How to Maintain an Outhouse

One of the greatest inventions of modern times is indoor plumbing. We like the convenience of flushing our waste and the accompanying smell away. Unfortunately when we head to the great outdoors this luxury is lost and the outhouse becomes a necessary utility. Proper maintenance can decrease the smell and flies that we usually find near an outhouse, which makes using it a more pleasant experience.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Run a plastic pipe about 4 feet down into the hole and up through the roof of the outhouse. This will allow methane gas from within the hole to escape.

2. Hang a fly strip down the hole. This will decrease the number of bugs around your outhouse.

3. Place air fresheners in the outhouse to further cover the smell.

4. Place used toilet paper in a nearby trash bag instead of down the hole. Toilet paper fills the hole more quickly and slows decomposition. Dispose of this trash bag often.

5. Toss a scoop of lime down the hole after each use. Lime keeps the smell down, deters annoying bugs and speeds up decomposition. Ash from a fire can also be used though it won't be as helpful in decomposition.

6. Throw a septic tablet down the hole every week or so, depending on how much the outhouse is being used. This will aid in keeping the smell down and speeding up decomposition.

7. Prop the door of the outhouse open when not in use. This provides ventilation.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't pour disinfectants like bleach down your outhouse hole. This will kill the bugs you need to help break down solid waste.