Some toilet queries ......

[Indalo Man]

Hi there

We recently had our first trip in a van, rented for 10 days travelling round southern Spain and loved it. However, we have a question mark over the whole issue of the cassette toilet and, to put it bluntly, number 2's. We travelled around and stayed on caravan sites down and around Tarifa and up to cadiz etc so we always had facilities to use. As we get more experienced and buy our van, which we are looking into at mo, we shall no doubt travel more as we live in Spain, and are very keen to wild camp as there are some great places around where we live.

However, our one fear is that we shall then have to use the van toilet for both 1's and 2's, and we have a few fears:

1. Even tho there are chemicals, will it begin to smell etc
2. Do most wild campers use just in emergencies or do they use as and when.
3. How often do you need to clean out the cassette if you do use for both 1's and 2's
4. When we drove around Spain we didnt see many places where you could empty the cassette unless you stayed on a site - so if you do wild camp do you then have to look to stay on a site to use the clean up facilities when things need emptying or are there other places that we do not know about ??

I know this all sounds very childish but it is a 100% genuine query and seems a bit of a taboo subject and not easy to bring up in conversation, but having joined up in recent weeks and enjoyed many threads and good advise, I have plucked up courage to ask the forum and just see what advice comes back. Any tips etc would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Nosha]

Hi and welcome, We ALWAYS use our own toliet (1&2's), even when staying on campsites! We've found we run out of water in 4 to 5 days, and the loo is full in about 3 days.

I only use about half the recommended amout of 'blue' as the toilet will not really smell in only 3 days, we have also used public toilets to empty the loo, but normally use a campsite after 2 or 3 days so we can refill with water & empty the loo.

The Camping & Caravan Club now offer motorhome 'stop overs' for about a fiver on their main sites, so you can bothe have a shower, fill up with water, empty the loo and move on for £5!

Hope that helps, beware that 'blue' really stains wallpaper, carpet etc, so if you do empty when you get home; TAKE CARE! Or see if you can lift a manhole cover at home and prevent splashing in the bathroom.

 

[Indalo Man]

Hi ***** and Nosha

Thanks very much for replying as not the easiest subject to swop tips, but for us novices was really helpful. When driving thro France {just in a car} we saw their facilities on the motorways with the Aires, are fantastic and perfect to park up and empty without the world watching what you are doing - Spain regrettably rarely have these so service stations would ahve to be used I think.

And a great idea by the caravan allowing short stop overs to 'service' the vehcile on a site and grab a quick shower for £5.

Thanks again.

 

[Nosha]

Here here!!

Our friends had the side door forced open and were robbed whilst asleep on an Autoroute Aire!!! They only woke up when the dog barked and someone exited the van very quickly!

They now have dead-locks fitted to ALL doors and lockers!

 

[guerdeval]

Elsan do an organic toilet additive which smells nicer than thetfords, also it will not harm septic tanks whereas the blue destroys them, depends on your environmental credentials really, we use for both by the way

 

[lenny]

Thats news to me

Well I,ve learned something new today, in my ignorance I,ve always insisted that my fellow campers only use the thetford for wee wees only except in an emergency. I didnt know about the breaking down qualities of the chemical fluids.

Thanks for the question Indaloman

PS. I was telling Christine about this thread and she told me she once seen a bloke on a campsite emptying his toilet by shaking it vigorously at all angles to get the lumps out, she said she nearly through up at the time

PPS. sorry about the gory detailing in this post

 

[hogan]

Spain is very very slowly getting a few aires set up just for this purpose.I have visited a few and was very impressed,still miles to go to catch up with France and Germany,have a look at
www.areasac.es/v_portal/apartados/portada.asp and
www.furgovw.org/mapa_furgoperfecto.php

 

[shortcircuit]

Fit a SOG unit and you need no chemicals and have no smells to worry about.

I normally empty mine on a daily basis, but that is my preference as it could last three days. All depends on how much booze consumed?

 

[Deleted member 207]

Emptying a chemical toilet can be fun (NOT!!), in Spain I would just march into an outside toilet attached to a service station and proceed to chuck it down their loo, no one batted an eyelid and I assumed this was just a normal activity. There are public toilets around as well which can be used.

I found that a box of the disposable latex gloves comes in handy, an extra jerry can of water - usually straight out of a river is fine for the toilet.

As a very last resort you can dig a hole and bypass the chemical toilet completely!!! Although from the state of a lot of roadside stops no one in Spain bothers to dig a hole.

 

[maureenandtom]

she once seen a bloke on a campsite emptying his toilet by shaking it vigorously at all angles to get the lumps out, she said she nearly through up at the time

Well, how do you get the lumps out? Got to get the lumps out, you know.

But, truly, maybe the bloke was only rinsing out his loo. Empty it, rinse it. Something to be recommended. I do it.

Tom

 

[jimmnlizz]

Well, how do you get the lumps out? Got to get the lumps out, you know.

But, truly, maybe the bloke was only rinsing out his loo. Empty it, rinse it. Something to be recommended. I do it.

Tom

Exactly the way I do it, Tom! Empty, rinse, swill vigourously, empty, rinse, swill vigourosly and empty again!!! jim.

 

[Belgian]

Sog

Fit a SOG unit and you need no chemicals and have no smells to worry about. QUOTE]

SOG is ideal. But its costs to have it istalled. However I remember I've seen a DIY on some French site. I'll have to look it up.

 

[flower3bird]

Exactly the way I do it, Tom! Empty, rinse, swill vigourously, empty, rinse, swill vigourosly and empty again!!! jim.

He's got it spot on I like claiming this is a blue job (Blue = mans work, pink = female work ) but the reality is I don't have a problem with emptying the loo other than lugging a full heavy cassette.

We were not impressed by the SOG system and have gone back to good old blue.

But the things we have learnt over the years are
1. Have 2 cassettes. It takes the pressure off having to find somewhere to dump to if you are off the beaten track.
2. You have to have the nerve to carry your cassette into public toilets, garage loos, and if they are locked ask for the key. Don't think we have ever been refused.

 

[Deleted member 775]

Plop Plop
In our previous Hymer there was a small extractor fan fitted

aint it a bit messy getting the lumps through the extractor fan or is the fan in the loo

 

[Belgian]

aint it a bit messy getting the lumps through the extractor fan or is the fan in the loo

Sh*t Graham

 

[flower3bird]

See Indalo Man what you started....... and haven't we all had fun answering you

There is no such thing as a wrong or silly question - we've all been there 'wondering' if we are the only person in the world who doesn't understand.

 

[Deleted member 775]

thats the great thing about everyone on here we ask a question we get good answers and we can have a laugh in-between unlike some other sites.

 

[Belgian]

thats the great thing about everyone on here we ask a question we get good answers and we can have a laugh in-between unlike some other sites.

... in the deepest sh*t and still laughing
'We shall overcome..."