Sit, Stay, Good Girl/Boy! 14 days of poop

[ORANGE]

Thanks maki2.

The link only was black. But I went to the website and read the 2 can. Easy as 1 2 pee info. It says put some organic matter over the poo and put a lid.
That 4-6 oz of poo a day make me think that 5 gallon bucket is much too BIG. It is mainly a height comfort for folks. But I can do much smaller.

Yesterday everywhere I shopped didnt have like 3.5 gallon as that is the smallest the gamma lid will fit on. So I will have to search the internet and plunk (ha ha ) down the money for one.


Still in search for porta potti chemicals in the bucket method.

 

[ORANGE]

Uh...no.

Those sized buckets are 20-30ish on amazon.

Ill sit and stay with $1 bucket.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Ask at a bakery.  They use a lot of them and throw the things away.  

They are not UV resistant so if kept out in the sun will get brittle after about a year; don't know about the ones you buy at a big box store or Amazon.

 

[Kaylee]

Orange:
Bravo for buying the retired Walmart buckets! I have not yet had the guts to ask at the closest grocery store's bakery, and it's been on my ToDo List for months.

I know you're all raring to go, but take a second to step back & take inventory...
You've got A Bucket.
You've got garbage bags.
You've got something to pee in, and store the liquid temporarily.
It's not perfect, but it's good enough to do a short test run. After that, you'll have a better feel for what worked for you, and what you did not like.

During my "feasibility phase", I consciously decided to camp close enough (within one mile) to public vault toilets so that I could use them for, um, poop.
I did buy A Bucket & garbage bags just-in-case.
I also had a pee cup & laundry jug because I knew it would be impractical to shuttle back-and-forth for that. I'm typically fairly regular, so was confident I'd probably be ok with that, to start.

Everyone's different, so that may not work for you.
If you've tested the bucket and it's "adequate", I suggest sticking with it for at least your first trip.

 

[Dingfelder]

This is vital to remember. Pee has lots of nitrates. Poop has lots of bacteria. For bacteria, "nitrates" = "food". So when pee mixes with poop, the bacteria have a never-ending party, and do what bacteria do. Pew.

Liquid can also surround stuff and make for anaerobic conditions.  Those are the ones the stinkiest stuff likes.  Plus urine smells way worse than poop after a couple of days.  That combo makes keeping urine mixed with your poop a really bad idea IMO.

 

[Dingfelder]

OH WAIT better thought,  Ill get one of those folding toilet chair things, and then make a diverter out of that  That would be easier, cuz  the bag can be pulled away from the front, still be held in good, then the funnel diverter going out the front to a hard container.

I use this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MSOWG7U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and like it a lot.  I used it at over 220 lbs.  It's a little short, but that's actually good because that helps you poop.  Anyway quite sturdy, light, and folds away to just a couple inches thick at most.  Easy to slip behind or under something. A very space-conserving solution.

I like to use big bags, though.  13 gallon.  With a small bag, if any toilet paper gets caught on the side of the bag, it can be there to greet you when you plunge in for the next wipe.  NOT pleasant.  I also like to use decent quality bags.  The cheap ones are REALLY cheap and I've seen them leak.  They are easier to tear or overstretch at the top, too.  I also like to use a cheap bag on the outside of the better bag, just in case. A leak is not acceptable.  I have also use a dollar store bin below the bags, just in case.  It may sound like overkill, but it only costs a buck for the peace of mind.  You can put the bag in the bin and seal it afterward, if you like.

I use kitty litter.  It doesn't help much.  Peeing elsewhere is absolutely vital, but sometimes both 1 and 2 come at once.  Oh well.  I try to pee before pooping just in case.  I'm a guy, so using a V8 bottle is easy for me, and the seal is very good.  The top is wider than a soda bottle, so you aren't likely to spray or mis-aim or whatever.

