if it's yellow let it mellow

English

Etymology

A short version of "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down".

Phrase

if it's yellow let it mellow

1. In order to save water, do not flush the toilet every time you urinate.
   • 2011, Kirsty McKay, Undead, →ISBN:

     It's a tad gross that I haven't been able to flush, but if it's yellow, let it mellow ... and run like hell-o.

   • 2013, Laura Portwood-Stacer, Lifestyle Politics and Radical Activism, →ISBN, page 29:

     He went on to explain: I'm not gonna waste like a gallon and a half of water that we're stealing from the Colorado River just cuz I took a pee, you know like, 'if it's yellow let it mellow,' you know, don't flush it.

   • 2016, Bo Bennett, Logically Fallacious, →ISBN:

     Explanation: No! I did not have to follow the, “if it's yellow, let it mellow” rule—in fact, if I did follow that rule I would probably still be single.