Where Do You Empty a Camping Toilet?

It’s Time To Empty The Toilet.. But where do you empty a camping toilet?

Yeah, I said it!! We need to be open about this subject!

One of the most taboo subjects with camping, without a doubt, is emptying one’s toilet. It’s one of those essential tasks you don’t really want to do but needs doing, for obvious reasons!

How many times when camping have you sat with a cup of tea, watching the world go by, when then you spot a fellow camper with a trolly and a rectangular cassette with yellow bits thinking, “What’s that?”

Any seasoned camper will know that this is an essential part of camping. No, it’s not the loveliest job in the world, but if you follow some clear advice and take on some hygiene rules below, we can make this essential task a bit rosier!

Where Do You Empty a Camping Toilet?

Whether it’s full or it’s time to go home, you need to make sure that your toilet is emptied. This is non-negotiable!

It’s safe to say that camping toilets have come a long way since the old bucket and seat! 

Nowadays, all you have to do is open the compartment of your caravan or take the holding compartment off your portable toilet and carry (or wheel) it down to the designated disposal point. 

That’s right! There are designated waste points for this, which are managed professionally; you can’t just pour it all down the sink! 

Beginner Tip: Remember, the longer you leave it to empty your tank, the heavier it will be!

At your campsite, there will be at least one designated point AND tap for the emptying of your waste. 

On a side note, make sure that you don’t fill up your clean water butt with water from the waste tap! Drinking water and wastewater in the world of camping are two very separate things, and we recommend you familiarise yourself with them on arrival. 

If you cannot locate where the waste should be disposed of, ask a staff member to guide you in the right direction.

The specific areas to note will typically be marked with one of the following;

  1. Chemical Waste Disposal Point
  2. Elsan Disposal Point
  3. Chemical Toilet Disposal Point

These are the designated points to dispose of your toilet waste and should be used for this purpose ONLY.

How Do You Clean a Camping Toilet?

Cleaning a camping toilet is not as difficult or as challenging as it may seem. 

Once you’ve emptied the contents of your toilet cassette, all you need to is;

  1. PUT GLOVES ON – Always put gloves on when you’re attending to your toilet maintenance.
  1. Use The Specific Tap- Use the designated tap or hose mentioned earlier to rinse out the cassette.
  1. Rinse and Repeat!- Rinse and Repeat several times to get rid of any residual waste.
  1. Clean- Once the water runs clear, you can replace your additives for continued sanitation (Aqua Kem Blue)
  1. Assemble- Return the cassette to its place in the caravan or toilet tent!

It really is as simple as that!

How Does A Camping Toilet Work?

While a camping toilet is still, in essence, the same as a regular toilet in your house, there are one or two significant differences that you should know about.

As we’ve established, camping toilets do not dispose of your waste. 

Instead, once you’ve finished doing your doing, the contents are deposited in the holding tank at the bottom for you to get rid of later. 

Camping toilets use additives as human waste is not only a pollutant but also a health hazard.

It is crucial that when nature calls, you can safely and hygienically do your business, and this is why you need additives in your camping toilet. 

This is usually in the form of Aqua Kem Blue, which you pour a little bit into the tank every time you are ready to use it for the first time and will last for up to 5 days. The purpose of this additive is to break down the waste in your holding tank for easier emptying whilst also reducing odours and gas build-up. 

In addition to Aqua Kem Blue, for number twos, you will also need some Aqua Rinse Plus (The Pink One), and this is basically your flush system (if you have a flushable toilet.) It also helps prevent limescale build-up and keeps your flush-water tank clean.

Once you’ve finished on the toilet, you simply dispose of the bag (again, depending on the toilet type) or give it a flush, and it’s on to the next adventure. 

Beginner Tip: Don’t forget to pull the blade back! (The little door flap between to top half and the bottom half) If not, you may get a very unpleasant surprise!

Where Do You Empty a Camping Toilet?
The Full Lowdown On Camping Toilet Etiquette!

What Is The Best Portable Toilet for Camping?

