There are certain things that all people do that make us human, even though we might be a little bashful talking about them.
For example, some people may not like to talk about peeing and pooping, but we all do it!
As it turns out, pee may even have a place outside your toilet bowl. Sure, it's a waste product, but it actually has some pretty fascinating uses.
For starters, peeing in your shower can actually help clear up foot fungus. Who knew?
But there are places other than your bathroom where you should consider "letting it mellow." Your garden, or backyard is certainly one of them.
It sounds crazy, but urine can actually have a huge impact in your garden, and for reasons that might surprise you.
Believe it or not, using pee for a purpose, instead of just flushing it down the toilet, has a ton of benefits, for you and your yard.
Scroll through to learn more!
Thumbnail Photo: Max Pixel
What's In Your Pee?
Seeing as urine is our liquid waste, you will not be surprised to learn that it is about 95% water.
The remaining 5% varies slightly depending on diet and circumstances.
According to ThoughtCo. the rest of urine contains a combination of urea, sodium, chloride, sulfate, potassium, phosphate, ammonium, and magnesium.
All of those chemicals have different uses, and they can have a serious impact on your garden.
Benefit Reason #1: Use It As A Fertilizer
Using pee for anything other than flushing down the toilet is a little bit of a taboo idea. However, research suggests that it is actually a good idea.
Gardening Know How reports that an experiment done on cucumber plants found that the plants fertilized with urine grew in size and number compared to the unfertilized plants.
But you should know, too much pee can have the opposite effect, so you shouldn't tinkle directly on plants.
Instead, dilute urine with water before adding it to your flower beds or vegetable patch.
Benefit #2: Saves On Water Bills
Flushing is the kind of thing most of us do without even thinking. However, there is some truth to the expression, "Flushing money down the toilet."
According to the Penny Hoarder, over $100 of your yearly water bill is from flushing alone.
By reducing flushing, and peeing outside even once in a while, you can save that money for something more useful than flushing your toilet.
Benefit #3: Air Drying Is Better For You 'Down There'
Wiping is another thoughtless activity that many of us leave to muscle memory. Often, accidental laziness can leave behind a little moisture.
The medical director at Miami's FemCare Ob-Gyn practice tells Glamour, "Warmth, moisture, and friction can all lead to irritation and the potential changes in pH that increase favorability for yeast to overgrow and become a clinical infection."
Letting your lady parts breathe and dry off is one of the best ways to prevent infection because bacteria grows less successfully in dry environments.
Benefit #4: Squatting Is Better For Your Bladder
Men may have it easier when it comes to peeing outside, but it turns out that squatting has its own health benefits!
Urologist, Matthew Karlovsky tells SHAPE magazine that a full squat position helps to relax our bladder and pelvic floor.
Doing so not only makes peeing more comfortable, strengthens your bladder over time by putting less strain on the area.
Benefit #5: Speeds Up Composting
Lots of organic materials can benefits from urine's acidic properties.
If you're the type of person who composts, then you know a little bit about the benefits of organic decomposition.
According to the Ecologist, the uric acid in urine helps to accelerate the natural process of composting.
If you compost outside, add a few tablespoons of urine once a week or so. It will speed the process along, and rapidly turn old banana peels and hedge trimmings into fertilizer!
Benefit #6: Fight Fungus
Peeing in the shower is known to be a home remedy for killing the fungus that causes athletes foot.
The same can be said for killing fungus in your garden. Just mix the solution in a spray bottle and spray the fungus away!
Just be gentle with fungus growing on plants. If you're dealing with a mulch or tree fungus, go ahead and use as much urine as you want.
However, if the fungus is impacting more delicate plants, be sure to water down your pee first.
Benefit #7: Animal Deterrent
If you have a dog, or have even have a friend with a dog, you've seen him or her urinating in various places to mark their territory.
Human urine is no exception to this territory-marking ability! If you start using urine in your garden, you will notice fewer pests lurking around your plants!
Urine is a proven deterrent to plant-eaters like deer and rabbits, according to The Cabin.
There's also some anecdotal evidence that coyotes and foxes will steer clear if you have an adult man pee around the perimeter of your yard.
Benefit #8: It's Better For The Environment
Using a toilet is a lot more wasteful than one might think.
Not only are you flushing money away with every use, you're also wasting many gallons and yards of toilet paper per year.
Instead of polluting, give back to mother earth by peeing on her once in a while and give the toilet and sewage generation a break.
Just make sure you're only peeing in your own yard or garden, not in public areas!
Would you ever pee in the garden? Don't forget to SHARE these useful tips!
