look at you funny.

I had this picture in my head of everyone's avatars, AFTER we'd all changed them to pictures of us looking at Scrivs funny because he doesn't flush! He'd be looking at 9rules, and we'd all be looking at him...funny.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

Josh — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 03:42:43

You don't have to, but some (myself included) consider it gross / rude to let urine sit in the toilet. To me, it feels strange to go to the bathroom and not flush as soon as I'm done.

You'll save a minute amount of water by "saving up" on pee before flushing, but.. well, people will look at you funny.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

dreamweaver — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 03:29:03

Um, only if you want to have to clean more often, which means flushing after you clean, which might negate any potential savings. If it just sits in there, it gets dirty in there faster, and, well, you get the idea, I hope!

Edit: and you know what else? I used to work with this guy in a two person office, and he would start flushing before he was really done peeing, and then it wouldn't all be gone. I'd go in to use the bathroom, and it would smell. Eeeewww. I started using the other bathroom, because it happened all the time. If you live alone, I guess it's okay, but still. Eeeewww.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

alexsuraci — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 03:25:58

I only flush if I just dropped a deuce. I guess if you wanted to prevent unclean splashups the next time you have to sit down you would flush. But that's countered by the toilet paper layering technique.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

Tyme — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 03:06:04

Wow, you pee that much? Don't answer that - TMI.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

Mike — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:55:57

I flush extra hard after I pee and my water bill isn't that high. You should call somebody. About the pee.

My Mom Told Me Not To Flush Every Time

Scrivs — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:55:18

To save up on my water bill my mom told me I don't have to flush every time after I pee. Is this true?