Rund um die Klobrille – Thema Campingklo: Vorteile, Möglichkeiten, Lösungen

Everything you need to know about camping toilets: advantages, options, and solutions

Dry toilet, composting toilet, chemical toilet, bucket toilet – there are countless solutions on the market that are designed to make using the toilet easier when camping. But do I really need a toilet in my van or RV? After all, I’m out in nature! And if so, which toilet is the best one for me?

We asked ourselves these and similar questions when converting our van, and therefore we spent a lot of time browsing various websites and forums. To make your transition into van life as easy as possible, we decided to provide you with an overview and a basis for making informed decisions.

Let us give you a preliminary answer: The type of toilet you need depends on you and your travel style.

An explanation of the individual terms/types of camping toilets can be found at the end of the text.

Wald von oben

But first, let’s go back to our question: Is a camping toilet really necessary? 

Let’s take a look at the advantages of camping toilets:

Advantage of 1 – Flexibility. 

At the latest after our first trip in the camper, it became clear to us: a camping toilet is a huge advantage in terms of flexibility. Often, many campsites are completely overcrowded, and especially during the Corona pandemic, many public toilets are temporarily closed. The camping toilet allows you to be independent and stay anywhere without having to frantically search for the nearest available toilet. Are you not alone? Are you right in the middle of the city? Or are you just not feeling well? With a toilet in the camper, it’s no problem! 

Advantage 2 – Hygiene

Public restrooms or restrooms at campsites are rarely places where you feel comfortable when living in a van! ;) Often, they are quite dirty and smelly, and you’re just glad to get out. With our own toilet, we always had a clean and private alternative.

Advantage of 3: Cleanliness of the parking spaces.

Another problem is the sheer number of campers currently traveling around Europe. Whether on southern beaches or in northern lakes, we repeatedly discovered heavily polluted areas. After encountering up to 40 people(!) at some campsites, we weren’t surprised anymore. If each of these people had a camping toilet, the campsites would stay cleaner and thus retain their original beauty. And clean campsites not only make future campers happy, but also the local residents. After all, we still want to be able to camp freely everywhere in a few years, right?!

Our conclusion: Let’s get some camping toilets!

A camping toilet is a luxury that you acquire not only to maintain the cleanliness of campsites, but also to increase your own flexibility. It allows for more hygiene and significantly more convenience in your mobile home. Disposal is also not a problem thanks to a good network for emptying and refilling within Europe. Therefore, we recommend that all those converting vehicles themselves should definitely include a toilet in their plans, and that those with pre-built vehicles should have one installed. There are also affordable solutions for those on a tight budget, which we would like to present to you below.

And which camping toilet is the best fit for me?


We’re all different, so why shouldn’t our camping toilets be too?! ;)

A long-term traveler will most likely have different requirements than someone who goes on trips for a week three or four times a year. Is cleanliness and hygiene very important to you? There are also tips and tricks on how to avoid a lot of work with minimal effort.

To give you a good idea of the different types of campers, we’ve decided to divide them into three groups – maybe you’ll recognize yourself in one of them!

1. The weekend camper / The camping enthusiast / The short-trip traveler.

  •  Do you often travel on weekends or for a few weeks each year?
  • You often find yourself at campsites, but you would like to have a toilet in your van for when you’re on the road, especially at night, so that you can be more flexible?
  • Are you new to van life and trying out camping?

In that case, a composting toilet, such as the “Camper” model, would be ideal for you. All waste is collected in a container, with the help of the…Crap powder.“The liquid components are absorbed, and the odor is neutralized. By covering the waste with the odor-neutralizing litter, you also don’t have to look at the remains left by your predecessor. Your advantage on short trips: you only have one container that needs to be emptied and cleaned! There are no hose systems, no seals, or adapters that need to be cleaned extensively. This saves you a lot of work, and you can dispose of the entire contents in one go. Afterwards, you simply rinse out the box, and you’re done! On to the next adventure!”

Excellent value for money: Goldeimer toilets!

 The non-profit company Goldeimer manufactures its toilets in Germany under fair conditions and using sustainable materials. For longer trips, the toilet can be easily assembled and disassembled, and with every order, a portion of the proceeds goes to charitable projects for sanitary facilities around the globe. And the best part: while many offers on the market are very expensive, the value for money of the “Camper” composting toilet is unbeatable.

If you’re starting your van life with a slightly larger budget and don’t mind a bit more cleaning effort, we recommend the composting toilet from Trelino (which is also available here in our shop). Cleaning is a bit more involved here due to the various containers and accessories. Furthermore, the price is significantly higher than that of the composting toilet from Goldeimer, due to the custom-made containers. For this purpose, you have separated the liquid and solid waste, which significantly reduces odor development and therefore requires less bedding material.

2. The wild camper.

  • Do you prefer to be out in nature and enjoy spending time completely on your own?
  • Do you travel frequently, often for several weeks or even months at a time?
  • Do you want to be as spontaneous and independent as possible and be able to camp completely self-sufficiently in your camper?

