I use the bucket with toilet seat in my semi and spend a little extra on heavy duty scented black garbage bags and always double bag, never had an issue.
Same here, but paint bucket and no need for a donut seat. Tie a knot for each bag too. 13 gallon kitchen bags. Hack: Can flip the bag upside down after tying the first knot, for a one bag "double" bag. I cut out part of a yoga mat and fixed to the lid as it doubles as a stool. Don't buy knock off bags - try Hefty scented with the plastic strings. I use a 99 Cent store laundry jug for pee. (I rinse it everytime i empty it.) If the jug gets smelly just buy another one. I use a second paint bucket as a trash can. They are odor proof and ant proof, and come in food grade also.
Female here. I use a 7 gallon bucket because it is taller than a 5 gallon (easier on the old knees), with the luggable loo seat, plastic trash bag with coconut coir. I place the bucket in a plastic dairy-type crate for stability. This has worked great for me.
It’s the outer husk of the coconut and comes compressed in blocks, so it doesn’t take up much space. It’s super absorbent and compostable if you are so inclined.
Last winter I had no running water at home. Got a Lowe's bucket, pipe insulation around the rim (comfy!), trash bags, and horse bedding pellets with a top sprinkle of cedar chips. Worked brilliantly.
KISS! The Luggable Loo is a simple bucket with a toilet seat and kitchen trash bags. I used to use Kitty litter, but it was too heavy, messy, and smelled. Now I use small animal pet pine bedding! Lighter, still a bit messy, but no smell except for the scent of pine. After using the toilet about 5-6 times just tie up and put in a dumpster. Easy Peasy.
Bucket Pool Noodle - measure to fit bucket diameter; slice down the middle; secure ends with tape, press down onto rim Regular grocery bags: drape under pool noodle: noodle secures it. Kitty Litter: add a small amount to absorb urine & solids. I usually tied, removed & put aside until next visit to trash area. Less fear of accidental spillage due to absorbent kitty litter. I also found a brand new medical commode at Goodwill for under $10!!! Same set up with grocery bags & kitty litter. Great for Hurricane prep essentials.
That medical plastic toilet is strong and works right on car seat! I used it all the time. But small one use only . Then wrap bag place outside under car till morning trash
We use the bucket method while camping. I prefill the bags with the Fresh Step "extreme" cat litter and the clump action is incredible lol. No smell or spill whatsoever. That stuff is amazing
Being that I am about to start building my first conversion van, I have shared many videos of different toilets with my wife. I was pleasantly SURPRISED when she said the bucket and seat is what she thinks is best. Thanks….you saved me lots of money…and frustration. I enjoyed your informative humor…especially the pressurized releasing of the urine!!😅 Thanks…subscribed
The downside for me is that no matter camping or just a leisurely drive, when the urge hits I must respond. Long story short: Misdiagnosed by military ER 2x in 3 days time in 97. Told I was constipated but actually my large intestine was dead! Lost everything in my house. Nothing will ever be solid again. 10 days in ICU, In civilian hospital. Now Homer’s bucket (and air freshener) is a required mainstay in my pickup shell. Thank goodness for the dark tint! When the urge hits, I must respond ASAP! When traveling and using a 5-gallon bucket with a plastic bag liner as a temporary toilet, here are some considerations for proper waste disposal: 1. Local Regulations: Follow local laws and regulations regarding waste disposal. Some areas might have specific guidelines or designated waste disposal sites. 2. Waste Treatment Facilities: If available, use designated waste treatment facilities, such as rest stops, campgrounds, or sanitation stations, to dispose of the waste properly. 3. Double Bagging and Sealing: Double bagging the waste in sturdy, leak-proof bags can help contain odor and prevent leaks. Ensure the bags are securely sealed before disposal. 4. Trash Receptacles: If no specific waste treatment facilities are accessible, dispose of the double-bagged waste in designated trash receptacles, like those found at gas stations, rest areas, or other public facilities. 5. Avoid Environmental Contamination: Never dispose of human waste in natural water sources, on the ground, or in areas where it could pose a risk to the environment or public health. 6. Portable Toilet Waste Disposal Services: Some areas might have services that cater to the disposal of portable toilet waste. These services are often available at campgrounds or recreational vehicle (RV) parks. Always prioritize responsible waste disposal to minimize environmental impact and comply with local regulations to ensure proper hygiene and sanitation.
Hmm. I thought that's what you are supposed to do with the dry flush toilets? All the videos I have seen say to just toss the vacuum sealed bag in the regular garbage once full.
@@Redandranger generally in the US it's legal and allowable: a-la baby diapers. Certain areas may dis-allow but those are the exception rather than the rule.
I use a separating system: a $20 luggable loo (bucket with a seat) with an automotive funnel hooked on the front and leading into a gallon jug, plastic bag liner, and second bag in the back for poop. The poop bag contains sawdust/cedar pet bedding/coconut coir, with another handful added after each use. Oddly, when I salvaged a couple cups of spilled oatmeal and added that to the dry medium bag, it kept odor down even more than usual! Unfortunately it is too expensive to use generally.
One very important factor I’ve found with portable toilets is height, it’s easy when you’re young bouncing off the toilet but as you age and your injuries crank up it’s very difficult getting up off the toilet if it’s to short make sure you have a tall enough toilet
I used the Hassock portable toilet for about 6 years. It worked well in my van. The seat was just too flimsy. So i searched around for a sturdier replacement toilet. I settled on the Stansport. Its very sturdy. Its all one piece , with no lid to remove. I lift the lid and seat, i put a 4 gallon trash bag in. Then i put a cup of Horse bedding pellets from Tractor Supply in it. I do No. 1 and No. 2 in it. No separation. After i make my deposit, i cover with more pellets. The pellets soak up any liquid and make it a solid. I empty it everyday. I just tie up the bag and toss it in the nearest garbage can. Totally legal. Its not raw sewage. No different than throwing away a diaper, or cat litter. I just basically use it for No.2. But No.1 goes into it when I'm sitting down. I actually have a "pee jug" i use for just doing No.1. I use a small Clorox tab in the pee jug. There is never any smell, and its disinfected!! I just empty it in the weeds. It works great!!
Great review!!! #1: Empty laundry detergent bottle, large opening. Great solution for guys. Cap seals securely, and no worries of leaks. I prefer the yellow Tide 31 oz bottle; it takes up very little space, yet still has the big opening. Downside of using the new liquid laundry detergent bottles, is having to remove the non-drip funnel. Used to be able to just pull these out; now have to cut them out - still not too much work though. #2: Three gallon bucket with Gamma Seal lid. Kept just for emergencies. Waste bags and toilet paper are stored in the bucket. Little 3-gal bucket takes up less space. Spin-on Gamma Seal rim is more comfortable than just a bucket lid. When empty, which is almost all the time, the sealed bucket can be tossed about with no worries.
We use the Ogo composting toilet $1k. We put a $7 bag of shredded coconut husk as a composting medium about once a month. It has a charcoal filter we've changed once in 2 years. Zero smell ever, no matter temp or contents. It separates liquids and solids. Dumping the solids never smells like anything but dirt. It's really wonderful. $1000 is steep, but it's so nice that would definitely buy a second if needed. If everything else in your van is budget, splurge here. Of all the money we've put into the van, the toilet is the one thing we use every single day. Even day trips where we don't overnight, we never use public restrooms.
Yes any version of a bucket w toilet seat and bag is the final solution after 6 years of van life for me. I like/learned in this video about the pea pot inside the bucket w/ properly sized funnel for women…thank you.
No…but if you have to dump it into a toilet or other sewer access and wash it out 0:02 it’s not for me. A single use bag system that gets dropped in the trash is the only way to go IMO.