I find almost nothing stops it from stinking after a day or even a few hours.  You need a solid-walled container or to get it outside.  I have a big ammo box for that.  It can contain a week's poo.  After a week I throw all the daily bags into a bigger bag and then figure out what to do with it.

 

[Dingfelder]

Maybe my nose is more sensitive than most but anything that goes into a plastic bag and is tied up and left in a plastic bucket with a sealed lid for even a day leaves a stench in that bucket for - ever. No amount of cleaning product of any kind, will remove the smell that has leached into a plastic bucket. The only containers I've been able to find that will not absorb an odor are either glass (ceramic) or metal.  So now I need to chase down a metal bucket with a screw-on lid.

Bleaching in natural sunlight seems to do it for my ammo box.  I think it might also have to do with the kind of plastic.

 

[CityWoman]

FYI, about halfway down this page are details about one blogger's DIY separating toilet for her truck camper:  First I built a canopy camper

 

[WalkaboutTed]

Sorry for late reply. Been out of cell range for a while. I have a super sensitive nose. When the **** bucket is used just once, the smell seems impregnated into the plastic. I give it a spray and whip of Lysol and then leave it and the seat in the sun for a day. Any odor is completely gone.
Ted

 

[Qxxx]

There have been many threads on this in the past, and no perfect solutions it would seem.

I've not seen many people who actually admit to keeping their poop for 2 whole weeks. Maybe a couple here and there. Other than porta potti, the commonest seems to the bucket, 13 gal bag, and kitty litter method. Separate pee bottle. Toilet paper separated into a usual garbage bag. 

Huge contention however on how to dispose of the bag with kitty litter afterwards. I won't go into that, but you can look at past threads. Landfill or not? Search the forum using "kitty litter" in the search box. 10 people seem to have 10 different opinions on this. I think the most enlightened, albeit somewhat more costly, solution is to use poo powder rather than kitty litter. The poo powder jellifies the poop, and puts it into a state that most or all authorities consider is acceptable for tossing the bag straight into a dumpster ala landfill.

In regards bucket size, I went for the 2-gal paint bucket bought at Lowes for $3 or so. Very sturdy. I put it onto a plastic step to raise the height, and have one of those cheap plastic seats. I use kitty litter, but won't go into means of disposal of the bag, as I have one of the 10 different opinions. Have fun sorting it out.

 

[Kaylee]

Qxxx:
Excellent summary!
Agreed that disposal is a Taboo Subject, so don't-ask-don't-tell.

Why did you go with kitty litter instead of small pet bedding?
There's plenty of solid adherents for both and it has not produced bickering, so seems safe to discuss.
My general impression was that hamster bedding is more environmentally friendly, lighter, plus...
I admit, one tiny-weeny-Geeky reason for me was... "hamsters is nice" (that's a Firefly quote, for all you Muggles).

Last week, I tried a new experiment:
While pre-packing some bags with hamster bedding, I added a shake of cinnamon to each.
It helped. A lot.
I go about one week (5-9 days) between disposals, and don't yet have a gamma seal, just a lightly closed bucket lid.

If any poo powder users could accurately track their, um, "usage" and thus cost, please post.

 

[cherterr]

Litter is better because it absorbs and Clumps the liquid, is not expensive, and if you prefer, can have a pleasant scent. It also takes much less than pine shavings, in my experience. We're talking for urine, here. lol

Pooh.. really doesn't require it, but since there are times when some urine is released after a pooh... litter is a good thing.

Pooh powder... sounds like one more thing that isn't carried consistently at your local Dollar Store? Sounds interesting tho!

ORANGE:
For that pooh storage container... MAKE SURE you're getting the PET FOOD container. You need to either get the one I linked on first page of this post OR show up In Person to confirm that the lid GRABS the can if you want to keep odor down. It wasn't JUST about being 'metal'.

 

[Kaylee]

cherterr:
Thanks for explaining your approach!

