Reality of composting toilets

[baileyingle]

I have been using a liquid diverting toilet for six months now and it is not as scary as my friends thought it would be. The main thing is keeping the liquids separate to stop the smell from starting in the first place. I use coconut coir for the solids and it works great. Do you think the price of the high end electric models is worth it or is a simple bucket system just as good? This is one of the less talked about issue of tiny homes and THOWs.

 

[golden G00fy]

Okay so the biggest mistake people make is not venting the toilet correctly. I installed a small computer fan in the vent pipe that runs 24/7 and it pulls all the moisture and odors outside. Without that constant airflow you are going to have a damp mess that smells like a swamp within a week. You have to keep a look out.

 

[sad LeX]

I have been using a liquid diverting toilet for six months now and it is not as scary as my friends thought it would be. The main thing is keeping the liquids separate to stop the smell from starting in the first place. I use coconut coir for the solids and it works great. Do you think the price of the high end electric models is worth it or is a simple bucket system just as good? This is one of the less talked about issue of tiny homes and THOWs.

I bought an incinerating toilet because I didn't want to deal with compost or liquid jugs at all. It turns everything into a tiny pile of sterile ash that I only have to empty once a month. It uses a lot of propane but the convenience of not handling waste is worth the extra fuel cost to me. More cost but less hassle.

 

[ammonboyd42]

I use a simple "humanure" bucket system and it is much easier to manage than the expensive mechanical versions. I just dump the bucket into a dedicated compost bin outside once a week and cover it with hay. As long as you keep the "cover material" consistent there is absolutely zero smell in the house. I hope that helps.

 

[sirah1]

But how about issues with flies, fruit flies or gnats in your bin? I started adding a little bit of Diatomaceous Earth to my peat moss and it cleared up the bug problem almost instantly. You have to be careful about what you put in the bin if you want it to stay pest free. nasty smell attracts pests.

 

[jim.bent.winZZ]

My partner was really against the idea of a composting toilet until we saw a high end model in person. The liquid diverting ones are key because the "sewage" smell only happens when the two things mix. Once you explain the science of it most guests are actually pretty impressed with how clean it stays.