Congrats for, without prejudice, leave the fancy system to one that really works. There is a variation of the bucket system very effective, although demands some effort. It uses sawdust, preferably, or any organic material, like grass or fallen leafs. It needs a bucket of sawdust for each bucket of waste. Make a layer of sawdust at the empty bucket bottom, and then go for #1 or #2, as you pleased. Cover the waste with more sawdust in a way to cut it's contact with air (wich causes the smell). Go for it many times you need. At the end of the day just put the moisture in a bag and throw at the trashcan. Don't worry, till the third day won't be wet, won't be smelly (just a scent of wood) and won't appear flies or bugs). So, if you couldn't discard it that day, do it the second day. If you want to be super cautious, just discard the bag immediately - it's your pennies, anyway. The great advantage of this system is to avoid the funnel and the pee jug, Wich needs to be emptied often. If you don't, it will smell very bad the next day - try to leave a public bathroom after that without judgement stares 😅. The disadvantage are the need of gather the sawdust or material and the need of space for storage. Finally, if you are a tree huger, use sawdust from a sawmill instead of the chemically treated one from the woodshops. Discard it without plastic bag digging a hole - you'll be helping nature with a strong fertilizer.
My wife and I use the bucket with seat/lid in our camper van. I use it occasionally; she uses it about 2 or 3 times a day/night. We add no-dust, no-odor kitty liter into the bottom of the bag, which adds some cost. Works great. Used to be able to buy both biodegradable bags and “dumpster” bags that don’t leak as easily on Amazon, but now they only have the biodegradable ones. To combat the potential leaks, we add a second bag that is thicker - a compactor bag. That one gets used for very long and is just there in-case, so we don’t have to wash out the bucket if there is a leak in the biodegradable bag. Anyway, we are happy we didn’t waste money on expensive toilet and that we didn’t put a bathroom or shower in our van. Instead, we put in a lengthwise Queen-size bed, so we sleep super comfortably, and neither of us has to crawl over the other to get in/out of bed.
I use the bucket from a cheap commode, which is the traditional toilet shape, with a kids toilet training seat on top, and bedpan liners which absorb a lot of liquid, into a scented black bag. Works great, no odour, and is cheap as chips. The whole setup lives in a small ottoman footstool, so it doesn't even need any extra space in my small Bongo camper.
I also use the bucket with the seat attached but with a slight twist. I take the tall kitchen garbage bag and put a cup of cat litter in it for weight. I then place it a gallon zip lock bag and zip it shut. When I need it I unzip it, pull the bag up and over the edge of the seat and do my business. When done I roll up the edges and stuff them back down into the zip lock. Zip the storage bag closed and you're good to go till coming to a place to dispose of it.
Good review! We use the Laveo (dry-flush) and cat litter for peeing multiple times. This let's us flush only 3 times a day + a flush if #2. The cat litter handles the smell OK for us in-between flushes + provides some weight which ensures a good flush action right to the end of the canister. The 2 of use use it all the time (20-30 pees / day) and go thru a canaster in 3 days. ~$30/cartridge. The black bag / canister change over is quite clean and no smell. We do wipe down the top of the toilet - same as any toilet. Also has an actual toilet seat :) One can put the black bag in the car and drive to the dumpster with no risk of leakage or smell - e.g. just don't drop or puncture or abuse the black bag.
I'm surprised you didn't mention using a bag in a bucket with kitty litter in the bag. I've heard this a lot from other van lifers. It absorbs liquids and makes the bag easier to handle less sloshing to deal with and less likely to leak. Also,. I've heard some people use a pop-up privacy enclosure so they can use it as a bathroom outside of their van. Can also be used for a shower enclosure.
I like to put a "pool noodle" around the top edge of the "Home Depot" bucket to act as a seat. Cut the noodle to the length of the circumference of the bucket opening then, lengthwise, cut one wall of the noodle from end to end. place the cut noodle over the top edge of the bucket and it is fairly comfortable to sit on.
I purchased a cassette toilet, like the first one in your review, called a Pack-A-Potti from Sears in 1978 to use in my van and then used it for tent camping after that for 40 years. Never had any of the problems you mentioned. I used an RV waist tank treatment in the holding tank. NO orders. Always close the lid before flushing. In sub freezing temps I would put some RV antifreeze in the top tank. It's good for two people for three days. The tank treatment dissolved the solids and helped with odors when emptying, the only time there were some odors. I think it's the best solution, yes it is more like a conventional toilet. The rest are either too expensive or too gross.
i agree with you , using common sense makes things work great, leaving it like he said was not smart so his is to blame not the toilet, living like this requires work to be effective so you reap what you sow.
5 gallon bucket and a roll of 8 gallon kitchen garbage bags, Bag the bucket do your business then knot the bag and find a dumpster 1 gallon water jug for the other. Spray can of Ozium air sanitizer. It's worked well for almost 40 years ..
I use an Apple Juice jug for pee. Has a larger opening then milk jug and the plastic is thicker so it's more durable. Plus color looks right if someone happens to see it. I use an old 5 gal paint bucket, with lid, for poop. Insert bags (often from grocery store for cost savings) and peat moss (cheaper then kitty litter), for cleanliness and odor control. I do use a Pool Noodle around the top of bucket to help hold bag in place and add extra comfort, but it's not taped on. Normally take it off between uses so I can replace the air tight bucket lid. This helping prevent accidental spills that no-one wants to deal with. And by adding some Peat Moss to the poop before covering with lid, I get more then just a single use from each bag and no odor issues.
For the boys---Use a gallon Arizona Tea container as a urinal at night so you don't even have to get up in the cold---Especially if you go frequently at night---I use any 5 gallon bucket with a regular real soft toilet seat on top.
Put horse pellets in the bucket with plastic bag. It absorbs the liquid and just turns into saw dust. Remove bag and throw in garbage at next gas fill up. I have used the cassette toilet for many years, but I am about to travel again and wanted something with less hassle.
I use "reliance" bucket system. And pine pellets. Also "Arm and Hammer" cat litter deodorize. Just a light sprinkle on top. Pee, poop, toilet paper, and I spit toothpaste water into it with the little paper cup. So easy.
Thank you for Telling Us About The Portable Toilets 🚽, because To Be Honest With You, Not Too Many Businesses And Businesses Stores 🏬 To, Are Not Letting People Use Their Restrooms 🚽 Like That Anymore For Real.
I recently changed from an expensive porta pottie in my van and previously also my boat. I now use a folding pottie with a composting liner and peat moss. If out in the boonies, just dig a deep hole and bury the liner. The peat moss contains the odor too. The plus of the folding pottie is that the footprint is square, so it's much more stable than a five gallon bucket.
Took me two days to refind this one after losing it in my queue. Thanks for all the side-by-sides! My setup is under $40, got a 3d printed separator, a 5 gallon bucket, a pitcher, a jug, and a short piece of tubing from separator to jug. Ongoing costs are cedar shavings and bags for the pitcher, and rv enzyme for the jug (to keep down odor, even when empty). I didn't have time to find out if there might be public domain 3d printing plans for the separator part, but there might be! That was the most expensive part.
We use the bucket all the time at our acreage. What we do is put a garbage bag in it under the seat. Put a handful of wood burning pellets at the bottom. The pellets soak up the pee and cover up the smells. we do this for both pee and poo. after every time we pea we put more pellets in it. all you have to do is take the bag out and put it in the garbage. we use it many times before taking out the bag. Unless we poop. we will take out the bag right away. Been doing this for years. We don't live there and only go out on the weekends. this works for the whole weekend.
I use a foldable bucket. Saves a ton of space and dirt cheap in use. If you unfold it it has a toilet seat and lit and everything and his store bag to put it in. The funnel is a great idea that im going to implement from now on. Never thought of that
Bucket with lid and bag. Add a small amount of pine pellet bedding from farm supply store. The pellets are very inexpensive, retain the urine (turns into more of a solid), and it controls odor.
I have the dry flush, and it does smell badly from urine and stool mixed together. I haven't done this yet, but I was thinking of trying pine horse-bedding pellets in it to absorb the liquid and lower the possibility of smelling badly. You are right about the cost! I have mine put aside and have been using various Amazon collapsible bucket toilets with bags and the pine pellets. Much less expensive and easy to deal with.
