Dry Toilet: All you need to know

If you are wildcamping with a tent, caravan or camper trailer for example in Portugal or Italy, there is often no possibility to use a toilet. For this reason it is advisable to take a dry toilet with you. This is a practical alternative to the classic “chemical toilet”. The differences are described in detail below.

A dry toilet – what is it?

A dry toilet differs in many aspects from a chemical toilet, which is above all distinguished by the blue-coloured water in the bowl. Contrary to that, a dry toilet does not require any rinsing water or chemicals. This makes them a much more environmentally friendly alternative.

However, there are different versions on the market. For instance, not all dry toilets are compost toilets or separation toilets, also widely used.

Against popular belief, dry toilets are not specifically designed for motorhomes. They can also be used in other places, such as garden sheds or arbours. Due to their easy installation and saving space, they feature more and more amongst campers toilets. Transportable solutions are now even available as hinged dry toilets. An ideal solution for when there is no fixed installation for a proper toilet, but you still wish to have your own.

Pros and Cons of a dry toilet

There are many reasons to choose a dry toilet on a camping trip. One of the main reasons is that no harmful chemicals have to be used and the contents can be easily disposed. Also, no water is needed for flushing. A disadvantage, however, is that bags are needed for the container, which has to be replaced regularly.

How does a dry toilet work

The dry toilet is in most cases a composting toilet in which liquid and solid excreta are collected in the same container. The volume of such a container differs between 20 and 150 litres – depending on the size and design of the toilet. The contents of the toilet are then emptied either at a collection point or into a garden composter.

Another variant is the toilet with integrated composter: here the excrement ends up in a composter located under the seat. The liquid parts are discharged, while the solid excrements decompose and slide downwards. At the lower end, there is a flap for removal of the finished compost.

It is also possible to go for a separate toilet. Here, solid and liquid components are collected in separate containers. This may sound complicated at first, but is relatively easy to implement in practice.

An insert for urine is placed at the front, which is discharged into a tank via a tube. On the back side is a container in which fall the solid components. Not a problem for men, but it will take some time for a woman to get used to it. After use, litter is then thrown on top of the excrement to dampen unpleasant odours. If it does start to smell bad, you can simply dispose of the bag.

Ventilation and odour – what you should know about the dry toilet

If you want to make sure that there are no unpleasant odours, it can be useful to install a fan. This is especially the case if the toilet is integrated into a caravan or shed and therefore used more often. It is also important to leave the toilet lid open from time to time – this way the moisture can evaporate. For the installation of a ventilation normally a fan with 12 volts is enough. This is combined with a ventilation pipe, which filters bad air outside. Fans with such low output consume hardly any energy, therefore offering a practical solution. If you do not wish to use ventilator, you can simply empty the bag more often.

Want to build a dry toilet by yourself?

Dry toilets can nowadays be bought from different manufacturers. Thereby they only need to be installed in your motorhome or shed or simply taken with you. Another option is to build your own toilet. First of all, you will need wood for the substructure. There you will install a bucket for solid excrement, a urine container and the appropriate tubes as well as a collecting. It is important that the substructure has an opening on the side through which contents can be removed. The tube from the urine insert to the collection container should be laid in an easy reachable way. A big advantage of this selfmade construction is that the toilet can be adapted to the available surface. Furthermore it is a cheap solution.

Where can contents be disposed when camping?

Mostly, it is enough emptying the bucket once per week when camping – depending on how many people use the toilet and how large the container is. You simply remove, close and throw away the bag. Of course, contents of the camping toilet can also be used as compost for your garden. The toilet paper however should not end up in the same container, as it takes much longer to decompose completely.

The volume of the urine tank should be about 35 litres for two people. This can last up to one week. Of course, you can also empty the content in a proper toilet or in nature when you spend your holiday at a campsite.

Beware: In Germany it is not allowed to use untreated human faeces for fertilization purposes. A composting period of about one year is necessary. It is better to combine them with kitchen and garden waste in a large container.

Buying a camping toilet: How much does a dry toilet cost?

Since there is a number of different dry toilets on the market, it makes sense to compare the different models before buying one. Prices differ according to types and design. Ready-to-buy toilets are normally more expensive than self-built ones. Simple dry toilets cost between 100 to 400 Euros. However, higher quality models can cost up to 1,000 Euros – especially if the manufacturer is well-known. If you decide to build one by yourself, you should expect the all in all cost to be about 150 Euros. Of course it all depends on the materials you decide to use.