When you’re in the great outdoors, it’s only natural for nature to call, so it’s important to be prepared. If you don’t fancy digging a hole in the ground, then your best bet is to use a portable camping toilet.
Chemical toilets are also more hygienic, so if you’ve done your research and found that you won’t have decent facilities on your camping trip, make sure you pack one.
At Winfields, we have a great range of camping toilets available from big brand names, including Thetford and Blue Diamond. They’re lightweight and easy to store away, so they don’t take up much room and are available in various sizes to suit your needs. We also sell a selection of camping toilet chemicals to keep your portaloo clean.
Shop online today for your portable toilet and take advantage of our fantastic prices, Price Match Promise and free UK delivery on orders over £80.
For more information, click here to skip to the bottom of the page to read our guide to portable camping toilets.
A camping toilet is, naturally, one of the most important parts of a camping trip, though nobody likes to mention it! However, a chemical toilet needn’t cause embarrassment or unpleasantness. With modern designs and efficient chemicals at your disposal, a chemical toilet for camping provides a much needed solution when you don’t have the best facilities available.
A chemical toilet for camping comprises a toilet seat complete with a lid. This toilet bowl is then connected to a waste tank, where you will add your toilet fluid. They are extremely well sealed to prevent leaks and many include a flush pump to dispose of waste hygienically.
Portable chemical camping toilets are designed to work similarly to a household toilet. The upper toilet bowl section often includes a flush to remove waste into the tank below. Here, the waste will dissolve in the toilet fluid, which will kill any bacteria and neutralise any odour. This allows you to safely dispose of it in the appropriate way.
There are two types of chemicals you can use in your portable camping toilet. The first is the blue toilet fluid that you put in the waste holding tank, as mentioned above. You can also buy pink bowl cleaner. You can put this in your flushing water to keep the bowl area clean, germ-free and smelling pleasant.
Some campsites only allow the use of environmentally friendly toilet waste chemicals. If yours does, check before you go that your toilet fluid is biodegradable and formaldehyde-free.
While you can use regular toilet roll in a chemical portable toilet, it is best to use quick dissolving toilet paper, or at least one that isn’t padded or quilted. This makes sure it gets rid of waste efficiently without clogging up. You shouldn’t anything else in your chemical toilet, such as nappies or sanitary items; these should be put in the bin.
To empty a portable toilet, you must first find out where the nearest designated chemical disposal area is. If you are on a campsite, there should be an area specifically designed for you to dispose of your toilet waste - make sure you don’t dump it in the general waste water disposal and keep it well clear of fresh water! Toilet waste is sometimes known as ‘black waste’, but should also be labelled as ‘chemical disposal’.
Once you have found your chemical disposal area, remove the lower waste tank and transport it to the disposal area. You may want to put sanitary gloves on! The tanks can get quite heavy, so emptying it daily is a good idea. There will be a spout on the tank from which you can empty the toilet, plus an air valve button you can press to minimise splashes. Once empty, rinse the tank out with water before carrying it back to your camp. Don’t forget to refill it with toilet fluid before using it again!
There are a few different types of portable toilet on the market for camping. They range from basic ‘bucket’ type models to flushable tanks which are more like what you are used to at home.
The best portable toilet will need to be both easy to clean and easy to empty. The Thetford Porta Potti is a popular choice if you want a flushing toilet, while the Kampa Khazi Portable Toilet is good for a more simple option. You can even find specially designed tents for placing your toilet for a little privacy; with a chemical toilet, camping needn’t mean sacrificing the most necessary home comfort!