I'm using the homemade composting toilet as described on the channel Off-grid with Doug and Stacey. Works really well. Also, if you are using a composting station similar to what Doug built, you don't need to separate liquid from solid. It all gets composted together (for about two years.) The liquid is necessary to help break down the solids, and you either need the liquids that your body deposits, or you have to add a bunch of water to get it started.
We use coconut coir and a scoop of diatenacious earth powder in our toilet. The powder does a great job soaking up liquid the coconut doesn't absorb. Lengthens the time between bucket changes.
A foldable metal chair with removable potty. I put a bag in the potty, with a scoop of hemp shavings, use it, tie, bin it. when in the wilderness, remove the potty, dig a hole, sit on the chair with the hole in it for comfort. I still put hemp shavings to keep smell and bugs away.
I use the bucket with the lid, I put the liner in below the lid and a layer of woodchips for #2, case of #1 we simply place the poop bag over the lid. Every 2 or 3 days we ad a layer of wood chips, which makes great garden compost.
I wanted to add a cool tip at my mums she has a bucket system we pee into at night (as a portaloo is outside for poop) if u pee into a jug etc have a spray bottle with white vinegar and water mix (half half ratio) it really makes a difference to the smell and even stops the bucket or jug etc from smelling
The orange bucket from Home Depot works fine for me. Of course I only use it in emergencies. I mostly stay in town, where there are plenty of toilets available.
I'd put a gamma seal lid on that Home Depot bucket to close it very well.. I use the middle one in our little camper with the heavy duty bags, just for night times.
I use a old fashion hospital toilet chair. I found it really useful and comfortable. We use rabbit bedding and the toilet powder to keep down smell and liquid and throw it in the garbage. 😂😂 it works well.
This is so great! I have a vintage camper that doesn’t have a bathroom and I use the bucket with the toilet seat system! It’s really just for me when I wake up in the middle of the night and need to pee and I don’t want to go outside or walk to the restrooms at the campsite. My husband and son can just go outside, but like you said it’s a whole different story for the ladies. I’ve been putting a trash bag in my bucket as a liner and filling the bottom with cat litter but I like the funnel in the milk jug way better because I can seal that up and I don’t have to change out the kitty litter every day. Will definitely be switching over to your method!
I bought a Boxio from Germany but need to modify it to get it to a comfortable seat height. I’ve also ordered one from Joolca that won’t arrive until July. Both employ a liquid and solids separation system. I still find a stainless steel chamber pot works fine for my nightly urine relief as long as I remember that it’s disposable is top of the list in the morning. I’ve also been experimenting with a hose and funnel system ported directly through the van sidewall that has worked remarkably well although it seems to gross people out when I explain its use.
The Boxio is nice; I did a review video of it. The extra storage base is helpful to get the proper seat height and great to store extra toiletries and compost material
That funnel would need washing or wiping. Men can use any jug. Women can use a laundry jug. Cut out the spout with a serated knife but leave the threads for the cap. A few drops of cheap laundry soap in the empty jug keeps it fresh till full. Empty in toilet at next laundromat visit. For #2 use a trash bag in the bucket or existing toilet. Tie in knot and cut off any remaining clean bag to save space. Deposit into empty coffee can. They are air tight. A can holds many "packets". Use an aligator baggie in the can so you can yank them all out at once at the dumpster if you're reusing the can. (You wouldnt hesitate to trash a dirty pamper from a child. Its the same thing.)
Have used several the last few years and for about the last 18 months the lavio dry flush. Paid $600 on sale and love it! Pros it’s tall, sturdy and has a regular toilet seat, and absolutely no smell at all. Cons: Definitely the price of the refills, and not just the price but their ridiculous shipping costs. Having to wait until cartridge is done to empty or waste the rest of the cartridge. I do not use it for pee but store my pee bottle inside. But you can use the pee powder and wait a few times before flushing if you didn’t want to use a pee bottle.
For me, a dry flush system is the only way to go. I can't handle dealing with pee or poo. I am a big baby, and it will make me sick, and then I'll have flashbacks and won't be able to eat all day. I need psychiatric help, but instead, I'll just choose the Laveo.
after using Thetford porta potties with water and chemicals for 26 years we switched to a Trelino separating toilet and love it. We don't compost, just bag the solids after each go and place in the garbage. The urine container is easy to empty in public toilets or in the forest.
Love my Laveo Dry Flush. You can get the thing for about US$895 and refills are less than US$20. They have "pee powder" that removes odor and solidifies pee or liquid so you can use it for "number one" about 5 or six times between flushes. I get about 17 flushes per cartridge - about US$1.20 per flush. When it's time to change the cartridge, just pull up the outer thick bag, twist and zip-tie it closed and toss into an appropriate trash receptacle. No lugging a bucket or container into a public restroom to dump out the contents into a toilette. No need for fans and ventilation tubes to pipe the stink out of your van, and having to turn cranks or shovel dealing with composting.
Something to consider is to add cat litter to the buckets. Absorbs liquids and coats the solids. Has odor control if you don't mind the smells that come with the litter you choose. Otherwise, a bit pricier, use the poo gel powders that come with the camping toilets. I use this. It gels up the liquids and breaks down the solids.
I got an Airhead composting toilet two years ago. It cost a lot, but it has been excellent. I got the version with a household-style toilet seat instead of the smaller marine size. In a four month period of full-time van living, the solids container did not fill up. A year later with occasional weekend use, it's about ready to empty before springtime travels. The separate liquids container is easy to detach and empty. I keep a spray bottle of white vinegar solution nearby and give the bowl a quick spritz after use. It does require a vent to the outside and 12v to a small inline fan.
Bucket toilet has been my main toilet for years. Theres no need to reinvent the wheel with the complicated toilets. I double bag to keep bucket sweat down. Use peat moss to soak and cover mess. Keep two buckets at all times because I use an enema/douche kit as a little "bidet". The peat moss costs like $20/Year and that's with heavy use because of the bidet and 365 day use. Its enough to keep everything well covered. I empty once a week wnthe two toilet system. There is ZERO smell, even opening the lid and sitting on it for 20 minutes scrolling your phone. No smell. I could not believe you spent $1000 on a compost toilet!! I spent $10 on one lid, the other one was $.50 at a yard sale, bucket was already laying around and double bagging 4 bags/week is the most expensive cost. The only other potty Id consider is a pee funnel that pipes up to the outside and just drains out on the road. A little water on the side of the road isnt going to hurt anything. As a woman, just have to find or create a funnel that catches all the pee and doesnt make a mess. 🤷 Ive had friends that live off the grid and use the bucket system in their outhouse instead of a pit toilet. They have very nice cedar outhouses that smell amazing and use 50/50 saw dust/peat moss for their cover. Im currently building a cedar box to frame my bucket toilet to put in my new little house bathroom. A little tip: you can double or triple bucket, stacking them to create a taller toilet. This is a great idea for men that are usually taller than us women. You might want to glue and seal them together though to prevent ANY liquid or odor from getting in riser buckets and creating an odor you cant get rid of and cant get to when the buckets compress together after sitting on it for a while.
We travelled Australia for a year with 7 people. 4 males and 3 females. Used the bucket type. Saw dust, baking soda and supplementary wide opening neck empty washing liquid bottle for the males to use for pee. This meant we didn't need to empty the bucket as often. Saw dust was available for free . Using heavy duty bags. We would empty the wee bottle in any public toilet daily and flush. Cost including the bucket was approximately 40 dollars for the whole year.
We use the bucket and lid like you do in our tent trailer at night and for the day, we transfer it in a pop up change room tent. Thanks for sharing. 🇨🇦
I just use a little plastic container in my minivan. It's about 5" diameter by 9" tall. Just put a biodegradable 3 gallon plastic trash bag in there with a bit of wood chips. Squat over it and do your business. Cover with some more wood chips. Tie the bag and throw away. Works well when needed and takes up much less space.
