How to Make a Compact Camping Toilet

A camping toilet is easy and cheap to assemble, and is not something any serious camper should be without. Read on to learn how to make a compact camping toilet.

Things You'll Need

• Toilet seat
• 5 gallon bucket, including lid
• Toilet chemicals
• Power drill
• Zip ties
• One 4-foot length of 2x4

Instructions

1. Assemble your supplies. The shorter your toilet seat is from front to back, the better for the purposes of this. You only need the actual seat part of the toilet. Get a bucket that still has the lid and the handle, as you will want to keep both.

2. Assemble the seat. Using the drill, drill a hole in each side of the toilet seat, parallel to each other. Cut two 2x4 lengths to match the depth of the toilet seat, and place the seat on top of the lengths of wood. Use your drill to drill through the holes in the toilet seat and make matching holes in the wood beneath. Use zip ties to affix the toilet seat to the lumber.

3. Prepare the toilet. Before you use the toilet, you should fill it with a gallon or so of water, and a small amount of toilet chemicals, available at any camping supply store. Because of the construction, you can continue to use the bucket’s handle to transport it, as well as using the lid to keep it covered.

4. Assemble the toilet. When you go camping, simply place the toilet in a flat, level area, remove the lid, and place the seat atop the bucket. When you have finished using it, simply remove the seat and replace the lid.

5. Maintain your toilet. After camping trips, clean the toilet at a solid waste dump facility. When stored, you should leave the bucket filled with water and a small amount of bleach. Always refill the toilet with a gallon of water and some chemical agent before use.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use safety goggles when using power tools.

• Be cautious when handling toilet chemicals as they are very abrasive.