Author Topic: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?  (Read 23468 times)

Bob W

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How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« on: December 08, 2014, 11:32:21 AM »

So here is the challenge

You can flush toilets at work, friends, public places as much as you like.

You can pee in your toilet and wait for 4-8 pee sessions prior to flushing.   You can pee in your yard,  in a urine diversion bucket,  flower pots, off your deck if you like.

Pooping can be done at work or public places.  (I don’t think your friends and family will appreciate it much at their house?)

There are no points for this but you may find that a roll of toilet paper last for well over a year.    If that is the case, you may save well over $100 in toilet paper alone.   

How long can you go without flushing your home toilet?

Additional Resources: 

How to make your own humanure toilet and never flush again while providing free fertilizer for your garden.
http://www.humanurehandbook.com/humanure_toilet.html

For a better and healthier pooping experience try the squaty potty –
http://squattypotty.com/

Here is some info on urine diversion for fertilization
http://gizmodo.com/is-human-pee-the-future-of-fertilizer-1500567303

lackofstache

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2014, 11:35:09 AM »
We have a 4 yr old & a 6 yr old, so we can't always poop elsewhere, but we do use the ol "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down" saying. Works well, our water consumption is down since we started that a coupla years ago. When we put in the second bathroom, it'll be a composting toilet. I haven't read the links yet, but I'm keen to do it myself if possible...

Bob W

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2014, 12:00:04 PM »
We have a 4 yr old & a 6 yr old, so we can't always poop elsewhere, but we do use the ol "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down" saying. Works well, our water consumption is down since we started that a coupla years ago. When we put in the second bathroom, it'll be a composting toilet. I haven't read the links yet, but I'm keen to do it myself if possible...

The Humanure toilet is a great concept.  You might try it to see if you and your kids mind set can adapt to it.   I know the fancy composting toilets can be pricey. 

ketchup

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2014, 12:13:17 PM »
I only poop at home on the weekends anyway, and my girlfriend is out of town this week, so I'm totally in.

Eric

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eyePod

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #5 on: December 08, 2014, 12:29:08 PM »
LOL I think I have worse things to worry about wrt my finances. Water/sewer is probably one of the lowest cost items on my budget.

rob in cal

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #6 on: December 08, 2014, 01:52:18 PM »
Funny topic, just hope its not used as an example of how unusual the Money Mustache community is.

Bob W

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2014, 02:04:48 PM »
LOL I think I have worse things to worry about wrt my finances. Water/sewer is probably one of the lowest cost items on my budget.

Actually this is a pretty humor filled topic and completely open to puns.   I'm sure most people would find this very low on their budget.   Currently,  I'm on a well and septic, so I don't even have a water bill.  But when I go and retire this item may actually be number 2 on my budget.  (see the humor there?).   

If I retire in the city,  the cost in the city I desire is $60 per month for water and sewer and appears to be going up at a rate of 7-10% a year.    I plan on going very low electric usage with a super insulated and tight house with heat and electric less than %50 per month on average.   If I pay the home off that would leave water at number 2 after food.   

I am very interested in water conservation in this respect and have chimed in or initiated several thread on this.  If I use a rain collection system and a grey water recapture system along with a humanure toilet I could have a zero water bill.   This would equate to  14K less I would need in the stash and about 1/2 year less of work.

If I retire in the country,  I would save about 14K off my small house construction budget by bypassing the need for a well or septic field. 

So yeah,  it is a small thing.   But I think an indicator species on how creative and forward thinking mustachians can be.   

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« Last Edit: December 08, 2014, 02:17:20 PM by Franklin »

MrsPete

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #9 on: December 08, 2014, 02:16:13 PM »
I think I can find many better ways to conserve money.

Spork

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #10 on: December 08, 2014, 02:18:58 PM »

If I retire in the country,  I would save about 14K off my small house construction budget by bypassing the need for a well or septic field. 


If you are buying a house outright... you can probably get away with that.   If you're financing, I have a hunch you won't.   I might be wrong... but I suspect they'd want a certificate of occupancy that would require both.   You might even find it difficult to insure.  Yes, that's kind of dumb, but I suspect it might be true.

FWIW, I am in the country and spent WAY less than that -- but I'm in an area that still has a public water supply and has very sandy soil (so it doesn't need an aerobic system).

Ferrisbueller

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #11 on: December 08, 2014, 02:21:48 PM »
Fucking grim

MrFancypants

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #12 on: December 08, 2014, 02:34:10 PM »
I only poop in the back yard when the wife isn't at home.