I'm confused why you're using anything for pure urine.
I'm storing a week's worth of urine in a 5 quart oil container & a laundry bottle, then dump & rinse both when I come into town. I usually add a bit of DrBronner's peppermint soap after the initial rinses, and the smell is ok.
I'm a Traumatic Brain Injury survivor, so do have hyper sensitive / Vulcan senses.

I'm using the hamster bedding just for "poo", though often (as you mentioned) with a bit of free urine.
Over the last 4 months, I've only used about 10% of the 500 cubic inch (8L) bag I bought last year.
Maybe I'm "supposed" to use more?

Fellow hamster peeps (i.e. "pine bedding"): how much do you use per poop bag?

I admit to having cat sat many times, which left me with an aversion to kitty litter, plus, my points made above.
As others have said, it partly boils down to personal preference.

 

[cherterr]

Sorry you're confused. Page one of this thread explains MY senario, so won't repeat here.

Above I was addressing additional things.
Basically the difference (in MY experieince) between shavings and litter for you; that's all.

Original post is about POOH; long term 'storage'.

 

[Kaylee]

Ok, just re-read your first page post, and am still confused.
My impression both now & when I first read it was that you were using the porta potti for urine only, and using bags/litter/etc & the metal can for poo.

Thanks for your specificity about the can - that's very helpful.

I do understand your logic for kitty litter, but I'm not clear why you don't like shavings.

Also (new question), how much litter do you (anyone) go thru in a month or a year?
I'd like to see lots more numbers in every thread here.

 

[Qxxx]

Ummm, I don't remember the "hamsters is nice" quote. Don't know anything about hamster bedding either. Bob Wells or someone mentioned kitty litter, so that's easy enough to find, and the only thing I've tried, but other peoples have mentioned various other stuff to use in the bucket.

Off hand, in various previous threads, I believe VanTramp (now on the high seas somewheres) was the one who mentioned poo powder, I think because they were using it on their boat. A bit expensive, but sanctioned by the authorities, whereas there is a "lot" of disagreement about tossing anything else straight into a dumpster. And which brings up the 10 different opinions. I had not wanted to resurrect those disagreements, so I mentioned the many other threads for reference, and personally abstain from fessing up on my own methods. In roughly 3-4 months I went through a 15 pound container of kitty litter. In general, there is very little liquid in the poop bucket, given my tidy, meticulous, and very finiky practices.

http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=poo+powder
https://www.amazon.com/Cleanwaste-Mini-Powder-Waste-Treatment/dp/B002AEHYP8

 

[Kaylee]

which brings up the 10 different opinions. I had not wanted to resurrect those disagreements, so I mentioned the many other threads for reference, and personally abstain from fessing up on my own methods. In roughly 3-4 months I went through a 15 pound container of kitty litter. In general, there is very little liquid in the poop bucket, given my tidy, meticulous, and very finiky practices.

Yes, I vividly remember that thread. It was one of the ones were the disposal bullies got all huffy, yet never offered a viable method or admitted what they were doing. That was when I first began to suspect that a lot of posters have no field experience and are, um, "full of it".

I concur with your abstention, and will join you in it.

Thanks for the data!
One of my tasks today was to dig out my bale of pine bedding & refill my in cabin baggies, and I was surprised at how little volume I had used.
Roughly what was the volume of your 3-4 months container?

I am open to trying kitty litter, after my current bundle is finished.
One big bonus is some of the plastic kitty litter containers are a mighty fine size for reuse which really seems worthy of its own thread.
As you say, amount used will vary by person, so the only way to get reliable data is for people who have tried both to monitor their use & report back.

As you say, there have been lots of suggestions.
I narrowed it down to kitty litter and small pet bedding, because both are readily available & gently priced.

Ummm, I don't remember the "hamsters is nice" quote.

In episode "Jaynestown", when Kaylee & Simon were in the bar, more than a bit sloshed, and Simon is more than a bit perturbed at all the attention paid to Jayne, mentions he saved a girl's leg, and all the thanks he got was that she named her hamster after him.
Kaylee, ever the empath, replies with the above quote.

