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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flushing the toilet after every wee.

262 replies

Squirrelchops1 · 08/02/2026 20:24

10 litres per flush is a huge amount of water per wee (that's what I believe our cistern holds).
I don't think it's necessary to flush after every wee. My friend thinks I'm tight and unhygienic.
What's your view...
Are you a 'if it's yellow let it mellow'...I am reasonable
Or...'eww you filthy sod'..I am unreasonable

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 08/02/2026 21:02

Squirrelchops1 · 08/02/2026 20:31

Christ people....if we've visitors of course we flush each time but ordinarily it's just me here 4 days a week as partner works away and only home x 3 days a week.

Is now the time to confess to sharing bath water too lol

Edited

Nooooo!

Ewwww

Grizelina · 08/02/2026 21:01

Flush every single time and always ensure I leave it how I’d like to find it! Even 2 year old GD flushes every time as “we like toilets clean don’t we”! Can’t think of anything worse than a toilet with the previous users waste in it.

user794 · 08/02/2026 21:01

YaNBU if you can cope with it. Sometimes but not all the time.

DiscoBeat · 08/02/2026 21:00

DiscoBeat · 08/02/2026 21:00

Ugh no, let's flush. But we do save our grey water in a big tank in the garden, and we're not not onaons drainage so I feel somewhat happier about it

Not on mains drainage, that should say!

XenoBitch · 08/02/2026 21:00

YANBU
I am the same... if it is yellow, let it mellow. Tissue goes in a bin.

DiscoBeat · 08/02/2026 21:00

Ugh no, let's flush. But we do save our grey water in a big tank in the garden, and we're not not onaons drainage so I feel somewhat happier about it

Thewalrusandthecarpenter · 08/02/2026 20:58

I lived for 10 years in a country where each house has its own water tank. If it hasn’t rained enough then you buy a tank load of water. You’re asked (often by notices) not to flush if it’s just urine. The habit stuck when I came back here. It definitely saves water but no, I wouldn’t use these methods in other people’s houses or expect them to do so in mine.

Timetochillnow · 08/02/2026 20:57

Brefugee · 08/02/2026 20:50

2 flushes per visit is wasteful

But it’s one in credit from a previous wee so it’s as broad as it’s long! 🤣

AnonSugar · 08/02/2026 20:56

Brefugee · 08/02/2026 20:50

2 flushes per visit is wasteful

I have three kids that don’t flush the toilet. I need to flush before I pee so I don’t end up splashed with their pee…

GiantTeddyIsTired · 08/02/2026 20:54

We don't flush at night because it wakes people up, but during the day we flush every wee.

Mind you, I'm on well/septic tank so I know there's no water shortage.

onetrickrockingpony · 08/02/2026 20:52

We don’t flush at night and sometimes not in the early morning whilst some people are still asleep. If I’m on my own I might not flush immediately - particularly if I know I’ll go again shortly before heading out for the day. But otherwise it’s flush every time here.

I understand not wasting water but it’s also important to teach DC to leave the toilet as you would like to find it.

HScully · 08/02/2026 20:52

My inlaws leave it. Its grim as it makes the room smell. Also their toilet now has yellow stained limescale that is is proving difficult to remove

Duckingpondlake · 08/02/2026 20:50

If I'm wfh I'll not flush, I drink a LOT of water so do a let of weeing. There would only be me there anyway so it wouldn't matter.
When we're a full house in the evening we'd all flush.

Brefugee · 08/02/2026 20:50

AnonSugar · 08/02/2026 20:42

DP taught the kids not to flush. Drives me up the wall. I flush, then pee, then flush.

2 flushes per visit is wasteful

Catlover77 · 08/02/2026 20:47

Totally grim to not flush every time. I can’t imagine the smell

Squirrelchops1 · 08/02/2026 20:43

I'm not saying leave it with no flushing all day. People go from 0 to 100 in their thinking. I'm saying just not every flush, so like every other for example. I've never flushed every wee and seems odd you would.

How do people finding a bit of wee so offensive cope with the loos in Greece and not flushing paper?

OP posts:
Leopardspota · 08/02/2026 20:43

We don’t flush at night and tend to leave it in the day for a few goes. Especially as my kids sometimes barely go, a tiny trickle they’re forced to do before we go out. Obviously I’d flush if we had guests and always flush at other people houses.

I also share bath water. kids go in and then once they are down I top up with hot water - seem a Waste otherwise. And they’re my kids, I’m the one who changes their nappies and bathes them daily - not manky, sweaty strangers.

AnonSugar · 08/02/2026 20:42

DP taught the kids not to flush. Drives me up the wall. I flush, then pee, then flush.

Kingdomofsleep · 08/02/2026 20:39

There are better ways to save water. Children sharing (shallow) baths, adults having short showers. I only wash my long hair once every 5/6 days. Re-wearing items of clothing to cut down on washing machine use.

But flushing every time is an absolute must. I hate the smell of stale wee, doesn't everyone?

Ohthatsabitshit · 08/02/2026 20:38

I always flush and find leaving it absolutely grim.

FourSevenTwo · 08/02/2026 20:37

I totally see your point. But, I don't think I could do it.

At least we do use the two options flushing button, so it is only a half of the water load.

Afaik in some areas the plumbing wouldn't work without the extra flushing water going regularly through it, so in some cases it might be inevitable until the overall technology evolves.

MonsteraDeliciosa · 08/02/2026 20:35

We don't flush the ensuite at night so as not to wake the other but otherwise yes, every time.
Your own wee is fine, but someone else's? Yuck!

JulietSierra · 08/02/2026 20:35

If I’m home alone I don’t always bother. I drink a lot and my wee isn’t even yellow anyway!

If I’m going out with DH or the kids and we’re nipping to the loo before we go out, we’ll wait til we’ve all been before we flush. Seems so wasteful to flush 2 or 3 times in the space of 2 mins.

Maybe I’m minging. Don’t really care if I am!!

ScarlettSarah · 08/02/2026 20:33

Flush every time. Disgusting not to.

Nincompoo · 08/02/2026 20:33

We never flush as night and only about 30% of the time during the day.

Non of us have died from the smell of hour old wee.

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