Otherwise I flush each and every time....  because eww, f***ing gross.

tracylayton

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #13 on: December 08, 2014, 02:38:03 PM »
I only poop in the back yard when the wife isn't at home.

Otherwise I flush each and every time....  because eww, f***ing gross.

I can't stop laughing about this post!!!

Zikoris

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #14 on: December 08, 2014, 02:58:45 PM »
My cat would get mad at me.

MrFancypants

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #15 on: December 08, 2014, 03:03:04 PM »
I only poop in the back yard when the wife isn't at home.

Otherwise I flush each and every time....  because eww, f***ing gross.

I can't stop laughing about this post!!!

Thank you, I'll be here all week, try the veal.

Ba dum tssshhh

Beric01

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #16 on: December 08, 2014, 03:06:24 PM »
Toilet water usage is a very minor issue in overall water consumption, and I think we can agree to use a a couple liters of extra water a day if it means more sanitary conditions.

Patrick A

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #17 on: December 08, 2014, 03:13:16 PM »
Toilet water usage is a very minor issue in overall water consumption, and I think we can agree to use a a couple liters of extra water a day if it means more sanitary conditions.

Is it just me or is it slightly ironic that the guy from California is arguing for more water use?   

 ( ;

Beric01

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #18 on: December 08, 2014, 03:22:07 PM »
Toilet water usage is a very minor issue in overall water consumption, and I think we can agree to use a a couple liters of extra water a day if it means more sanitary conditions.

Is it just me or is it slightly ironic that the guy from California is arguing for more water use?   

 ( ;

Actually, my rent is utilities included, so water cost doesn't affect me. Oh, and after my lease is up I'm moving up, so my rent won't increase either. Makes it even harder to want to conserve. :P

Anyway, 80% of California's water usage is going to agriculture. They're the special interest, so residential is being forced to cut more since agriculture won't. That's why I mentioned residential water usage isn't such a big deal (while not non-existent, it's just not the biggest issue to focus on).

happyfeet

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #19 on: December 08, 2014, 03:26:09 PM »
Splash back!Ewweeeee and ickk!! I'll flush TY!

Spork

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #20 on: December 08, 2014, 03:27:35 PM »
Toilet water usage is a very minor issue in overall water consumption, and I think we can agree to use a a couple liters of extra water a day if it means more sanitary conditions.

Is it just me or is it slightly ironic that the guy from California is arguing for more water use?   

 ( ;

Actually, my rent is utilities included, so water cost doesn't affect me. Oh, and after my lease is up I'm moving up, so my rent won't increase either. Makes it even harder to want to conserve. :P

Anyway, 80% of California's water usage is going to agriculture. They're the special interest, so residential is being forced to cut more since agriculture won't. That's why I mentioned residential water usage isn't such a big deal (while not non-existent, it's just not the biggest issue to focus on).

I can't speak for California... but residential lawns are generally a huge portion.  It still isn't toilets (assuming they're not sitting there leaking day and night.)

MsRichLife

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #21 on: December 08, 2014, 03:27:59 PM »
In Australia, we regularly go through severe drought conditions. 'If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down' is probably not such an abnormal thing to hear over here. Our toilets are designed to use far less water than the toilets in the US and they are all dual flush, where you can choose a half flush for number 1's.

When I lived in California for three years I was absolutely shocked at the sheer waste of water I witnessed. Just another symptom of excessive consumption.

I don't save water to save money. I save water because it's the right thing to do.

Patrick A

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #22 on: December 08, 2014, 03:28:11 PM »
Toilet water usage is a very minor issue in overall water consumption, and I think we can agree to use a a couple liters of extra water a day if it means more sanitary conditions.

Is it just me or is it slightly ironic that the guy from California is arguing for more water use?   

 ( ;

Actually, my rent is utilities included, so water cost doesn't affect me. Oh, and after my lease is up I'm moving up, so my rent won't increase either. Makes it even harder to want to conserve. :P

Anyway, 80% of California's water usage is going to agriculture. They're the special interest, so residential is being forced to cut more since agriculture won't. That's why I mentioned residential water usage isn't such a big deal (while not non-existent, it's just not the biggest issue to focus on).


