Should You Flush Every Time You Pee? (Must Know This)

By - Ron Singh

Updated -

Whether one should flush immediately after peeing is currently a hot debate topic. The confusion is seen chiefly among homeowners or occupants in regions of insufficient water supply.

While some believe this practice is necessary, others consider it a waste of time. Thus, let’s see if you should flush your toilet every time you pee.

You should if there’s sufficient water. But note that there’s no health risk involved in not flushing after you pee. In a situation where you live in a region of inadequate water supply, it’ll instead use up more water and waste money in the long run. Flushing is somewhat necessary when it comes to bowels.

Should You Flush the Toilet Every Time You Pee?

Should You Flush Every Time You Pee

Flushing the toilet every time you pee is not necessary. But of course, you should, if enough water is available.

Likewise, note that so much as peeing doesn’t need immediate flushing, bowels do.

You see, peeing and pooping are two different things. Poop contains bacteria and toxins, so it needs immediate flushing.

Pee, unlike poop, merely contains urea and salts; there is less possibility of bacteria. Bacterias can only find their way in if the toilet environment or residual water already has them.

That’s why I always recommend using toilet cleaners with germ-killing chlorine. They help to avoid bacterias which can cause many infections.

Aside from bacteria around the toilet, anyone with a UTI infection can bring in bacteria. Thus in such cases flushing after peeing becomes necessary.

Though flushing after every pee is unnecessary, it’s best to do so when you’re in a public bathroom.

Doing so is essential because it will help keep the bathroom cleaner and less smelly. Moreover, not everyone agrees with the opinion. 

Furthermore, flushing every time you pee or not should depend on your preference and the type of toilet you’re using.

For example, if you use a septic tank or your toilet has a faulty seal, it is best to flush every time you pee. 

In the same way, in a situation of a squat toilet,  it’s advisable to flush the toilet every time after peeing. The reason is that squat toilets are known for lacking water pressure.

Therefore, flushing will help remove any urine accumulated in the bowl and make it easier to clean later. But on the other hand, if you use a western-style toilet, it’s not necessary.

The reason is that western style toilets have high water pressure, which helps carry away any urine residue in the bowl without needing to flush afterward.

Altogether, flushing the toilet every time you pee isn’t as bad as you think. It can be an issue if you live in a low-income area with little clean water and sanitation resources.

However, it is advisable to flush the toilet after a bowel movement. Before you make your decision, it’s good to weigh the upsides and downsides of not flushing the toilet after peeing.

UpsidesDownsides
It conserves water and promotes its management; you’ll notice a reduction in your water billsAfter a prolonged period, the urine starts smelling
There’s not so much harm involvedIt promotes the growth of already present Bacteria, and more so, stains can result after a long period.

How Often Should You Flush Your Toilet?

You ought to flush your toilet at least once a day. But you’ll need to do it more often if you have a family or if many people use the same toilet.

There is no hard and fast rule for how often to flush the toilet. The flushing frequency depends on your tank’s water, home(occupants) size, and other factors.

 Flushing every time you use it is a good guideline, but there are times when you may want to wait a little longer between flushes. 

The best way to know if the toilet needs to be flushing is by checking the water level in the tank.

If it’s at least an inch below the top of the overflow tube, you can probably wait until next time. It is not necessary to flush your toilet every time you use it.

The reason is that the water inside the toilet bowl can act as a natural flushing agent. Many factors come into play in how often you should flush your toilet.

The factors that affect how often you should flush your toilet include the type of toilet, how often you use it, how many people use it, and the size of your household.

If you have a more prominent family or more people using the toilet, it is essential to flush more often to prevent clogging.

Also, if you have pets, remember that their waste could cause a lot more build-up and require more frequent flushing.

Asides from your home occupant or family size, it’s good that you consider the availability of water supply in your region.

If you live in a region with a minimal water supply and wish to save water, flush the toilet less often than usual. Twice a week should be okay.

Additionally, some toilets need flushing more often than others due to their design. For example, a gravity-fed toilet will require you to flush it more often than a pressure-assisted toilet.

Similarly, if you have a low-flow toilet, flush it every time after use to avoid clogging.

But when using high-flow toilets, waiting until there’s a significant amount of waste in the bowl before flushing is okay. 

What Happens If You Don’t Flush after Peeing?

There’s no health risk involved in not flushing after peeing. But ideally, you shouldn’t allow it to stay for long; I advise flushing at least once a day.

Although not flushing after you pee isn’t harmful, unpleasant odors can result. And especially when you’re using public restrooms, it won’t seem so good.

The situation worsens when infected with a UTI because the bacterias enter the bowl as you pee.

And when you don’t flush the waste, bacteria will spread around the bowl, making it uncomfortable for others.

To your knowledge, the urinary tract is a series of long tubes carrying urine from the kidneys to the bladder and the urethra.

Thus when you urinate, it’s essential to flush or wipe afterward to prevent bacteria from entering your body.

If you don’t, bacteria can travel up the urethra and cause an infection in other parts of your urinary tract.

Asides from flushing, it’d be of help if you always wash your hands thoroughly. Bacterias from the toilet can also contaminate your hands, spreading bacteria from your hands to their hands and mouth.

So use clean water with soap and dry well with a towel or toilet paper if available. Likewise, normalize using disinfectants containing chlorine to help kill and prevent germs.

As much as allowing pee to sit in the bowl for an extended period isn’t so dangerous, you shouldn’t allow your bowels to stay long.

This suggestion goes in line with the famous phrase which describes flushing down when brown and mellowing when yellow. 

Does Leaving Pee in the Toilet Stain It?

Leaving urine in a toilet bowl can cause stains, not just stains alone but also crummy odor. It can likewise stain your clothes if you don’t wash them immediately.

Urine consists of water, salt, and other waste products. The salts in the urine can cause a chemical reaction with the porcelain, creating a permanent stain.

Even if you should leave your pee, it shouldn’t be for an extended period. Such practices create an environment where bacteria thrive.

That’s because urine has ammonia, an acid that can break down the porcelain of your toilet bowl over time.

In a scenario where the urine stains are already present, and you wish to remove them, this is what you should do. Prepare some baking soda and vinegar; follow the procedure below. 

#1. Put the Vinegar Inside the Toilet Bowl

Here, all you need to do is measure one cup of vinegar inside the toilet bowl. Then, spread the mixture with a toilet brush and ensure it goes round.

After that, allow it to sit for some time, about 6-8 minutes. You can likewise add a toilet washer; it’ll help a lot.

#2. Add the Baking Soda

After putting in the vinegar, your next line of action should be to introduce a cup of baking soda.

Afterward, stir the mixture so that it gets into the stains properly. Then, if the need arises, add some amount of vinegar again. 

#3. Allow The Mixture to Sit For A While

After putting the vinegar and baking soda together, wait some time and scour away any residual stains.

To prevent future stains, clean the toilet with water after every use or sprinkle some baking soda on top of the water in the toilet bowl before flushing.

Summary

On usual grounds, it’s good that you flush the toilet every time you pee or poop. But due to conserving water, among other factors, flushing every time you pee is considered unnecessary.

Though that’s quite understandable, your flushing routine should be daily. Poop, on the other hand, should never sit for long.

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