I strongly suspect you "need" to do a fresh marathon, to re-imprint it on your brain.
It's 20 days until the 17th anniversary of the first broadcast, which is always a Good Excuse to rewatch the series.

 

[cherterr]

I do understand your logic for kitty litter, but I'm not clear why you don't like shavings.

Also (new question), how much litter do you (anyone) go thru in a month or a year?
I'd like to see lots more numbers in every thread here.

Shavings were just not viable to me.  Very puffy, takes mass quantities to cover, and it not particularly abosorbent; and in a van... that probably needs to happen pretty darn quick.

Gosh... Amount of litter in a month.  Defiantly not more than a 'jug'.  I get the really cheap (clumping.. I guess they All are now?) at the Dollar Store.  Maybe two months?  Poop is surprisingly smaller than you would think.  (Maybe toilet water bowls makes it look bigger?

The reason for litter w/pooing:  it's more for accidental 'pee' leaks really and odor control.  For some reason I mentally feel better knowing I can give the bag a little shake after it's tied to cover stuff up.  (Wow.  This is getting weird.. lol)

During my initial 'experiments' I purchased a really unusable piece of crap.. oh..haha.. of a bucket toilet w/seat and urine diverter for Wayyyy too much money.  It called for shavings.  HATED IT for MANY reasons, leaking not being the least.  If I could remember the name I'd post it to help others save their money.  The whole shavings thing in THAT particular item was ridiculous.  It took MOUNDS of shavings just to cover a pooh.  Shavings take up a lot of storage space.. for THAT particular item.  There may be some out there who love it and have a facility that it works with.

Hope this helps you.. and I noticed earlier you were gonna get the wrong metal bucket!!  Use the link I gave you.  It HAS to be a TIGHT TIGHT fitting lid.  All those little trash cans have 'lips' on the lids, but unless its a FOOD CONTAINER, it will not be tight enough to control odor.

The Boy Scouts used to have a saying: KISS.. Keep It Simple Stupid. Seems to me this is a good rule of thumb for van dwelling toileting issues. (Not calling anyone stupid..it's a saying.. and hopefully there aren't those sorts of easily offended snowflakes on HERE.

 

[highdesertranger]

ROTFLMAO, Cinnamon.

now my side hurts.

highdesertranger

 

[Kaylee]

Wow.  This is getting weird.. lol

YES! Where's that "LOL" button?!?
Very well said!
Thanks for the clarifications. I understand much better now.

For the record, I'm not at all trying to cover my "poo".
I use a handful of shavings, and their main job is to absorb liquids.
After doing my thing, I gently collapse the bag with the poo+shavings+tp at the very bottom, then tie it off as close as practical to the bottom, then move it into my storage container.
This past week, I used more shavings, purely because (as mentioned above) I did my first restock (into 2 big ziplocks from the bale), so felt I was using so little that I should try more (partly also due to this thread).


HDR: Yes, cinnamon rocks!!!
I blame/credit solar/gentleman-Jim-who's-no-longer-in-Denver.
At Gary's forum, I had asked about techniques to mask some smoking smells in my van (only found out about them after driving half way across the country to view & purchase the van).
I had figured fried SPAM & onions would work well (yup!).
Jim casually mentioned having accidentally spilled cinnamon several-ish months before, and the smell still lingering. I decided to pick up a buck bottle from Walmart, and sprinkled some on the front seats. Helped a lot. Re-applied about once per day for a few days, then "as desired".
Later during the trip back, I tried some in my pee bowl, and it also worked well.

Last week was my 2nd week using it in my pre-assembled poo bags, and it definitely helped.
All I do is unroll about 3-5 bags, open each, add hamster shavings (shake to place at bottom), add a shake or two of cinnamon, then very loosely twist & roll up the bag so it's all ready to deploy.

Please, somebody/somebodies else try cinnamon, and report back. It should work fine with kitty litter too.
Science demands it!