Bears may do it in the woods....

But I like a warm area for my business.

A look at alternative toilet appliances. If the water is out and the sewers are flooded and you don't want to wallow in your own waste - there are choices...


Clean Waste folder. As tall as your regular toilet. Uses bag with a power to control both moisture and order. Cost varies on vendor - shop around. With lid closed, surprisingly order free. Will hold 500 lb 'user'.


the bag is supported by a net. Filled bags can go into the trash - the powder makes this like a disposable diaper - only larger.

This is what I carry in my (totally awesome) VW Eurovan camper.

 

Next is a knock off the Clean Waste product


Reliance Fold-To-Go Folding Portable
limit 250 lb for the user. Bags are the same as the Clean Waste. Not as tall as a 'standard' toilet.

Less expensive. Lid doesn't seal as well as the Clean Waste. Sell, stores well and not too pricy

 

There are other folding toilets, but..

The bag attachment systems are IMO, a bit dicely.

Next, cassette toilets


pretty standard stuff on the low end
The toilet "bowl" sits atop a cassette that folds the waste. A storage tank (of one to several gallons) provides water for a flush via a hand pump. Thesse are both conventional and most kids have no problem using them.

Depending on the cassette, dumping the contents can be, well, a bit messy.
Heavy duty 'dishwashing' gloves, and a spray bottle of Clorex or other bleach goes a long way to help with the clean up. Normally, there are used in RVs for campgrounds with a cesspit for disposal.

Some of these units are equipped with a dump nozzel or tube to make the emoting and cleanup both less messy and a bit more, errr, splash-proof.

Certainly well worth the extra cost.

 

How about a 5 gal. bucket, a "commode" seat and any waste basket liner bag. Just add the magic powder, or not. Buying everything less than a double sawbuck.

 

The next step up is the true cassette toilet


Very European, you see these in rental caravans all over the EU zone. The unit pictured is for installation in an RV, but can be stand alone, so use in a cabin might be a consideration.

Installed in the RV makes a neat setup


Cost is the major liming factor for most folks

 

At the very low end is the bucket, seat, plastic and kity litter setup.



how low cost can you go?

pool noodle and plastic bag with bucket. It works but you are not going to be reading hte paper on this bad boy.

 

Finally - what do you do with a bag of sh...err, poop if you don't have access to a pit toilet (campground) or a cesspit?

I called my local sewer district and ask what plans the Muni had in a long tern power outage - like after a earthquake or major storm. The answer was instructive - there were no plans.

I'm lucky. I live across the street from a major ball-field and own a shovel. Dumping your waste into a storm drain is - at best - a very term and short sighted "solution"

I would suggest calling your local sanitation district to see what, if any, plans they might have for this kind of situation. I hesitate to offer any solutions as everybody is in a very unique location/situation.

 

Waterless or so-called Dry Flush toilets - a sort of bag in a bag...




How it works

 

At the Asiana Air Business Class Lounge, located in the Incheon, South Korea Airport, they have first class toilets. Features include complete wash and dry cycles. Definitely what one needs to improve the facilities of his / her BOL.

 

This is what I've been using for the last week and a half during my bathroom remodel. Funny this came up,,,I'm just now taking a break from prepping everything up to reset my toilet.
I don't mind roughing it a bit , just to prove to myself I'm not to spoiled ,,,
But a functioning toilet is one of the most pleasurable items in a home,,,,

 

Well, the wife grew up with an outhouse, and I had to use them at many overseas locations so guess we're lucky as we're use to them and also have enough land to dig one here if we worried about septic filling up...does make for a cold walk during the winter and one I would rather not do...

 

And done wrong, mosquitoes inn the summer. Always a huge problem at scout camp in the summer.

 

Not at all a joke, I have always thought that an improvised fall out shelter in your basement and no toilet for a few weeks might have some slight problems. Best long term solution I have seen is the Nordic style composting toilets. Permafrost and solid granite do kind of limit your ability to either build an outhouse or a leech field. Not simple nor cheap, but I have seen a couple that with a fan for venting and careful use, required some household waste to add bulk, worked very well.

 

In the mountains the requirements for leased land is to use toilets that burn up the waste electrically.
It might be the better option for dwelling below ground.

 

That is our emergency/ portable toilet. As cheap as I could get was the goal.

 

You can sprinkle a little scented kitty litter on as a topping , to help absorb the moisture , and to help with the aroma,,,,,,

 

I made a similar gadget using an old plastic milk crate (rectangular shaped), a piece of 2x4 and a toilet seat from WalMart. The 2x4 was inside the crate with holes for the mounting of the toilet seat which was on the bottom (top if turned upside down). Just had to cut away some of the bottom plastic from the crate. I was so proud of myself, but then I saw the bucket that @DKR posted....Damn, a trip to Home Depot for an orange bucket and a stop for a "pool noodle thingy" would have been a lot easier. I have to remember "Work smarter, not harder. Work smarter, not harder, work smar......"