Beyond the BabySteps: Emergency Chemical Toilet

Posted on May 8th, 2009 by Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy

I found this handout in an old “preparedness binder” that my mother-in-law had given me for Christmas about 4 years ago which I had promptly shoved in a closet and forgotten about until a few weeks ago. It has some great stuff in it but very little of it includes sources. We don’t claim credit for this but we wanted to share it with you (with a few tweaks) as it is very helpful information.

Emergency Chemical Toilet Contents

  • 5 gallon plastic bucket (with tight fitting lid)
  • 2 large boxes of garbage can liners (8-10 gallon size)
  • 1 gallon of liquid chlorine bleach
  • Pinesol
  • 6-8 rolls of toilet paper
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • 2 boxes of baking soda
  • Paper towels
  • Wet wipes
  • 1 bar of hand soap

Emergency Chemical Toilet Instructions

To use the toilet, simply remove the contents from the bucket, insert a plastic garbage can liner into the bucket and fold the edges over the rim of the bucket. Mix one cup of liquid chlorine bleach to one half gallon of water (one to ten ratio) and pour this solution into the bucket. This will kill germs and ensure adequate coverage. Though the bucket may be uncomfortable to sit on it certainly beat the alternative. For greater comfort you can remove the seat from a toilet and secure it to the top of the bucket. You could also consider including a child’s potty training seat in the toilet kit.

Every time someone uses the emergency toilet, he should pour or sprinkle into it a small amount of Pinesol, chlorine bleach, or baking soda to keep down odors and germs. The lid should then be replaced securely to keep insects out and the smell contained.

When the bucket is one third to one half full, tie the garbage bag liner shut and dispose of it appropriately (i.e. burying it or placing it inside a large covered metal garbage can for later disposal). Then simply replace with a new liner and a new mix of bleach water.

Image from http://www.endtimesreport.com

Image from http://www.endtimesreport.com


Technorati Tags: chemical toilet, emergency chemical toilet, Emergency Preparedness, emergency sanitation, emergency toilet

Filed under: Beyond the Babysteps, Sanitation

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  • Shirleymiles
    I don't like the use of or long-term storage of liquid chemicals here.... I think kitty litter would make a good alternative. Same idea, just sprinkle kitty litter over the pee and poo each time.
  • Years ago, when I was young and single, I bought a trailer and some land. The land didn't have Electricity, well or septic tank. I used a camping lamp for light, brought water home from work in 1 gal jugs and used a portapotty for the "bathroom". You can buy a portapotty rather cheaply at Walmart - about $50 or so. The one I have has a holding tank. So you do your business and then "flush" the pot by opening a lever. The refuse drops into the bottom holding tank that is then closed. It has less problems with odor than the "hassock" type portapotties have - 5gal buckets would be a "hassock" type setup. It works better because you don't have to deal with the odor while using it, only when you pull the lever to empty the pot. You learn to be really quick in opening and closing the lever! My potty has an indicator that tells me how full the holding tank is. It has a separate emptying spout. I've had occasion to use it in later years and it's been a big help and water-saver for those times that you're out of water.
  • Wow, thanks for the tips. Never knew you could buy a porta-potty for so cheap.
  • rorifirebaugn
    Just a suggestion, instead of bleach, pinesol or baking soad, lime is excellent at controlling odor and it is non-toxic and odorless and best of all, it immediately eliminates the odor of what we leave in the potty. <grin> A small amount, 1/2 cup each use and you are all set. A 50 lb bag of lime can be purchased at any feed store or even Home Depot.
  • Great tip, thanks!
  • Eric
    If you have city sewer services and it is still working (flowing out of your house and not backing up), you can still use it if the water is not working. You will still need water in bulk from a stored source or better yet to use collected rain water to flush. Just pour a couple of gallons in the bowl and down it goes. You can also fill the tank and use the handle.

    As far as buckets go, Wal-Mart sells a camping toilet bucket, it has an inner bucket and an outer shell with a lid and a seat the fits over the inside bucket and sits on the shell. I've used one in my truck for a few years with a little change in how it is intended to be used. First, don't defecate into the bucket, take the bucket out and put a heavy kitchen size trash bag into the shell and put the seat on it. When done, tie the bag and dispose of outside. Only urinate into the bucket and keep it in the shell and covered when not in use. If the world fails to recover (aka Long Term Disaster), don't use any chemicals in the unit. Dump urine out in a shallow hole away from buildings and any water source as it biodegrades easily. Fecal matter should be buried within 6 inches of the surface in fertile soil in climates with sufficient rainfall and on the surface in desert climates and dusted with a light layer of dirt. UV rays and the weather will break waste down when there are few soil microbes and little rainfall, and soil microbes will take care of wastes in fertile soils.

    Using chemicals to disinfect waste kills the bacteria that will break it down, keep the little critters alive and they will break down these wastes. If the smell is bothersome, get some air freshener or Oust to spray. Empty containers at least once a day and there won't be a problem.
  • Jason
    Using kitty litter or that oil absorbent works better then bleach/baking soda. Also you can use wood ash from the fireplace/cooking pit. I've personally used wood ash, kitty litter, lime, sand, oil absorbent in make-shift toilets.

    The biggest thing is to keep the lid closed when not in use, you can also use a "Gama" seal (screw on lid) to keep it even easier to keep the lid closed. Just watch opening it because methane/gas can build up after using it.

    Always line the bucket with a sturdy trash bag!
  • Bonnie
    Emergency Essentials sells a toilet seat with a lid that snaps onto a 5 or 6 gallon bucket for only $11.95. This would make using the bucket more comfortable and more convenient.
  • I forget how long it took before water pressure was back up, but it seems they were quicker with Ike than with Alicia, at least in my area. Still, it took long enough that the bathroom smelled because hubby refused to go in a 5 gallon bucket, even though I had kitty litter to cover our wastes. Maybe it was because I didn't have a special toilet lid for it.
  • Linda
    Great reminder to finish this task!!

    Also read a lot of places kitty litter is good - it absorbs and takes care of the odors. I'm buying whatever is cheap (on sale w/ Q so I can get the good stuff). A 20 lb bag ends up being about $3, so not bad ;-) Also you can buy a 5 gal bucket toilet seat at some emergency supply places.
  • This is too complicated. Just go to Wal-Mart or a sporting goods store and get some Bio-Blue to add to the bucket (with water). It eliminates the need for bleach, et al.

    Bruce Hopkins
  • Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy
    It's not complicated, it's just providing different options for things that could be useful for sanitation. I already have bleach on hand so that's easy to include. And I would definitely want to have wipes, paper towels, bags to store the waste in, etc. I don't think a bucket and bio-blue would be sufficient for all sanitation purposes. People can choose to store however much or little of these items they think would work well for their family.
  • gaby
    that's an excellent idea. thank you!! it sounds not fun to have to use that but in a emergency it will be very helpful. thank you!1 that will be my next thing to put together.
    so then a question do I have to choose one of the bleach, baking soda pinesol? or do I use the 3 ?

    thank you!!
  • Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy
    Gaby, I didn't put the original list together, but I'm assuming it's not a good idea to mix chemicals. So probably just use any of the ONE items each time you use it.
  • Liz C
    REALLY IMPORTANT:

    If you've used bleach in the emergency toilet, *do not add anything else*. Adding acids or ammonia to chlorine bleach can produce chlorine gas, nitrogen trichloride, and hydrazine.
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