Yes, I'm aware of these facts.  I just wanted to poke some fun! ( :

GizmoTX

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #23 on: December 08, 2014, 03:42:03 PM »
We have friends who are building a house & have included a rainwater cistern & plumbing to supply their toilets & plants. Tap water is treated out of a nearby lake, but there's a 5 year drought that has lowered the lake to one third of capacity. When it rains, it pours, but seldom where it will do the lake much good.

Patrick A

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #24 on: December 08, 2014, 03:45:42 PM »
We have friends who are building a house & have included a rainwater cistern & plumbing to supply their toilets & plants. Tap water is treated out of a nearby lake, but there's a 5 year drought that has lowered the lake to one third of capacity. When it rains, it pours, but seldom where it will do the lake much good.

It seems to make a ton of sense to catch rain water, have an elevated reservoir, and use it for toilets/sprinklers/other stuff.  Why don't we see more of this?  I'd like to do it when I buy a house. 

kib

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #25 on: December 08, 2014, 03:48:19 PM »
I put the stopper in before i shower and flush with a bucket. Haven't personally touched the toilet handle in years.

I also use a personal towel for 'yellows', gets rinsed in the water bucket I'm about to flush with, so a roll of toilet paper has lasted over a year.  Aside from actually composting my waste, I think I've got it about as low as it's gonna go - and no stinky toilet or embarrassing guest incidents.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2014, 03:50:59 PM by frufrau »

justajane

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #26 on: December 08, 2014, 03:58:26 PM »
We let it mellow within reason. But if I let it go too long, the toilet gets nasty and much harder to clean. This means I use more chemicals to get it clean, so we try to not let it mellow more than once or twice.

I also can't stand the noise of the toilet in the middle of the night, so we just flush in the morning.

NoraLenderbee

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #27 on: December 08, 2014, 04:57:05 PM »
We let it mellow within reason. But if I let it go too long, the toilet gets nasty and much harder to clean. This means I use more chemicals to get it clean, so we try to not let it mellow more than once or twice.


This has been my experience, too. The stuff that grows in the toilet after too much "mellowing" also smells nasty, even when there's nothing in the bowl but water.

Pooping at work may save on your home water bill, but it doesn't actually reduce the amount of water you use. It's (modestly) frugal, but it's not any different for the environment. Personally, I'd sacrifice a few pennies for the freedom to poop when I need to.

surfhb

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #28 on: December 08, 2014, 05:30:21 PM »
Jesus Christ.....some of you are taking this MMM thing a little too far.   Disgusting
« Last Edit: December 08, 2014, 06:18:47 PM by surfhb »

MrFancypants

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #29 on: December 08, 2014, 06:11:41 PM »
Jesus Christ.....some of you are taking this MMM a little too far.   Disgusting

It's like an episode of Extreme Cheapskates.

MayDay

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #30 on: December 08, 2014, 06:38:03 PM »
Does anyone here actually have a humanure system?

I'm big on composting already, but I'm pretty sure my H would wig out if I so much as suggested this. I might be able to convince him to save pee, though.

Yellow/mellow made our toilets nasty, so we gave that up.

woodnut

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #31 on: December 08, 2014, 07:06:12 PM »
You can pee in your yard,  in a urine diversion bucket,  flower pots, off your deck if you like.
This reminds me of my childhood.  I grew up on a rural 80 acres.  During the summer daylight hours, I rarely used the house bathrooms.  I just avoided the wild raspberry bushes (you might want a snack later).  Today I live on a 6600 sq ft lot.  There isn't a secluded enough location with out the neighbors calling the cops.  Ah, the experiences my kids miss out on by living in town (that and they're girls).

Rezdent

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #32 on: December 08, 2014, 08:28:37 PM »
You can pee in your yard,  in a urine diversion bucket,  flower pots, off your deck if you like.
This reminds me of my childhood.  I grew up on a rural 80 acres.  During the summer daylight hours, I rarely used the house bathrooms.  I just avoided the wild raspberry bushes (you might want a snack later).  Today I live on a 6600 sq ft lot.  There isn't a secluded enough location with out the neighbors calling the cops.  Ah, the experiences my kids miss out on by living in town (that and they're girls).
You're right, they are missing out with the lack of nature around them.  BTW girls can pee outside too :)

Rural

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #33 on: December 08, 2014, 08:46:18 PM »
You can pee in your yard,  in a urine diversion bucket,  flower pots, off your deck if you like.
This reminds me of my childhood.  I grew up on a rural 80 acres.  During the summer daylight hours, I rarely used the house bathrooms.  I just avoided the wild raspberry bushes (you might want a snack later).  Today I live on a 6600 sq ft lot.  There isn't a secluded enough location with out the neighbors calling the cops.  Ah, the experiences my kids miss out on by living in town (that and they're girls).
You're right, they are missing out with the lack of nature around them.  BTW girls can pee outside too :)


Absolutely, but peeing on feet is a much more likely occupational hazard for us. Or, most likely, the side of one sock...

