You might have heard of a cassette toilet and wonder, what it is and how do you use it? In this guide, I will go over everything you possibly need to know about it. From how to use it, where to dump it, how to clean it, etc.
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But first, what is a cassette toilet?
A cassette toilet is a portable toilet that is often used in RV’s, campervan, while camping, etc. There is usually a freshwater tank, black holding tank and a toilet bowl with a toilet seat. The fresh water tank is what you use to flush the waste down with. And the black water tank is what holds the waste. There is a toilet bowl and toilet seat, so you can go to the bathroom like you normally would.
The black water tank is removable, so no need for a gross black water hose. And there are tons more places to dispose of your black holding tank unlike RV black holding tanks.
How Do You Use A Cassette Toilet?
Using a cassette toilet is actually pretty similar to using a real toilet. There is a toilet bowl with a toilet seat where the waste goes. Although, the toilet seat does tend to be smaller than an average toilet seat.
Once you are done relieving yourself, shut the lid and flush the waste. Cassette toilets differ on their flushing method. Some of the fancier cassette toilets will have a button you press to flush, but others will have a manual flusher. For a manual flush, pull the handle to open the hole that allows the waste to go into the black holding tank.
Then, using the fresh water tank, flush some water down the bowl. Again, some of the fancier cassette toilets will have a button to flush freshwater down the bowl. While a manual flusher tends to have a lever that you need to pull up and push down a few times to allow fresh water to flow into the bowl.
Can you go #2 in a cassette toilet?
While you can definitely go #2 in a cassette toilet, I encourage you to maybe consider only using it for #1. When #1 & #2 is mixed together you create sewage. Which is what smells unpleasant. Therefore, when you are using a cassette toilet for both types of human waste, you are mixing together the 2 in the black tank.
If you are looking for a portable toilet option that is best for #2, you might want to consider upgrading to a composting toilet.
How Often Do You Have To The Empty A Cassette Toilet?
The answer to how often do you have to empty a cassette toilet depends on a few different things. The size of the cassette toilet, how often do you use it, how many people are using it and the primary use of the cassette toilet (just #1 or #2 too).
First, the black holding tank differs in size depending on the cassette toilet you have. Cassette toilet black holding tanks can range from as small as 1 gallon to as large as 36+ gallons.
If you use it daily as your main toilet, then you might have to dump it daily or every other day. But if you just use it for emergencies or at night, then you might be able to stretch the amount of times you have to dump it longer.
Another factor to consider is how many people are using it. If you are a solo vanlifer, then you can use it double the amount of times as a couple. Or if it is for a whole family, the black holding tank is going to fill up much faster.
Lastly, you need to consider what is going into the black holding tank. If you are just using it for #1 versus #1 & #2, then you will be able to go longer without emptying it.
Here is an example. Jake and I have a 2.5 gallon holding tank & we only go #1 in our cassette toilet. If we are camping in the boondocks where we can often go outside and only use it at night, we can go about 5-6 days. But if we are at a highway pull-off with no restroom, we usually have to dump it the next day or so.
Where Do You Dump A Cassette Toilet?
One of the best things about a portable cassette toilet is it can be dumped in any public restroom. The black holding tank detaches from the fresh water tank, and can easily be carried into a public restroom to be disposed of.
If you are only using the black holding tank for #1 only and not using a chemical, it can be disposed of out in nature. But this is personally not a favorite way for Jake and I to dispose of our cassette toilet. It just doesn’t seem very natural for us to dispose of 2.5 gallons of urine in one location. Plus not using the chemical can get pretty smelly, so we often use the Waltex Porta Paks.
We often try our hardest to find flushing toilets, so we aren’t adding gallons of urine to a porta potty or drop toilet. But sometimes it’s the only option.
Do Cassette Toilets Smell Bad & Is There A Way To Mitigate The Smell?
When using a cassette toilet, it will smell, because you are getting rid of human waste. And well it is just sitting in a tank with no oxygen, so it can get a bit raunchy.
But there are products out there to help mitigate the smell! Jake and I use Waltex Porta-Pak RV Holding Tank Deodorizer Drop-Ins. We can testify that these do work! They help reduce the smell, break down waste and paper products, all while cleaning the tank and any sensors.
Tip: If you are just using the cassette toilet for #1 only and your holding tank is less than 5 gallons, you won’t need to use a whole packet. Jake and I water down the packet in a water bottle, so we can get a little more use out of one packet.
But if you are using it for #1 & #2, then I would suggest adding a whole packet.
If you are looking for a more “natural” way to mitigate smell, a mixture of vinegar and water will help. Although, I will say that it doesn’t work quite as well as the Waltex Porta Paks.
How To Clean A Cassette Toilet & How Often?
Cleaning a cassette toilet is not the most glamorous job, but something that should be done every couple months. If you use the Waltex Porta Paks, they clean the holding tank themselves. But about every few months, we add bleach and water to the black holding tank to thoroughly clean it out and kill any bacteria. We like to let it sit for 24 hours.
For the fresh water tank you can add bleach to the top and flush the water through the flushing holes to clean the toilet bowl. This process can be repeated until the toilet bowl is clean. But this section doesn’t get nearly as dirty as the black holding tank.
Is A Cassette Toilet Worth It?
The answer is 100% yes. I consider a cassette toilet a camper van essential item. It is perfect for those times you need to go in the middle of the night, or you are in a city and not near a public restroom. Or for those times you are camping with a large group and there is no tree coverage (aka the desert) or its super windy outside and you no doubt will pee on yourself! Or you are on a road trip and the nearest bathroom is miles away. See, there are TONS of reasons a cassette toilet can be a life saver.
Jake and I have now lived in a camper van for over 2 years and we absolutely love having this portable toilet with us. It’s saved us in so many different scenarios.
What Cassette Toilet Is Best For You?
Now it’s time to decide which cassette toilet is right for you? Personally, the bigger the holding tank, the better, but only large enough that you can still carry it discreetly into a public restroom.
Best Cassette Toilet For A Solo Traveler
If you are a solo vanlifer/RV’er/Camper/etc, then a 2+ gallon holding tank will do just fine. The Thetford Porta Potti Corp is one of the smaller cassette toilets on the market with a 2.6 gallon holding tank.
Best Cassette Toilet For A Couple or 2 people
If you are a couple or 2 people living together, I’d suggest a 5 gallon holding tank or more. The SereneLife Outdoor Portable Toilet is a great option for a couple, with a 5.3 gallon holding tank.
Best Cassette Toilet For A Family
If you are traveling as a family, then you will probably want a larger black holding tank. Camco sells a heavy duty portable RV holding tank, which can be added into a rv or camper van build.
Takeaway:
Having a cassette toilet is a game changer if you live off-grid. It is perfect for those times you are in public but not near a public restroom. Or on those long road trips where you don’t want to stop every couple hours because someone needs to pee. We hope this guide helps answer all your burning questions about cassette toilets.
If you are still trying to decide if a cassette toilet is right for you or not, we also have a helpful post for best portable toilet options for vanlife. There are a few budget friendly options or even an upgrade from cassette toilets, such as composting toilets.
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