In that case, both a composting toilet and a purely dry toilet could be a practical option for you.

Composting toilet:

If you frequently travel for extended periods and primarily use the toilet for “number two,” the “Camper” composting toilet is a brilliant solution for you. With the help of… “Shit powder” Depending on your sensitivity to odors, it can neutralize the smell for approximately four to seven days. For disposal, you only need to empty a container, which means you can be “clean” again much faster than with a composting toilet.
 
Composting toilet or dry composting toilet:
If you plan to use your camping toilet frequently for “small business,” a significant amount of liquid will accumulate. In this case, a dry separation toilet is recommended, as your consumption of “poop powder” would be considerably higher and therefore more expensive. Furthermore, you would need to empty the camping toilet more frequently – simply because the container would be full. In this case, we recommend the “Trelino” camping toilet, which is available in various sizes, or the “Camper” dry separation toilet with a suitable urine separation insert. Here, the liquid can be separated and disposed of regularly in between uses. In a ratio of 1:10, you can easily use the contents in your garden as fertilizer (be careful in nature reserves and near drinking water sources!). Undiluted, the liquid is harmful to plants and soil, as it can “burn” them. If you regularly take medication or smoke daily, you should also refrain from disposing of it in your garden. 

Anyone who spends a significant amount of time in a campervan throughout the year should definitely familiarize themselves with the topic of camping toilets. Whether you are planning a longer trip or even living in your camper, a camping toilet is an absolute must-have. Unless you live in an area with its own sanitary facilities, you will appreciate the luxury of having your own toilet in your camper or RV. In this case, we strongly recommend a dry separation toilet, either portable or permanently installed. 

Let’s assume you are traveling with your partner; a considerable amount of liquid waste will be generated daily. With a simple composting toilet that only has one container, this can quickly lead to unpleasant odors and an overflowing container. With a separating composting toilet, you can keep the liquids and solids separate and dispose of them separately. We recommend the following products:

• Trelino separating toilet
• Dry-separating toilet “Camper” with the appropriate collection container for urine.
• other permanently installed toilets

Why don’t we recommend a chemical toilet?

You’re probably wondering why we’ve repeatedly praised both composting toilets and separating toilets, but haven’t said a word about chemical toilets, which are commonly installed in RVs and used by many campers. The reason is that we care deeply about the environment, and chemical toilets are very harmful to nature in the long run, as they essentially kill all microorganisms in the water and soil in the surrounding area. Furthermore, chemical toilets need to be emptied much more frequently and require a constant supply of chemical diluent. While composting toilets also require litter, this can be taken along in large quantities much more easily, as it is much lighter. Overall, in our experience, using a chemical toilet increases the effort required and reduces flexibility. Therefore, we generally advise against using a chemical toilet.

Toilets – A to Z

Definitions and Explanations

chemical toilet

 A chemical toilet is a conventional, portable toilet in which the addition of chemical additives prevents the development of odors. These toilets can only be emptied at designated disposal stations and, in the long run, are harmful to the environment and water resources. Therefore, we do not recommend them.

bucket toilet

The bucket toilet is the simplest and most affordable option because it is essentially just a simple bucket. Like a composting toilet, everything is collected in a container and disposed of together. Buckets with a suitable lid are ideal to contain unpleasant odors. Here, too, “poop powder” can be used as an odor-neutralizing agent. 

Shit powder.

Goldeimer’s “poop powder” consists of biochar, absorbent wood fibers, compost, and a mixture of rock flour and microorganisms. Its primary purpose is to neutralize odors and absorb liquids. 

Separate toilet.

 The composting toilet – also Composting toilet. A composting toilet, also known as a separating toilet, is a toilet designed for use in RVs or gardens that features two separate containers for liquid and solid waste. This separation allows for easier disposal and reduces odor. 
 

Composting toilet / dry toilet

 A composting toilet is a toilet with a container for everything. Liquids and solids are mixed together, which leads to faster odor development. To counteract this, we recommend using what is known as “poop powder” – a litter material for odor neutralization.

Alternative disposal options for liquids and solids:

If you smoke or regularly take medication, don’t panic! The contents of dry toilets and composting toilets can also be easily disposed of via the sewage system. Many countries also offer a sufficient number of free disposal stations for camping toilets. When disposing of the waste, just make sure that the larger amount of solid waste and toilet paper doesn’t cause a blockage in the pipes. In this case, it is recommended to collect and dispose of the paper separately.

Alright, let’s get started! Let’s make the world a little cleaner and, at the same time, make camping a little more comfortable! ;)

I hope that our article has given you a better understanding of the topic of “camping toilets” and that it has been helpful to you.

If you have any further tips or ideas, please feel free to contact us via our contact form. We always appreciate any comments, product suggestions, or ideas!



Best regards,
Nicole from Camping-Pioneers.
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