I have a hospital toilet seat with four legs that has a pan in it. You can take the pan out and put a 5 gallon bucket under in and turn it into a compost toilet by adding lime and sawdust to it .remember this will only get used when your not around anywhere that has a public toilet. You can use spay alcohol to clean it.(#2only)
We used a cassette style independent unit in our vintage Shasta because we had little ones. Only for liquids. Now it's a bucket and bags with kitty litter, and a wee jug.
I went thru most of these. End up with cassette thetford. Imho its the most natural looking bowl and easy to use. I only wish there was an automatic drain opener.
The Stansport style toilet with a urine diverter setup would be da bomb! As for the Dometic toilet: I had one in my boat. I did get "sh*tfaced" only once when opening the flush valve. Lesson learned about venting the tank with the toilet lid closed, before using the toilet.
Great video. And tips in comments! *Read the FREE pdf HUMANURE handbook too. Most important takeaway is use a pee jug. A wide mouth nalgene has a tight lid , can be discretely put in small backpack or shopping or women's totebag/ purse and emptied in a toilet. Separate pee and poo is much easier to keep smell down. Bucket in crate a great idea for stabie base, thank you so much!
I am rewatching this video and I may have commented earlier. We have a folding toilet that was suitable for our small van however as here in Australia self-contained is starting to be enforced we got a 10 litre portable toilet and a collapsible grey water tank which hopefully get us accepted in most places. So next trip we will use the new toilet as we did the old one with a plastic bag lining the bowl, a paper bag lining the plastic bag, absober in the paper bag. After the deed is done we 'burp' the bag so there is little to no air space, twist the neck of the bag like you would a packet of lollies, turn it back on itself, burp and twist again, and tie securely into a tight, firm, small package to dispose of properly. We reset the 'catchers mitt' ready for the next visit and store the 'packages' in a bag in the lined toilet bowl if there are no bins close by to dispose of later. To save space we will store extra pine pellets in the black tank and the 'package'. If necessary I will try to find some firm 'sticky' plastic to cover the bowl to stop any odours wafting through the van. Similar to the silicone food bowl covers. We'll see.
In my SUV I sleep on one side and keep the other side with the seat up and use a 2 gallon bucket. After watching this I will add the jug method and bag for the rare other occurance.
For camping site using a commode, ( hospital type) it’s adjustable for height, home D-bucket, lined, saw dust, or whatever is convenient. Comfortable and able to buy commode at resale shop, it was brand new, it came with a little pail and lid but not as deep as home-D type of pail.
I live in an older one-bedroom house. Glad I had a home depot bucket, a spare toilet seat and pine cat litter when I had a two day repair. Had a feminine funnel, gallon container. I like your idea with the five-gallon bucket and the automotive funnel soooooo much better. I'll be swithing to your much better system, so thank you!
We build one of wood that had what looked like a large porcelain-dipped metal cup in a box. The whole thing looked like - on ethe outside, a nice wooden box with a lid that had hinges and there was a cushion in the lid and a real toilet seat on the base. We would now if doing this, use a bag with what ever in the bottom to cover the smell, in the bottom of the bag - easy to dumb in a dumpster somewhere. you use something that is like hamster bedding or something not toxic and easy to get. We don't have smells either.
My preference is a seven gallon plastic utility bucket with a Leaktite or Gamma Seal screw-on top. To use, I unscrew the top, add a kitchen garbage bag, and put a section of pool noodle or pipe insulation round the edge for comfort. And the bucket comes in handy for other stuff as well!
One thing I do with the bucket is I taske and cut a pool noodle for the seat. Drill a few holes around the bucket, get some zip ties and WHAM! Happy Wife!...ok, ok, my butt was happy too...
I use the Dometic cassette toilet. They have deodorizer that you put a couple capfuls with the flush water. Just keep the toilet clean and you won’t have any issues. I love that style toilet it’s the most comfortable one that’s portable. I just like how it’s whole system operates. I also have a nice pop up shower tent that I use outside for the toilet. I love using my own Dometic instead of walking to a bath house
Foldable toilet for easy storage. Double bags as a leak preventative. You don't have to throw both bags away, just the one that will contain the waste. Pine pellets from the feed store work great. Toss bags in the trash daily if possible. As a woman, I don't want to mess with separating. I used to fold my toilet up daily, I now keep it inside of an ottoman that can also be used for extra seating or a foot stool. (When toilet is empty) The ottoman is also foldable so it can be tucked away if I need more space in the van. Van is an older Ford Econoline, not hightop. Please get a tripod...
I use gatorade bottles for #1. I keep six, and when I can shower at a truck stop, I take 3 or 4 in and empty, fill w water and vigorously shake and empty plus one more quick rinse. At the truck, I do 12 sprays of water combined with meyers handsoap, a bit hand sanitizer and recap lighty. In use they sit in a box capped tightly. No smell. Some truckstops sell little yellow oval funnels that the ladies can use. Keep on trucking!
Excellent review, all pros and cons. Conclusion: buy yourself a bucket and bag everything and pee in jug., cheapest and easiest solution. Keep up the good work!
I use the bucket with toilet seat in my semi and spend a little extra on heavy duty scented black garbage bags and always double bag, never had an issue.
Same here, but paint bucket and no need for a donut seat. Tie a knot for each bag too. 13 gallon kitchen bags. Hack: Can flip the bag upside down after tying the first knot, for a one bag "double" bag. I cut out part of a yoga mat and fixed to the lid as it doubles as a stool. Don't buy knock off bags - try Hefty scented with the plastic strings. I use a 99 Cent store laundry jug for pee. (I rinse it everytime i empty it.) If the jug gets smelly just buy another one. I use a second paint bucket as a trash can. They are odor proof and ant proof, and come in food grade also.
Hefty 30 gallon ultra strong fabuloso scent, it's really bigger than you need.
As a woman its not healthy to add fragrance to any of our hygiene products. We got one big open whole down there . Absorbs chemicals
Best size is 8 gallon!❤
Actually doubled tripled up grocery bags work great in a pinch. Handles are so thin you can pull and stretch them over bucket rim. No problem.
Female here. I use a 7 gallon bucket because it is taller than a 5 gallon (easier on the old knees), with the luggable loo seat, plastic trash bag with coconut coir. I place the bucket in a plastic dairy-type crate for stability. This has worked great for me.
Coconut coir?🤷♀️
It’s the outer husk of the coconut and comes compressed in blocks, so it doesn’t take up much space. It’s super absorbent and compostable if you are so inclined.
Last winter I had no running water at home. Got a Lowe's bucket, pipe insulation around the rim (comfy!), trash bags, and horse bedding pellets with a top sprinkle of cedar chips. Worked brilliantly.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Pine pellets work great also. Absorbs the liquids and smells great. I use the crate also.
One of the best videos on van life. Period. So many video on how great van life is but they all leave out taking a shower and 💩.
Really need that gym membership
KISS! The Luggable Loo is a simple bucket with a toilet seat and kitchen trash bags. I used to use Kitty litter, but it was too heavy, messy, and smelled. Now I use small animal pet pine bedding! Lighter, still a bit messy, but no smell except for the scent of pine. After using the toilet about 5-6 times just tie up and put in a dumpster. Easy Peasy.
Thanks because I have a bucket and a seat. And the smell I’m trying to keep down the smell
Does it work for pee?
I love using the pine pellets in mine! They absorb everything and the pine smell is the only thing I smell and want to smell!
Cedar chips are lovely too;)
That's what I do, too, but I like the funnel and gallon jug addition. That would save on the pellets.
Bucket
Pool Noodle - measure to fit bucket diameter; slice down the middle; secure ends with tape, press down onto rim
Regular grocery bags: drape under pool noodle: noodle secures it.
Kitty Litter: add a small amount to absorb urine & solids.
I usually tied, removed & put aside until next visit to trash area. Less fear of accidental spillage due to absorbent kitty litter.
I also found a brand new medical commode at Goodwill for under $10!!!
Same set up with grocery bags & kitty litter. Great for Hurricane prep essentials.