Let’s start with the basics. There are three main types of camping toilet;

  • A Bucket Toilet – which is exactly how it sounds, a bucket with a toilet seat. You can buy these, but you can also make one very easily.
Reliance Products Luggable Loo Portable 5 Gallon Toilet Gray, 13.5 inch x 13.0 inch x 15.3 inch
  • Compatible with Reliance's standard Double Doodle Bag
  • Weight: 3.00lbs
  • Economically priced portable toilet
  • 5-gallon (20-liter) capacity
  • Simple bucket style design; traditional snap-on lid
  • A Collapsible Toilet – a space saver which makes transportation easier, usually comes with a seat and a bag (for the waste).
Offroading Gear 5.5ft Truck Bed Camping Tent w/Canopy | Waterproof | Compatible with F150| Ram| Sierra| GMC| Nissan| Etc.
  • FITS NEARLY ANY 5.5’ BED TRUCK – This Granville II truck tent fits nearly any short-bed pickup truck with a 5.5’ box and comfortably sleeps 2 adults.
  • INTEGRATED FLOOR – Features an integrated waterproof floor to keep you dry and clean when resting soundly in your truck
  • THREE PRIVACY WINDOWS WITH MESH WINDOWS– Every window can be zipped up for ultimate privacy even without the rainfly on. Each window also features mesh windows.
  • REAR ACCESS WINDOW – Rear access window unzips completely to allow access to your truck cabin. Great for grabbing items from your truck cabin or running cords into your tent!
  • SETS UP IN MINUTES – The Granville II is the easiest to setup truck tent in the world with color coded poles, elasticized straps, scratch-free clips, and more.
  • A Flushable Toilet – possibly the most common and widely used out of the three. 

A two cassette system, top half for doing your business and bottom half for holding it once you’ve finished.

SereneLife Portable Toilet with Carry Bag – Indoor Outdoor Toilet with CHH Piston Pump & Level Indicator – 5.3 Gallon Large Waste Tank – 100-120 Flushes for RV, Camping, Hiking & Boating
  • CONVENIENT, COMPACT, AND PORTABLE – The SereneLife portable toilet is small enough to fit in the trunk of your car but large enough to sit on comfortably. Its 37x41x35cm size means you can take it with you wherever you need to go, in a tent or on the road.
  • LARGE CAPACITY OF UP TO 120 FLUSHES – Our extra-large tank of 5.3 gallons holds more sewage than ever before, saving you the hassle of changing it often. Flush it up to 120 times with confidence – the waste tank level indicator will let you know when to empty it.
  • LEAK-PROOF AND ODORLESS DESIGN – To prevent unnecessary messes or spills, our design features a rotating emptying spout, allowing you to quickly and discreetly empty it when full. And it has a double-sealed drain valve to keep any nasty smells in.
  • STURDY AND EASY TO CLEAN – This leak-proof cassette toilet for RV travel is crafted from high-density, premium quality polyethylene for a corrosion-resistant travel toilet. It is an easy-to-clean material that is highly durable, making it perfect for your adventures.
  • DO YOUR BUSINESS ANYWHERE – Take our small, portable toilet anywhere you need to go. From camping, caravan, or trailer vacations with your family to boating trips with friends, use this portable bathroom both inside and outside with ease.

But which one is the best to choose??

In our opinion the Porta Potti is the best choice camping toilet.

This is purely an opinion of longevity, and lots of happy campers will undoubtedly agree!

Don’t let the name fool you. These things have been around for nearly 100 years! 

The Porta Potti is your classic flushable cassette toilet system which has seen many incarnations over the last 30 years, yet it is still classed as an industry standard in the world of camping toilets. 

This is produced by the same manufacturers as the earlier mentioned “Aqua Kem” products, there are several different styles and heights of portable toilets. They are built to stand the test of time and can hold up to 21ltr of waste! I mean, that’s a lot of….stuff!

When looking for a portable toilet, it can be overwhelming with the number of styles, shapes, and products out there. 

Just remember to choose one that suits your family’s needs and one that you feel comfortable with. 

Thetford PORTA POTTI 365 PISTON 4/5.5G, White, One Size
  • MARINE LIFE
  • Net weight: 4 Kg
  • Flushing System: Piston pump
  • Part number: 92820

The final tip for today is placement! 

If you’re camping in a tent, then you’re going to have to find a suitable place for your camping throne! 

This may be a spare room inside your tent where you can zip the door, which will grant you some privacy. If you’ve only got a little tent, then you may consider buying a separate cubicle tent, specifically designed to house your toilet and keep the noises away from your main tent!!

Happy Camping!

Last update on 2024-03-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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