ShortInSeattle

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #34 on: December 08, 2014, 08:58:33 PM »
Songs of the Bathroom, Volume One.

I tried to let it mellow.
Until I met a fellow.
The habit made me blush.
So now I always flush.
Conservation is groovy.
But marriage is my duty.

duty. doody.

I always do my duty.

Bob W

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #35 on: December 08, 2014, 09:10:54 PM »
Jesus Christ.....some of you are taking this MMM a little too far.   Disgusting

It's like an episode of Extreme Cheapskates.
.     Perhaps you might reread mmm's post regarding driving cross country in the summer misting himself with a water bottle instead of using the AC.       These exercises in redefining our behavior change our central character and challenge our comfort zones and perceptions of who and more importantly "why" we are.                           My guess is that mmm is a back porch pee man himself.                                 We flush a trillion gallons of fresh treated water per year down the drain in the US.    That is not a small number.

Rezdent

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #36 on: December 08, 2014, 09:19:49 PM »
Jesus Christ.....some of you are taking this MMM a little too far.   Disgusting

It's like an episode of Extreme Cheapskates.
.     Perhaps you might reread mmm's post regarding driving cross country in the summer misting himself with a water bottle instead of using the AC.       These exercises in redefining our behavior change our central character and challenge our comfort zones and perceptions of who and more importantly "why" we are.                           My guess is that mmm is a back porch pee man himself.                                 We flush a trillion gallons of fresh treated water per year down the drain in the US.    That is not a small number.
This article on NPR about Wichita Falls' dilemma is relevant.  Seems to me I'd rather waste less water than drink this (oh I know, they're saying it's been cleaned. But still...).  Clean water is not endless.
http://www.npr.org/2014/05/06/309101579/drought-stricken-texas-town-turns-to-toilets-for-water

Bob W

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #37 on: December 08, 2014, 09:24:34 PM »
I make very liberal use of the toilet and my water bill is a whopping ~$1 per month. I hope I can write that off as trivial without being punched in the face.
. No face punch.  1$ a month sounds way cheap.  Mine is actually zero with my well and septic.  Although, I do have 14k in infrastructure that equates to about $100 a month in lost income.   

TheFrugalFox

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #38 on: December 08, 2014, 09:54:22 PM »
We have friends who are building a house & have included a rainwater cistern & plumbing to supply their toilets & plants. Tap water is treated out of a nearby lake, but there's a 5 year drought that has lowered the lake to one third of capacity. When it rains, it pours, but seldom where it will do the lake much good.

It seems to make a ton of sense to catch rain water, have an elevated reservoir, and use it for toilets/sprinklers/other stuff.  Why don't we see more of this?  I'd like to do it when I buy a house.

I am always surprised that this is not a building requirement in arid areas - we have so many stupid building rules why not put in a rule that actually made sense. I would also include all lighting to be 12v and run on a separate system on solar panels..

As to the pee.

A while back I wanted to play with aquaponics - and a good way to start is something called peeponics - which entailed peeing into gallon bottles and leaving them for a bit. So have 5 gallon bottles of pee sitting in my garage - normal in a cupboard, but because doing some serious changing around in the garage they where sitting on top of a bench when my neighbour pops around for a visit last week.

He, of course, asked what they where. I almost replied "cider" - but could just see him asking for a taste so changed it as the last second and said "industrial vinegar" - err, usefull for cleaning stuff was the best I could come up with.


Artemis67

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #39 on: December 08, 2014, 10:26:40 PM »
I would abide by the "If it's yellow" rule, but it just smells too rank and the toilet bowl gets really nasty, requiring extra cleaning. Creating more toilet-scrubbing opportunities for myself is hardly frugal.

But since the hot water tank is in the basement, and it takes ages to get hot water to the second-floor bathroom on the other side of the house, I catch cold water in buckets whenever I take a shower. I then use it to flush the toilet.

