We’ve all thought it, we all flush at the thought of “Who’s going to empty the loo this time” (It certainly isn’t me)
One question we get asked a lot is “How do I use a chemical toilet? such as the Porta Potti 165″ well.. the honest answer – just like any other loo..
But a travel toilet is a little bit more, erm, involved.
To start – you’ve got chemicals
Pink (and sometimes – organic) chemicals are for your top tank. The job of the top chemicals is to lubricate, freshen up your tank and remove bad smells.
Blue/organic they’re for your bottom tank. You absolutely need this.
Blue chemicals are essential because they neutralise the bacteria, minimise smells, and help to dissolve your loo roll.. and anything else.
Organic chemicals are the bees knees in my opinion. Elsan organic chemicals are my personal favourite (I’m the author – hello!) in the case of most organic/environmentally friendly loo chems – they can go in the top and bottom tanks (But please read the instructions on the bottle – all loo chemicals are different)
Okay so – where do I put the chemicals?
Your top tank is your flush – that’s where the pink stuff or organic stuff goes. I can’t tell you the water:chemical ratio you will need – all loo chemicals are different – so please read the label – but you’ll more than likely need to dilute this stuff. You don’t even necessarily need to use chemicals in your top tank, but it’s a bit fresher if you do
The bottom tank – this is where all of your waste ends up. Use the Blue/Organic fluid in this tank, you’ll also probably will need to dilute this.
This is also the tank you’ll be needing to empty.
Whilst we’re here – let’s cover “how do I know when to empty the loo” and “how long in between emptying the toilet can we go”
This is a pretty simple one –
When you need to empty the loo – there’s two ways to tell.
You’ll be able to see by looking down and opening the hatch if the toilet’s full. A lot of people empty them before they’re full to make sure they’re not too heavy to carry. (In the case of the Porta Potti 165, the toilet holds around 21 litres – that’s a work out if you’re far from the chemical disposal point).
The second way to tell is by using the gauge on the side of the loo, but they don’t all have one – it will tell you just how full the loo is getting.
As for how long in-between empties can you go – that’s a bit of a personal matter, it all depends on how many people are using it and.. what they’re doing ?
“How do I drain my flush tank?”
The flush tank in most cases has a small drainage hose attached to it. Just simply open the nozzle and let it drain!
As I keep mentioning in this post – we can’t generalise. Some loo’s don’t have this. It’s not uncommon for a toilet manufacturer to recommend operating the flush until this tank is empty. If your’s doesn’t have a drainage hose and you’d like to know how to drain your top tank – feel free to contact us and we’ll do our best to find an answer for you.
“Wait a minute.. I’m supposed to empty my top tank?”
Wellll.. yeah, in-between adventures. If your toilet isn’t going to be used for a little while, pink fluid can cause a build up of algae in your tank. It’s not necessarily harmful to have algae in your tank – but it is a little unsightly – and eventually can block your tank.
“Can I use normal toilet cleaner in my caravan toilet?”
Seriously – don’t do it.
Household toilet cleaners are a big no no for your seals and plastic of your bowl – but luckily for you – there’s several options to keep the throne sparkling clean.
We recommend using some Thetford Aqua Rinse Spray! It’s septic tank safe – smells nice and fresh, and lubricates and protects the toilet seals.
If the chemical side isn’t 4 U we also think biodegradable Happy Bowl Liners are pretty rad. Click here to find out more about these!
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