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Add to favoritesBefore sitting down to read our toilet tips please bring your sense of humour and a strong stomach. You are free to stop reading now.
If you’re sitting on the throne as you read please remember to wipe your hands and your phone when done 😉
We find if we use the toilet as normal it can last about 3-4 days before needing to be emptied. This depends on how much fluid and solids we put in there. More importantly how much water we flush with. We can make it last a lot longer with some of the tips below.
Our toilet has a 17.5 litre tank. We have been using SCA portable toilet chemical from Super-cheap Auto, this works well for us.
1. Instead of flushing every time, we use a spray bottle. Mixing water and Thetford Aqua Rinse. After having a pee you can just spray and walk away. Saving water and saving your toilet getting fuller quicker.
2. If you are a bad shot when taking a No.2 and you don’t get a hole in one, use toilet paper.
Find were your drop zone usually is then put a couple of pieces of paper as an airstrip.
That way when you flush it will be like a bobsleigh. sliding down using less water and less cleaning.
Alternatively you could use a toilet liners such as “happy bowl liners“.
3. Parking up for a while and not moving? your toilet chemical might not be working so well. Jiggle the cassette a bit to break it down a little. This gives you a little bit more room and spreads the chemical around.
4. Nature calling? go outside. Both sexes of course can find a spot away from the camp to have a pee. Needless to say, take your tissue away or dig a hole and burn it so animals do not dig it up. Don’t go to far away from the camp at night.
5. Don’t want to or can’t squat in the great outdoors? you might want to try a female spout or Sheewee from TENTWORLD. Guy’s you have your own!
You can both also use a unisex urinal.
6. If the spout/funnel is something you might use but don’t have access to one. Or you still don’t want to go outside were there are lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Make your own. A bottle and a funnel and vwa’-la’. Dispose of respectfully.
7. Cleaning the inside of your toilet. To save water I use baby wipes with a couple of drops of tea tree oil. I don’t wipe over the seal and I put them in the bin. “Do Not” flush wipes!They block dump point.
8. Emptying your toilet. Make sure you press the round orange release button. This allows air to enter and the contents to flow out much easier. However, don’t press it until you have already started pouring it out. If you do, It will splash you, as it comes out more quickly.
9. Cleaning your hands. If you’re saving water, have some wet wipes in a plastic container. The container will help stop them drying out. Add some tea tree oil or other antibacterial oil to help clean hands. You can also apply hand sanitiser.
10. Lubricate your ring. The ring seal on toilet needs to be lubricated. We use rubber grease this helps stop leaking and the flap jamming.
These tips are not for everyone as everyone is different. If you are out bush for a while with lack of water or facilities they may help
On an added note, Larry and myself have both had jobs dealing with bodily fluids before. Larry dealing with a sewage treatment plant and I as an assistant nurse. We are both happy to empty the toilet. OK, happy might not be the right word 😀
While writing this I have remembered a few different toilets we have sat on. Allow me to share our crappy photos from around the world.
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15 thoughts on “10 Toilet Tips and Tricks for Caravanning and Camping”
love everyones coments about sitting down after a good meal and contemplating your next move on the throne ,my wife and i have had vans in the past with a portaloo but now we are about to purchase one with a shower and toilet combo .
i have done a lot of reading on the web site about what chemical to use in the loo and checked prices. I think that the manufactures of the said chemicals should keep their prices more affordable for us grey nomads who are watching there dollar and trying to live the dream and do the right thing by the inviroment
Hi Sue. As relative newbies to having the luxury of a chemical loo in a van I found this really interesting and enjoyed a chuckle too. Where do you get your seal lubricant? Nothing I have read has said where to buy them and we haven’t found any in shops. I’m enjoying your blog after reading about it in Caravan and Motorhome magazine.
Hi Janice,
We use one from an auto accessory place. You can buy Thetford Toilet Seal Lubricant if you prefer the real thing. Most caravan places sell Thetford products so may sell it.
Happy Camping 🙂
You are a brave woman to tackle this subject. Love your sense of humour “outside were there are lions and tigers and bears, oh my”……for example! I know I know this from some nursery ryhme many moons ago. It gave me a good chuckle. I bought one of those male/female wee pots from ebay which my husband was appalled about. But guess who uses it the most?
Anyway, I’m Deb and I am glad to meet you.
Hi Deb,
Isn’t it funny how something we all do can be hard to talk about. After working in the nursing industry I probably find it easier then most to talk about it.
I have seen more people recently buying those urinal bottles. Great that both sexes can use them as well 🙂 Love that you have converted your husband lol. I have added your idea to our post 😉
So glad you got a chuckle form the post 😀
Happy Travels
I live FT on the road & have tried several products & found they all had a down side. Then I ran out & couldn’t replenish for a while. After a couple of empties (I too restrict flushes), I found loo didn’t smell, all waste broke down quickly just the same, & there wasn’t the cost of chemicals. That was two yrs ago. I have since found blue blocks in Aldi, that are suitable for septics, they just clean & freshen the bowl, without the mega expense.
There are so many things out there that we’ve been conned into believing we need/must have. So many cost a lot, take up space, are not necessary (like food-quality hosing that still gets algae growing in it).
Thanks for your comment Joy, nice to hear what other do.
Next time we pass an Aldi I will take a look at those blue blocks you mention.
I think at the end of the day we learn as we go. Take a bit of advice form everyone and filter out what works for us.
Happy full-timing Joy 😀
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