Smelly gases, black water dumping, and the unnecessary use of chemicals were the reasons we chose to switch to a dry toilet as an alternative to a chemical toilet for our van life adventures!
Exploring Mobile Toilets: The Good and Bad of Chemical Toilets
To be fair, we have never done much research on mobile home toilets for our campervan. We received a chemical toilet as a gift from a friend who no longer needed it. That was our first box to poop in.
As you may know, we now live in our second camper. We’ve converted both campers ourselves. In the beginning, the chemical toilet worked fine for our van life, but we didn’t use it often since we parked at semi-permanent spots in the Netherlands, usually on campsites where toilets were readily available.
Mobile Toilets: The Good and Bad of Chemical Toilets
It wasn’t until our trip through France and Italy that we realised how clunky the chemical toilet was! Every few days, we had to look for a black water point to empty the toilet, which often turned into a hassle. The chemical toilet was unpleasant and smelled terrible, especially in the summer. Before we knew it, the toilet started to gas, and opening the lid was far from fun.
For us, the worst part was the chemicals. All those chemicals we used to make the chemical toilet smell a little fresher and to keep the contents soft didn’t work. It didn’t feel right, especially as we tried to live more environmentally friendly while still relying on this poopy toilet!
Is a Dry Toilet Expensive? Our Investigations
During our second build, we often discussed a DIY dry toilet, also called a separation toilet. We were shocked by the prices of ready-made compost toilets on the market. After some online research, we discovered that the parts for building a dry toilet yourself were also quite expensive! In the end, our build cost a lot more than our budget allowed, leaving us with the same old chemical toilet.
Choosing the Best Toilet for Van Life:
To summarise, there are various mobile toilets designed specifically for van life and campers. Among them are chemical toilets, composting toilets (also called separating toilets), dry toilets, and toilet buckets. Last but not least, there’s also the “natural toilet.”
- Chemical Toilet: In a chemical toilet, everything is mixed—wet and dry. It generally consists of an upper tank for flush water and a lower compartment for wastewater. Chemicals are used to liquefy the contents, making it easier to clean while reducing unpleasant odours.
- Composting Toilet: This toilet is the most environmentally friendly option. Urine and feces combine with organic matter, eventually turning into compost. After some time, you can add it to your compost pile or bury it.
- Dry Toilet/Separating Toilet: One major difference between a compost toilet and a dry toilet is that in a dry toilet, urine and feces are separated into different containers. This greatly enhances cleanliness by keeping the solids dry and helps reduce bad odours. Dry toilets are available at various price points, but BOXIO offers one of the most affordable options!
- Toilet Bucket: Simply put, it’s a bucket you can sit on and use. You could purchase a toilet seat to go on top of the bucket; otherwise, you’ll need to balance it carefully before using it! The bucket is very cheap and a straightforward solution if you need something basic for your van life.
- Natural Toilet: A natural toilet means finding a place in nature, digging a hole, and doing your business. For many, this is ideal; however, it’s essential not to leave any toilet paper behind!
Finding the Right Dry Toilet: Our Journey to the BOXIO
After our yellow home on wheels was ready, we wanted to travel for an extended period—first to Portugal and then to Greece. We soon realised how annoying it was to have a chemical toilet again. During our travels, we met many fellow van dwellers with different toilet setups. Many had dry toilets or composting toilets, and our favourite quickly became the BOXIO. This was mainly because the BOXIO toilet fit our budget, was compact, lightweight, and offered great ease of use—ideal for a narrow shower room like ours.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to have the BOXIO toilet delivered since we didn’t know where we’d be. It is possible to have the BOXIO shipped to many countries, but we don’t often stay in one location long enough to collect mail. Eventually, we came across a couple in Greece who had an unused BOXIO. They had a private parking lot with several self-converted campervans and needed to order extras from the BOXIO website before their next trip. In the end, we bought the toilet from them and continued on our way with big smiles.
The Relief of a Dry Toilet: Why It’s Ideal for Van Life in Greece
Having this alternative dry toilet in Greece was such a relief. It is simply not possible to dump a chemical toilet in most of the country. We heard crazy stories of fellow travellers dumping their toilet waste in local rubbish bins! This was a definite no-go for us. Now we don’t have to worry about finding a black water point or purchasing chemicals; we just throw our waste in the compost bin!
Our Experience with the BOXIO Dry Toilet: Cleanliness and Ease of Use
Our chemical toilet is in the garage, and we haven’t touched it since purchasing the BOXIO. That says enough, right? Seriously, the BOXIO dry toilet works well because all parts are easy to remove, allowing us to maintain cleanliness and clean everything properly—something that was much more difficult with the chemical toilet.
Instead of chemicals, we now use wood chips to cover our waste. We empty the urine daily, and the solids go in the bin every three days. Wood chips can be found almost everywhere, but we usually buy them at the pet store. You can also use other organic materials.
Environmentally Friendly Van Life: The Benefits of Choosing a Dry Toilet
It feels much better; we are now more environmentally conscious. We are self-sufficient with solar panels for electricity, and we always separate and recycle our waste whenever possible. Our dry toilet creates minimal impact on the environment. Our final challenge will be getting rid of the LPG gas, but that’s a project for later!
Would We Recommend a Dry Toilet for Van Life? Here’s Our Take
We definitely recommend purchasing a dry or compost toilet! Especially if you plan to travel to countries like Greece, it’s much more practical than relying on a chemical toilet.
For us, the BOXIO dry toilet is truly a godsend due to its reasonable price and ease of use. If you also have a specific budget, as many van lifers do, this is a fantastic option. It is slightly more expensive than a basic chemical toilet, but the difference isn’t significant. Over the years, it will still be cheaper since you won’t have to keep buying chemicals.
Discover the BOXIO Dry Toilet: A Practical Solution for Van Life
For more information about the BOXIO dry toilet and its other products, you can find it here.
Have fun pooping!