I don't have to do it; there is no cost savings because I never exceed the water usage covered by the base rate, and we have no drought or water shortages here. But letting perfectly clean, safe, treated water go to waste when I don't have to really bothers me for some reason. I never water my lawn for the same reason; it just strikes me as an incredibly wasteful thing to do.

Mr. Frugalwoods

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #40 on: December 09, 2014, 05:06:05 AM »
When I give friends a glowing recommendation of this forum (which, I actually doo all the time)... this is the post I'm going to link them to.

GuitarStv

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #41 on: December 09, 2014, 06:00:18 AM »
For the sake of cleanliness, if you just want to save water wouldn't it make more sense to pee in the sink?  Then you don't have a large vat of urine just sitting around at least, and when you wash your hands afterwards you're getting rid of the majority of the urine.

eyePod

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #42 on: December 09, 2014, 06:14:46 AM »
For the sake of cleanliness, if you just want to save water wouldn't it make more sense to pee in the sink?  Then you don't have a large vat of urine just sitting around at least, and when you wash your hands afterwards you're getting rid of the majority of the urine.

Or the shower? Nobody does that. Ever.

SnackDog

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #43 on: December 09, 2014, 06:29:30 AM »
If you live in a cold climate it works pretty well to pee in a 5 gallon bucket on your front porch. When the bucket is full (of yellow ice) bring it inside for a day to melt, then flush it.  I know a friend in Fairbanks who does this. His wife doesn't like it when the bucket enters the house.

justajane

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #44 on: December 09, 2014, 06:34:58 AM »
For all of you either mocking Mr. Werner or declaring this post as somehow over the line, can you state where you live? I really hope it's somewhere with adequate rainfall and not, say, the Southwest or many parts of California.

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #45 on: December 09, 2014, 06:35:39 AM »
If you live in a cold climate it works pretty well to pee in a 5 gallon bucket on your front porch. When the bucket is full (of yellow ice) bring it inside for a day to melt, then flush it.  I know a friend in Fairbanks who does this. His wife doesn't like it when the bucket enters the house.

A five gallon bucket of iced urine....  in the house.......  melting for 24 hours....

MrFancypants

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #46 on: December 09, 2014, 06:45:49 AM »
For all of you either mocking Mr. Werner or declaring this post as somehow over the line, can you state where you live? I really hope it's somewhere with adequate rainfall and not, say, the Southwest or many parts of California.

While it takes energy to run these things, with sewage treatment facilities down-stream you're not wasting useable water by flushing the toilet.



I can't imagine that taking these extreme measures would save me more than $10 a month.

rocksinmyhead

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #47 on: December 09, 2014, 06:52:03 AM »
You can pee in your yard,  in a urine diversion bucket,  flower pots, off your deck if you like.
This reminds me of my childhood.  I grew up on a rural 80 acres.  During the summer daylight hours, I rarely used the house bathrooms.  I just avoided the wild raspberry bushes (you might want a snack later).  Today I live on a 6600 sq ft lot.  There isn't a secluded enough location with out the neighbors calling the cops.  Ah, the experiences my kids miss out on by living in town (that and they're girls).
You're right, they are missing out with the lack of nature around them.  BTW girls can pee outside too :)


Absolutely, but peeing on feet is a much more likely occupational hazard for us. Or, most likely, the side of one sock...

As a woman who has peed outside plenty (yes sometimes even in my privacy-fenced backyard when my bf is taking FOREVER in the bathroom and I have to pee really bad!!), I find that splatter is a bigger issue than aim :)

rocksinmyhead

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #48 on: December 09, 2014, 06:53:45 AM »
Also, while I personally am not really interested in letting it mellow to save water (although I do wish we had one of those dual flush toilets someone mentioned upthread... I saw them everywhere in NZ and was so jeal!!), I think it's funny that some people are SOOOOOOOOOO grossed out and/or offended! What are you, 8? I think it's a humorous topic and not a bad idea, I just don't care enough to do it myself.

GuitarStv

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Re: How Long Can You Go Without Flushing Your Home Toilet?
« Reply #49 on: December 09, 2014, 07:07:13 AM »
For the sake of cleanliness, if you just want to save water wouldn't it make more sense to pee in the sink?  Then you don't have a large vat of urine just sitting around at least, and when you wash your hands afterwards you're getting rid of the majority of the urine.

Or the shower? Nobody does that. Ever.

I considered the shower, but think it would be less ideal.  You always wash your hands in the sink after going to the bathroom, but don't always take a shower.