These work great. I've used them before, and have a bucket now haven't got a noodle on it yet. Not sure I will this time. Lol
We use sawdust in our bucket. Works great.
@@1FlamyAmy you can use foam pipe insulation. It's already slit on one side. This comes in different sizes for comfort . Smaller is less confort.
That medical plastic toilet is strong and works right on car seat! I used it all the time. But small one use only . Then wrap bag place outside under car till morning trash
I used pipe insulation instead of a pool noodle, a little less height/diameter to cover
Got a royal flush of toilet options there. 😂
😂😂😂😂
We use the bucket method while camping. I prefill the bags with the Fresh Step "extreme" cat litter and the clump action is incredible lol. No smell or spill whatsoever. That stuff is amazing
Try pine litter. Very cheap, especially for $7.50 for 40 pounds at Tractor Supply. It just stops odors dead without chemicals.
We use the horse pellets from tractor supply. Absorbs much better, no smell. Throw away the bag & all about every 3 days. Easy.
@@nitanicefood to know!
Being that I am about to start building my first conversion van, I have shared many videos of different toilets with my wife. I was pleasantly SURPRISED when she said the bucket and seat is what she thinks is best. Thanks….you saved me lots of money…and frustration. I enjoyed your informative humor…especially the pressurized releasing of the urine!!😅 Thanks…subscribed
The downside for me is that no matter camping or just a leisurely drive, when the urge hits I must respond. Long story short: Misdiagnosed by military ER 2x in 3 days time in 97. Told I was constipated but actually my large intestine was dead! Lost everything in my house. Nothing will ever be solid again. 10 days in ICU, In civilian hospital. Now Homer’s bucket (and air freshener) is a required mainstay in my pickup shell. Thank goodness for the dark tint! When the urge hits, I must respond ASAP!
When traveling and using a 5-gallon bucket with a plastic bag liner as a temporary toilet, here are some considerations for proper waste disposal:
1. Local Regulations: Follow local laws and regulations regarding waste disposal. Some areas might have specific guidelines or designated waste disposal sites.
2. Waste Treatment Facilities: If available, use designated waste treatment facilities, such as rest stops, campgrounds, or sanitation stations, to dispose of the waste properly.
3. Double Bagging and Sealing: Double bagging the waste in sturdy, leak-proof bags can help contain odor and prevent leaks. Ensure the bags are securely sealed before disposal.
4. Trash Receptacles: If no specific waste treatment facilities are accessible, dispose of the double-bagged waste in designated trash receptacles, like those found at gas stations, rest areas, or other public facilities.
5. Avoid Environmental Contamination: Never dispose of human waste in natural water sources, on the ground, or in areas where it could pose a risk to the environment or public health.
6. Portable Toilet Waste Disposal Services: Some areas might have services that cater to the disposal of portable toilet waste. These services are often available at campgrounds or recreational vehicle (RV) parks.
Always prioritize responsible waste disposal to minimize environmental impact and comply with local regulations to ensure proper hygiene and sanitation.
well said, thank you.
Yeah --- I'm not so sure tossing bags of human waste into the regular garbage is legal or allowable.
Hmm. I thought that's what you are supposed to do with the dry flush toilets? All the videos I have seen say to just toss the vacuum sealed bag in the regular garbage once full.
@@Redandranger generally in the US it's legal and allowable: a-la baby diapers. Certain areas may dis-allow but those are the exception rather than the rule.
@@Redandrangerbaby diapers go in them, kitty litter also.
I use a separating system: a $20 luggable loo (bucket with a seat) with an automotive funnel hooked on the front and leading into a gallon jug, plastic bag liner, and second bag in the back for poop. The poop bag contains sawdust/cedar pet bedding/coconut coir, with another handful added after each use. Oddly, when I salvaged a couple cups of spilled oatmeal and added that to the dry medium bag, it kept odor down even more than usual! Unfortunately it is too expensive to use generally.
Tractor Supply has pine pellets for about $7.50 for 40 pounds. They work fantastic and it's cheap!
Am trying to visualize how your system works, especially how the back bag for pooping into is kept in place in use.
You missed the opportunity to title the video, "John reviews the John's".
ha! maybe in the next one
Haha
One very important factor I’ve found with portable toilets is height, it’s easy when you’re young bouncing off the toilet but as you age and your injuries crank up it’s very difficult getting up off the toilet if it’s to short make sure you have a tall enough toilet
I used the Hassock portable toilet for about 6 years. It worked well in my van. The seat was just too flimsy. So i searched around for a sturdier replacement toilet. I settled on the Stansport. Its very sturdy. Its all one piece , with no lid to remove. I lift the lid and seat, i put a 4 gallon trash bag in. Then i put a cup of Horse bedding pellets from Tractor Supply in it. I do No. 1 and No. 2 in it. No separation. After i make my deposit, i cover with more pellets. The pellets soak up any liquid and make it a solid. I empty it everyday. I just tie up the bag and toss it in the nearest garbage can. Totally legal. Its not raw sewage. No different than throwing away a diaper, or cat litter. I just basically use it for No.2. But No.1 goes into it when I'm sitting down. I actually have a "pee jug" i use for just doing No.1. I use a small Clorox tab in the pee jug. There is never any smell, and its disinfected!! I just empty it in the weeds. It works great!!
No different than throwing away diapers or dog poop in the garbage.
Great review!!!
#1: Empty laundry detergent bottle, large opening. Great solution for guys. Cap seals securely, and no worries of leaks. I prefer the yellow Tide 31 oz bottle; it takes up very little space, yet still has the big opening. Downside of using the new liquid laundry detergent bottles, is having to remove the non-drip funnel. Used to be able to just pull these out; now have to cut them out - still not too much work though.
#2: Three gallon bucket with Gamma Seal lid. Kept just for emergencies. Waste bags and toilet paper are stored in the bucket. Little 3-gal bucket takes up less space. Spin-on Gamma Seal rim is more comfortable than just a bucket lid. When empty, which is almost all the time, the sealed bucket can be tossed about with no worries.
We use the Ogo composting toilet $1k. We put a $7 bag of shredded coconut husk as a composting medium about once a month. It has a charcoal filter we've changed once in 2 years. Zero smell ever, no matter temp or contents. It separates liquids and solids. Dumping the solids never smells like anything but dirt. It's really wonderful. $1000 is steep, but it's so nice that would definitely buy a second if needed. If everything else in your van is budget, splurge here. Of all the money we've put into the van, the toilet is the one thing we use every single day. Even day trips where we don't overnight, we never use public restrooms.
I've used the Ogo and it's very nice for sure.
Yes any version of a bucket w toilet seat and bag is the final solution after 6 years of van life for me. I like/learned in this video about the pea pot inside the bucket w/ properly sized funnel for women…thank you.
Have you tried the composting / separating toilets?
No…but if you have to dump it into a toilet or other sewer access and wash it out 0:02 it’s not for me. A single use bag system that gets dropped in the trash is the only way to go IMO.
Congrats for, without prejudice, leave the fancy system to one that really works. There is a variation of the bucket system very effective, although demands some effort. It uses sawdust, preferably, or any organic material, like grass or fallen leafs.
It needs a bucket of sawdust for each bucket of waste. Make a layer of sawdust at the empty bucket bottom, and then go for #1 or #2, as you pleased. Cover the waste with more sawdust in a way to cut it's contact with air (wich causes the smell).
Go for it many times you need. At the end of the day just put the moisture in a bag and throw at the trashcan. Don't worry, till the third day won't be wet, won't be smelly (just a scent of wood) and won't appear flies or bugs). So, if you couldn't discard it that day, do it the second day. If you want to be super cautious, just discard the bag immediately - it's your pennies, anyway.
The great advantage of this system is to avoid the funnel and the pee jug, Wich needs to be emptied often. If you don't, it will smell very bad the next day - try to leave a public bathroom after that without judgement stares 😅. The disadvantage are the need of gather the sawdust or material and the need of space for storage.
