The phrase "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down" originated during the 1970s, particularly around the time of severe droughts in parts of the United States, such as California and New York. It was a grassroots conservation slogan aimed at reducing household water consumption, especially the large amount of water used by toilets with every flush.
Toilets at that time typically used 5 to 7 gallons (19 to 26 litres) of water per flush. Given the environmental urgency during droughts, the phrase became a simple, catchy reminder for people to only flush when truly necessary—i.e., when there’s solid waste.
While the originator of the exact phrase is unknown, it spread informally and became a kind of folk slogan, appearing on signs in homes, public washrooms, and even eco-conscious communities. It's now widely associated with environmentalism and water conservation efforts, and despite its somewhat cheeky tone, it's still used and recognized today.
Want to know how much water that could actually save over time?
Let’s break it down.
💧 Average Toilet Water Use
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Older toilets (pre-1990s): 5–7 gallons (≈19–26 litres) per flush
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Modern low-flow toilets: 1.6 gallons (≈6 litres) per flush
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Ultra-efficient toilets: 1.1 gallons (≈4 litres) per flush
Let’s say you're using a modern 1.6-gallon toilet, and you flush:
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5 times a day (typical for one person):
→ 5 × 1.6 = 8 gallons/day (≈30 litres/day)
If you follow "If it’s yellow, let it mellow", you might:
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Only flush twice a day (once for brown, once at night or morning for yellow)
→ 2 × 1.6 = 3.2 gallons/day (≈12 litres/day)
💧 Daily Savings:
8 - 3.2 = 4.8 gallons saved per day
(≈18 litres/day per person)
💧 Yearly Savings:
4.8 × 365 = 1,752 gallons/year
(≈6,600 litres/year per person)
Multiply that by a household of 4, and you’re saving over 7,000 gallons (26,000+ litres) annually—just from adjusting toilet habits!
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