Talking about going number one and number two while camping is never pleasant, but we all know it’s necessary. Some people avoid going on camping trips mainly because they think that relieving themselves in the woods will be a messy business, even if their caravan is equipped with a toilet. Luckily for every nature lover, today’s caravan toilets are sophisticated and practical. As you may already know, portable and cassette toilets are the two most popular caravan toilet types. Here’s what each of them has to offer.

Portable toilets are compact toilets that are made up of two parts: a seat/flush tank and a holding tank underneath. These caravan toilets come with bells and whistles that make using and maintaining them quite easy. They also come with a hand-pumped piston flush pump. Since these caravan toilets are compact and lightweight, they can be easily stored away in a cupboard. They are also very inexpensive and they don’t require electricity nor plumbing. The only disadvantage of these toilets is the fact that most of them sit very low, which isn’t comfortable for everyone, especially not for tall people.

Cassette toilets are based on a modified version of the porta-potty concept where the seat/flush unit is separated from the holding tank (cassette). The cassette is built in and is accessed from the outside of the caravan. People love this caravan toilet type because the human waste is stored externally and emptying the cassette is really easy. However, cassette toilets are much more expensive than portable ones and retrofitting them to a caravan can be quite difficult.

Both portable and cassette toilets need to be well maintained in order to last for a long period of time. Aside from rinsing them with water, you should also use quality campervan toilet chemicals because they will break down waste material and paper and deliver long-term odour prevention. If you opt for a portable toilet, you should know that a conditioner is needed for the seat/flush tank. This chemical helps prevent build-up and bacteria in the bowl and lubricates seals. Keep in mind that most toilet chemicals lose their effectiveness after two to three days, which is why you need to top up your loo with fresh fluid or drop in a sachet regularly.

I would like to advise you to choose and add campervan toilet chemicals according to your manufacturer’s instructions. You should also do your research and find out whether the campsite you’ve chosen allows only environmentally-friendly chemicals or accepts any fluids.