Finally, if you are a tree huger, use sawdust from a sawmill instead of the chemically treated one from the woodshops. Discard it without plastic bag digging a hole - you'll be helping nature with a strong fertilizer.
My wife and I use the bucket with seat/lid in our camper van. I use it occasionally; she uses it about 2 or 3 times a day/night. We add no-dust, no-odor kitty liter into the bottom of the bag, which adds some cost. Works great. Used to be able to buy both biodegradable bags and “dumpster” bags that don’t leak as easily on Amazon, but now they only have the biodegradable ones. To combat the potential leaks, we add a second bag that is thicker - a compactor bag. That one gets used for very long and is just there in-case, so we don’t have to wash out the bucket if there is a leak in the biodegradable bag. Anyway, we are happy we didn’t waste money on expensive toilet and that we didn’t put a bathroom or shower in our van. Instead, we put in a lengthwise Queen-size bed, so we sleep super comfortably, and neither of us has to crawl over the other to get in/out of bed.
sounds like a great setup. I love the trash compactor extra bag, I'll try that.
Sounds horrible for full-time
@@hmmm2564 Our van is not for full time. Just camping.
I use the bucket from a cheap commode, which is the traditional toilet shape, with a kids toilet training seat on top, and bedpan liners which absorb a lot of liquid, into a scented black bag. Works great, no odour, and is cheap as chips. The whole setup lives in a small ottoman footstool, so it doesn't even need any extra space in my small Bongo camper.
I also use the bucket with the seat attached but with a slight twist. I take the tall kitchen garbage bag and put a cup of cat litter in it for weight. I then place it a gallon zip lock bag and zip it shut. When I need it I unzip it, pull the bag up and over the edge of the seat and do my business. When done I roll up the edges and stuff them back down into the zip lock. Zip the storage bag closed and you're good to go till coming to a place to dispose of it.
Great idea with the ziplock
Open kitty litter in your van also sucks up moisture condensation from your windshield
I was wondering about cat litter in the bucket. Thanks so much for posting.
Good review! We use the Laveo (dry-flush) and cat litter for peeing multiple times. This let's us flush only 3 times a day + a flush if #2. The cat litter handles the smell OK for us in-between flushes + provides some weight which ensures a good flush action right to the end of the canister. The 2 of use use it all the time (20-30 pees / day) and go thru a canaster in 3 days. ~$30/cartridge. The black bag / canister change over is quite clean and no smell. We do wipe down the top of the toilet - same as any toilet. Also has an actual toilet seat :) One can put the black bag in the car and drive to the dumpster with no risk of leakage or smell - e.g. just don't drop or puncture or abuse the black bag.
Laveo sells "pee powder" for the same reason. It gells the urin and eliminates any smell between flushes. One little jar is good for about 20 uses
You handled a delicate but important issue many of us are facing
I'm surprised you didn't mention using a bag in a bucket with kitty litter in the bag. I've heard this a lot from other van lifers. It absorbs liquids and makes the bag easier to handle less sloshing to deal with and less likely to leak. Also,. I've heard some people use a pop-up privacy enclosure so they can use it as a bathroom outside of their van. Can also be used for a shower enclosure.
I like to put a "pool noodle" around the top edge of the "Home Depot" bucket to act as a seat. Cut the noodle to the length of the circumference of the bucket opening then, lengthwise, cut one wall of the noodle from end to end. place the cut noodle over the top edge of the bucket and it is fairly comfortable to sit on.
I purchased a cassette toilet, like the first one in your review, called a Pack-A-Potti from Sears in 1978 to use in my van and then used it for tent camping after that for 40 years. Never had any of the problems you mentioned. I used an RV waist tank treatment in the holding tank. NO orders. Always close the lid before flushing. In sub freezing temps I would put some RV antifreeze in the top tank. It's good for two people for three days. The tank treatment dissolved the solids and helped with odors when emptying, the only time there were some odors. I think it's the best solution, yes it is more like a conventional toilet. The rest are either too expensive or too gross.
i agree with you , using common sense makes things work great, leaving it like he said was not smart so his is to blame not the toilet, living like this requires work to be effective so you reap what you sow.
My family has also used a Thetford Porta potti since the 1970's too, no problems at all if you do as you say.
5 gallon bucket and a roll of 8 gallon kitchen garbage bags, Bag the bucket do your business then knot the bag and find a dumpster 1 gallon water jug for the other. Spray can of Ozium air sanitizer. It's worked well for almost 40 years ..
I use an Apple Juice jug for pee. Has a larger opening then milk jug and the plastic is thicker so it's more durable. Plus color looks right if someone happens to see it.
I use an old 5 gal paint bucket, with lid, for poop. Insert bags (often from grocery store for cost savings) and peat moss (cheaper then kitty litter), for cleanliness and odor control. I do use a Pool Noodle around the top of bucket to help hold bag in place and add extra comfort, but it's not taped on. Normally take it off between uses so I can replace the air tight bucket lid. This helping prevent accidental spills that no-one wants to deal with. And by adding some Peat Moss to the poop before covering with lid, I get more then just a single use from each bag and no odor issues.
For the boys---Use a gallon Arizona Tea container as a urinal at night so you don't even have to get up in the cold---Especially if you go frequently at night---I use any 5 gallon bucket with a regular real soft toilet seat on top.
Put horse pellets in the bucket with plastic bag. It absorbs the liquid and just turns into saw dust. Remove bag and throw in garbage at next gas fill up. I have used the cassette toilet for many years, but I am about to travel again and wanted something with less hassle.
Yep. That's what I use. Gotta love Tractor Supply.
I use "reliance" bucket system. And pine pellets. Also "Arm and Hammer" cat litter deodorize. Just a light sprinkle on top. Pee, poop, toilet paper, and I spit toothpaste water into it with the little paper cup. So easy.
DIY compost style with seperater for #1& #2 looks like a good solution too.
Thank you for Telling Us About The Portable Toilets 🚽, because To Be Honest With You, Not Too Many Businesses And Businesses Stores 🏬 To, Are Not Letting People Use Their Restrooms 🚽 Like That Anymore For Real.
I'm going with a 5 gal bucket, 13 gal trash bags(tape them up when done), put those bags in a yard trash bag and dump the latter periodically.
Bucket with the toilet lid is what I've used for those emergencies when I can't get to a truck stop
The big funnel bottle idea is genius.
It made all the difference for my wife and I
I recently changed from an expensive porta pottie in my van and previously also my boat. I now use a folding pottie with a composting liner and peat moss. If out in the boonies, just dig a deep hole and bury the liner. The peat moss contains the odor too. The plus of the folding pottie is that the footprint is square, so it's much more stable than a five gallon bucket.
What’s it called - brand?
Put the five gallon bucket in a crate to keep it steady.
Took me two days to refind this one after losing it in my queue. Thanks for all the side-by-sides! My setup is under $40, got a 3d printed separator, a 5 gallon bucket, a pitcher, a jug, and a short piece of tubing from separator to jug. Ongoing costs are cedar shavings and bags for the pitcher, and rv enzyme for the jug (to keep down odor, even when empty). I didn't have time to find out if there might be public domain 3d printing plans for the separator part, but there might be! That was the most expensive part.
Sounds amazing! Can you share a link to the 3D printer separator and a picture of your setup?
We use the bucket all the time at our acreage. What we do is put a garbage bag in it under the seat. Put a handful of wood burning pellets at the bottom. The pellets soak up the pee and cover up the smells. we do this for both pee and poo. after every time we pea we put more pellets in it. all you have to do is take the bag out and put it in the garbage. we use it many times before taking out the bag. Unless we poop. we will take out the bag right away. Been doing this for years. We don't live there and only go out on the weekends. this works for the whole weekend.
Agree...bucket is best. I use composting trash bags for poop. They take a while to breakdown, so you have plenty of time to dispose of.
Do you use a funnel and/or internal sealable container for pee? Do you add any composting fiber to the poo?
I use a foldable bucket. Saves a ton of space and dirt cheap in use. If you unfold it it has a toilet seat and lit and everything and his store bag to put it in. The funnel is a great idea that im going to implement from now on. Never thought of that
Bucket with lid and bag. Add a small amount of pine pellet bedding from farm supply store. The pellets are very inexpensive, retain the urine (turns into more of a solid), and it controls odor.
I like #3. Easy to dispose waste.
I have the dry flush, and it does smell badly from urine and stool mixed together. I haven't done this yet, but I was thinking of trying pine horse-bedding pellets in it to absorb the liquid and lower the possibility of smelling badly. You are right about the cost! I have mine put aside and have been using various Amazon collapsible bucket toilets with bags and the pine pellets. Much less expensive and easy to deal with.
Ditto, though I've been experimenting with composting and separating toilets. I kind of like them.
I'm using the homemade composting toilet as described on the channel Off-grid with Doug and Stacey. Works really well.
Also, if you are using a composting station similar to what Doug built, you don't need to separate liquid from solid. It all gets composted together (for about two years.) The liquid is necessary to help break down the solids, and you either need the liquids that your body deposits, or you have to add a bunch of water to get it started.
We use coconut coir and a scoop of diatenacious earth powder in our toilet. The powder does a great job soaking up liquid the coconut doesn't absorb. Lengthens the time between bucket changes.
A foldable metal chair with removable potty. I put a bag in the potty, with a scoop of hemp shavings, use it, tie, bin it. when in the wilderness, remove the potty, dig a hole, sit on the chair with the hole in it for comfort. I still put hemp shavings to keep smell and bugs away.
I use the bucket with the lid, I put the liner in below the lid and a layer of woodchips for #2, case of #1 we simply place the poop bag over the lid. Every 2 or 3 days we ad a layer of wood chips, which makes great garden compost.
I wanted to add a cool tip at my mums she has a bucket system we pee into at night (as a portaloo is outside for poop) if u pee into a jug etc have a spray bottle with white vinegar and water mix (half half ratio) it really makes a difference to the smell and even stops the bucket or jug etc from smelling
The orange bucket from Home Depot works fine for me. Of course I only use it in emergencies. I mostly stay in town, where there are plenty of toilets available.
I'd put a gamma seal lid on that Home Depot bucket to close it very well..
I use the middle one in our little camper with the heavy duty bags, just for night times.
Thanks for the video, on my cheap bucket I putted on it the pool noodle, so more confortable
Excellent!
I use a old fashion hospital toilet chair. I found it really useful and comfortable. We use rabbit bedding and the toilet powder to keep down smell and liquid and throw it in the garbage. 😂😂 it works well.
I bought 2 of the hospital type commodes at resale shops, they were both brand new, taped and label’s still on, each $10.
This is so great! I have a vintage camper that doesn’t have a bathroom and I use the bucket with the toilet seat system! It’s really just for me when I wake up in the middle of the night and need to pee and I don’t want to go outside or walk to the restrooms at the campsite. My husband and son can just go outside, but like you said it’s a whole different story for the ladies. I’ve been putting a trash bag in my bucket as a liner and filling the bottom with cat litter but I like the funnel in the milk jug way better because I can seal that up and I don’t have to change out the kitty litter every day. Will definitely be switching over to your method!
I bought a Boxio from Germany but need to modify it to get it to a comfortable seat height. I’ve also ordered one from Joolca that won’t arrive until July. Both employ a liquid and solids separation system. I still find a stainless steel chamber pot works fine for my nightly urine relief as long as I remember that it’s disposable is top of the list in the morning. I’ve also been experimenting with a hose and funnel system ported directly through the van sidewall that has worked remarkably well although it seems to gross people out when I explain its use.
The Boxio is nice; I did a review video of it. The extra storage base is helpful to get the proper seat height and great to store extra toiletries and compost material
That funnel would need washing or wiping. Men can use any jug. Women can use a laundry jug. Cut out the spout with a serated knife but leave the threads for the cap. A few drops of cheap laundry soap in the empty jug keeps it fresh till full. Empty in toilet at next laundromat visit. For #2 use a trash bag in the bucket or existing toilet. Tie in knot and cut off any remaining clean bag to save space. Deposit into empty coffee can. They are air tight. A can holds many "packets". Use an aligator baggie in the can so you can yank them all out at once at the dumpster if you're reusing the can. (You wouldnt hesitate to trash a dirty pamper from a child. Its the same thing.)
Have used several the last few years and for about the last 18 months the lavio dry flush. Paid $600 on sale and love it! Pros it’s tall, sturdy and has a regular toilet seat, and absolutely no smell at all. Cons: Definitely the price of the refills, and not just the price but their ridiculous shipping costs. Having to wait until cartridge is done to empty or waste the rest of the cartridge.
I do not use it for pee but store my pee bottle inside. But you can use the pee powder and wait a few times before flushing if you didn’t want to use a pee bottle.
For me, a dry flush system is the only way to go. I can't handle dealing with pee or poo. I am a big baby, and it will make me sick, and then I'll have flashbacks and won't be able to eat all day. I need psychiatric help, but instead, I'll just choose the Laveo.
That sounds pointless
I agree the one in the middle is king !
Thanks for the great video 👍
after using Thetford porta potties with water and chemicals for 26 years we switched to a Trelino separating toilet and love it. We don't compost, just bag the solids after each go and place in the garbage. The urine container is easy to empty in public toilets or in the forest.
Love my Laveo Dry Flush. You can get the thing for about US$895 and refills are less than US$20. They have "pee powder" that removes odor and solidifies pee or liquid so you can use it for "number one" about 5 or six times between flushes. I get about 17 flushes per cartridge - about US$1.20 per flush. When it's time to change the cartridge, just pull up the outer thick bag, twist and zip-tie it closed and toss into an appropriate trash receptacle. No lugging a bucket or container into a public restroom to dump out the contents into a toilette. No need for fans and ventilation tubes to pipe the stink out of your van, and having to turn cranks or shovel dealing with composting.
the lack of odor is great with the laveo system
$895!
Would you like to buy a bridge?
They $2000. + in Australia. Like the look and conveniance of them (pardon pun), but price out of range.
Thank you. That eas a very unglamorous but highly important presentation.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The bucket is the best
Easy and no water needed
Very good, thanks! I was glad to see that the bucket with lid won out since that's what we use camping.
Something to consider is to add cat litter to the buckets. Absorbs liquids and coats the solids. Has odor control if you don't mind the smells that come with the litter you choose.
Otherwise, a bit pricier, use the poo gel powders that come with the camping toilets. I use this. It gels up the liquids and breaks down the solids.
I got an Airhead composting toilet two years ago. It cost a lot, but it has been excellent. I got the version with a household-style toilet seat instead of the smaller marine size. In a four month period of full-time van living, the solids container did not fill up. A year later with occasional weekend use, it's about ready to empty before springtime travels.
The separate liquids container is easy to detach and empty. I keep a spray bottle of white vinegar solution nearby and give the bowl a quick spritz after use. It does require a vent to the outside and 12v to a small inline fan.
Bucket toilet has been my main toilet for years. Theres no need to reinvent the wheel with the complicated toilets. I double bag to keep bucket sweat down. Use peat moss to soak and cover mess. Keep two buckets at all times because I use an enema/douche kit as a little "bidet". The peat moss costs like $20/Year and that's with heavy use because of the bidet and 365 day use. Its enough to keep everything well covered. I empty once a week wnthe two toilet system. There is ZERO smell, even opening the lid and sitting on it for 20 minutes scrolling your phone. No smell. I could not believe you spent $1000 on a compost toilet!! I spent $10 on one lid, the other one was $.50 at a yard sale, bucket was already laying around and double bagging 4 bags/week is the most expensive cost. The only other potty Id consider is a pee funnel that pipes up to the outside and just drains out on the road. A little water on the side of the road isnt going to hurt anything. As a woman, just have to find or create a funnel that catches all the pee and doesnt make a mess. 🤷 Ive had friends that live off the grid and use the bucket system in their outhouse instead of a pit toilet. They have very nice cedar outhouses that smell amazing and use 50/50 saw dust/peat moss for their cover. Im currently building a cedar box to frame my bucket toilet to put in my new little house bathroom. A little tip: you can double or triple bucket, stacking them to create a taller toilet. This is a great idea for men that are usually taller than us women. You might want to glue and seal them together though to prevent ANY liquid or odor from getting in riser buckets and creating an odor you cant get rid of and cant get to when the buckets compress together after sitting on it for a while.
We travelled Australia for a year with 7 people. 4 males and 3 females.
Used the bucket type. Saw dust, baking soda and supplementary wide opening neck empty washing liquid bottle for the males to use for pee. This meant we didn't need to empty the bucket as often. Saw dust was available for free . Using heavy duty bags. We would empty the wee bottle in any public toilet daily and flush. Cost including the bucket was approximately 40 dollars for the whole year.
We use the bucket and lid like you do in our tent trailer at night and for the day, we transfer it in a pop up change room tent. Thanks for sharing. 🇨🇦
liked your explanion, greetings from Belgium, Europe
Hi Belgium! Just felt like saying 👋🏻
You've got to check out the Trelino composting toilet. It's brilliant. Better than the ones here.
Hands down, The Home Depot Deluxe model Is by far the best. The safety orange color scheme Serves it's purpose. Safety, Safety, Safety!!!
I just use a little plastic container in my minivan. It's about 5" diameter by 9" tall.
Just put a biodegradable 3 gallon plastic trash bag in there with a bit of wood chips. Squat over it and do your business. Cover with some more wood chips. Tie the bag and throw away.
Works well when needed and takes up much less space.
Experience leads to the best solution everytime! #3 to go 1 and 2! 😱😁😝🤪🤣👍👍🇺🇸
I have a hospital toilet seat with four legs that has a pan in it. You can take the pan out and put a 5 gallon bucket under in and turn it into a compost toilet by adding lime and sawdust to it .remember this will only get used when your not around anywhere that has a public toilet. You can use spay alcohol to clean it.(#2only)
We have a biased opinion that compost toilets are the way to go. Just ask, and we will tell you all about it!!! Great video.
I would love to do another 'composting toilet' showdown, sounds like OGO should be in that mix.
We used a cassette style independent unit in our vintage Shasta because we had little ones. Only for liquids. Now it's a bucket and bags with kitty litter, and a wee jug.
simple is good
I went thru most of these. End up with cassette thetford. Imho its the most natural looking bowl and easy to use. I only wish there was an automatic drain opener.
The Stansport style toilet with a urine diverter setup would be da bomb!
As for the Dometic toilet: I had one in my boat. I did get "sh*tfaced" only once when opening the flush valve. Lesson learned about venting the tank with the toilet lid closed, before using the toilet.
Ha! Yeah you only have to learn that lesson once ;)
Omg 😮
I pee out the window, on the neighbors barking dog.😆😆😆
Great video. And tips in comments! *Read the FREE pdf HUMANURE handbook too. Most important takeaway is use a pee jug. A wide mouth nalgene has a tight lid , can be discretely put in small backpack or shopping or women's totebag/ purse and emptied in a toilet. Separate pee and poo is much easier to keep smell down. Bucket in crate a great idea for stabie base, thank you so much!
Was not expecting the guitar riffs in the beginning for a toilet comparison video.
A showdown is a showdown
I am rewatching this video and I may have commented earlier.
We have a folding toilet that was suitable for our small van however as here in Australia self-contained is starting to be enforced we got a 10 litre portable toilet and a collapsible grey water tank which hopefully get us accepted in most places.
So next trip we will use the new toilet as we did the old one with a plastic bag lining the bowl, a paper bag lining the plastic bag, absober in the paper bag.
After the deed is done we 'burp' the bag so there is little to no air space, twist the neck of the bag like you would a packet of lollies, turn it back on itself, burp and twist again, and tie securely into a tight, firm, small package to dispose of properly.
We reset the 'catchers mitt' ready for the next visit and store the 'packages' in a bag in the lined toilet bowl if there are no bins close by to dispose of later.
To save space we will store extra pine pellets in the black tank and the 'package'.
If necessary I will try to find some firm 'sticky' plastic to cover the bowl to stop any odours wafting through the van. Similar to the silicone food bowl covers. We'll see.
Lugabble loo with compostable bags cedar shavings with eco gel and Bobs your uncle...cheap...effective..easy peasy
Simple is best. The bucket works.
Like you I use the bucket and chuck it method.great vid
In my SUV I sleep on one side and keep the other side with the seat up and use a 2 gallon bucket. After watching this I will add the jug method and bag for the rare other occurance.
For camping site using a commode, ( hospital type) it’s adjustable for height, home D-bucket, lined, saw dust, or whatever is convenient. Comfortable and able to buy commode at resale shop, it was brand new, it came with a little pail and lid but not as deep as home-D type of pail.
I like the middle bucket, funnel and bottle. Easy.
I live in an older one-bedroom house. Glad I had a home depot bucket, a spare toilet seat and pine cat litter when I had a two day repair. Had a feminine funnel, gallon container. I like your idea with the five-gallon bucket and the automotive funnel soooooo much better. I'll be swithing to your much better system, so thank you!
We build one of wood that had what looked like a large porcelain-dipped metal cup in a box. The whole thing looked like - on ethe outside, a nice wooden box with a lid that had hinges and there was a cushion in the lid and a real toilet seat on the base.
We would now if doing this, use a bag with what ever in the bottom to cover the smell, in the bottom of the bag - easy to dumb in a dumpster somewhere. you use something that is like hamster bedding or something not toxic and easy to get. We don't have smells either.
My preference is a seven gallon plastic utility bucket with a Leaktite or Gamma Seal screw-on top. To use, I unscrew the top, add a kitchen garbage bag, and put a section of pool noodle or pipe insulation round the edge for comfort. And the bucket comes in handy for other stuff as well!
Bucket. Kiddy litter on bottom easy peasy
Great video! Avoid the "Pee Bomb" at all costs :-) Thanks!
One thing I do with the bucket is I taske and cut a pool noodle for the seat. Drill a few holes around the bucket, get some zip ties and WHAM! Happy Wife!...ok, ok, my butt was happy too...
good idea, sounds comfy
One more thing that I use is fabric softener bottles. They have a bigger opening and it's easier to hit it. You don't miss
At 5:19 cameraman figured out how to fit host and toilet in one shot, finally! 😅 great video btw
I use the Dometic cassette toilet. They have deodorizer that you put a couple capfuls with the flush water. Just keep the toilet clean and you won’t have any issues. I love that style toilet it’s the most comfortable one that’s portable. I just like how it’s whole system operates. I also have a nice pop up shower tent that I use outside for the toilet. I love using my own Dometic instead of walking to a bath house
Foldable toilet for easy storage.
Double bags as a leak preventative. You don't have to throw both bags away, just the one that will contain the waste.
Pine pellets from the feed store work great. Toss bags in the trash daily if possible.
As a woman, I don't want to mess with separating.
I used to fold my toilet up daily, I now keep it inside of an ottoman that can also be used for extra seating or a foot stool. (When toilet is empty)
The ottoman is also foldable so it can be tucked away if I need more space in the van.
Van is an older Ford Econoline, not hightop.
Please get a tripod...
I use gatorade bottles for #1. I keep six, and when I can shower at a truck stop, I take 3 or 4 in and empty, fill w water and vigorously shake and empty plus one more quick rinse. At the truck, I do 12 sprays of water combined with meyers handsoap, a bit hand sanitizer and recap lighty. In use they sit in a box capped tightly. No smell. Some truckstops sell little yellow oval funnels that the ladies can use. Keep on trucking!
Went with a bucket, but glued on a square 3/4" board to the bottom for stability. Too tipsy otherwise!
stable is good
Brilliant idea
Excellent review, all pros and cons.
Conclusion: buy yourself a bucket and bag everything and pee in jug., cheapest and easiest solution.
Keep up the good work!