How to Use the Toilet in the Bush and Respect Our Land
Now that we have thousands of people reading our blog each month, it is our responsibility to write this post on how to use the toilet when in the bush. It is a subject that not many like to talk about as it is far from exciting and probably won’t gain many followers. However, this is an extremely important subject that needs far more discussion.
You will be surprised how often we receive messages on social media about this subject. Questions on the type of toilet we use and our recommendations. As well as responses to stories we have posted on how to use the toilet in the bush when you do not have a camping toilet. People are sometimes surprised at what you should do as it is not discussed very often. We hope this post provides a bit more insight on what you should do if you do not have a camping toilet.
We Have a Big Problem Right Now
With more and more people camping and exploring this beautiful country we live in, there is an ever-increasing problem with how people are using the toilet when outdoors. When there are no facilities, people either just do not know how they should be using the toilet or, they do know but are those sorts of people that are inconsiderate of others and do not really care. This post is not for the latter as they would not be reading this in the first place. The problem we now see when travelling and camping outdoors, is the amount of toilet paper scattered about the bush and in some instances piles of crap (literally) that is disgusting and unacceptable. If we choose to spend time outdoors, we need to learn to respect the bush and not leave a trace.
Camping Toilet is the Best Option
The easiest solution to this problem is to buy a camping toilet. There are so many options in the market these days that will suit everyone’s budget so we all really should be carrying one. To be perfectly honest, if you do not carry a camping toilet you are really limiting your camping options these days. With so many amazing private camps now available through apps like Hip Camp and Wiki Camps, you are missing out on so many awesome camping opportunities if you do not have a camping toilet as all private camps will require one. Carrying a toilet is by far the best option not only for keeping the bush clean but also for all your fellow travellers.
We own two different types of camping toilets, a Thetford Porta Potti 365 chemical toilet, and a Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet. Both these toilets have different advantages and will suit different people based on how they like to camp and travel. If you mainly camp on weekends and do the odd longer camping trip in the one spot, a chemical camping toilet is probably a good option. However, if you prefer touring and are camping in a new spot most nights then a toilet like the Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet is probably a better option. Both are on the higher budget side but there are cheaper options for both types of toilets. If you want to read more about these two toilets, click on our blog post reviews below.
How to Use the Toilet in the Bush
So how to use the toilet in the bush? First you are going to need to make sure you are carrying all the necessary gear to accomplish this task.
The Gear You Need
Below is a picture highlighting all the necessary tools needed to accomplish this daily task.
- Shovel, long handle preferably.
- Matches or a plastic bag.
- Toilet paper, preferably recycled toilet paper.
You will need a good shovel. Small foldable shovels are fine when the ground is soft, but a long handle shovel is a far better option. As soon as the ground gets hard, a small shovel is going to make this task far more difficult than it needs to be. We always carry a long handle shovel as they are super useful around camp, and they also make a good toilet roll holder. Our Svnty6 Fab roof rack brackets make it extremely easy for us to carry one. You will also need a box of matches and toilet paper. Matches are the key to using the toilet in the bush and are the one thing that most people are unaware of (we will discuss this in more detail below). With toilet paper, recycled paper is always best as it is far better at breaking down. So, when camping, try and always carry recycled paper if you can.
Getting Down to Business
Now that you have the gear, this is how you use it to do your business. The first thing to do is check that you are at least 50 metres away from any water source. This ensures there is no potential water contamination. Once you are well away from any water, you will then need to dig a hole. This hole should be at least 15cms deep however we try and dig a hole around 30cms if the ground allows for it. Then do your business in the hole as per normal.
Before filling the hole back in you must ensure you burn your toilet paper. This is why you need matches. Once the toilet paper has burned you can then fill the hole back in as if nothing had ever occurred. Remembering that burning your toilet paper is one of the most important parts of this process. If you can’t burn your toilet paper for some reason, you need to take it back out with you. In such a situation, carry a small plastic bag to place your toilet paper in. This can then be thrown into your other rubbish bags to be disposed of properly when back in civilisation.
Why Burn the Toilet Paper?
Toilet paper in your normal toilet will breakdown quickly due to all the water and other liquid. However, when out bush it can take one to three years depending on the type of toilet paper. If you like creature comforts and use four ply super soft paper, this will take years to breakdown. If using biodegradable recycled toilet paper, the type that is so thin you might find yourself poking something you did not want to, this will take about a year to breakdown. This is the type of toilet paper we use as we have a septic tank at home, and it is better for the environment.
As toilet paper can take years to breakdown, it is far better for the environment when using the toilet in the bush, to burn your toilet paper. This will help the toilet paper breakdown extremely quickly. It is simple to do and only takes a few seconds as it burns extremely quickly. This also ensures that if an animal digs up your business there is no chance of toilet paper floating around. If you cannot burn the toilet paper because you do not have matches or it is unsafe to do so, you really should be throwing this in your rubbish and disposing of it when you get back to civilisation.
One For the Ladies
Being a woman is hard, one of us lives this (and knows) and the other is constantly told this. It is extremely easy for a man to flop it out and have a pee behind a tree. Not that we want to be telling ladies what to do, but unfortunately, we must. Ladies, when you need to pee out bush, if you are using toilet paper or baby wipes, these must be thrown in your rubbish. Be it your rubbish bag or rear wheel bag, wherever it might be, it must be disposed of properly. Having a pee and then leaving toilet paper lying on the ground or under a rock is not acceptable, it must be thrown away in your rubbish and disposed of when you get back to civilisation. If you are unable to take it back out with you for some reason, then follow the same process if you were doing a number two and burn the toilet paper safely.
Please Respect Our Land
Obviously having a camping toilet is by the far the best option. But when you do not have a toilet, then we need to remember to respect our land.
Using the toilet in the bush is extremely easy. Ensure you carry a shovel, matches, and toilet paper. Always dig a hole at least 50 metres away from any water source and make sure it is at least 15cms deep. When finished, make sure you burn your toilet paper if it is safe to do so. If you are unable to burn your toilet paper, throw it away in your rubbish. Ladies, when having a pee, make sure you dispose of your toilet paper in your rubbish or burn it if it is safe to do so. At no stage should we ever leave toilet paper or baby wipes lying on the ground. Remember that toilet paper can take one to three years to eventually break down. Baby wipes will take even longer.
Respect Our Land!
It is always good to think about why we are outdoors exploring in the first place. We are there to enjoy what nature has to offer. So of course, we should leave it as we found it for the next 4WD Adventurer to find it the same way. RESPECT OUR LAND!
If you have any questions or comments about our post on how to use the toilet in the bush, or you believe we missed something, please share them below. To keep up to date on future posts, join the 4WD Adventurer Community here. For more regular updates, follows us on Instagram.
Thanks for reading.
13/08/2022 @ 9:07 AM
Excellent post! We are out bush atm and I’ve been appalled at the amt of toilet tissue that’s just been left in some very beautiful scenic spots.
Another alternative for us girls is to use thin panty liners and then just squat for a few seconds longer to ‘drip dry’. The panty liners take care of any residue and can be changed as often as needed and either burnt or put in the rubbish and taken out of the bush when you leave.
Please please please, don’t leave tissue in the bush!
17/08/2022 @ 3:26 PM
G’day Julie,
Thanks for reading and your feedback, much appreciated. Your advice is fantastic and I hope everyone can learn from it.
We have just got back from a few weeks in the outback and another Simpson Desert crossing. We too were appalled by the amount of toilet paper we found. Especially in places where you would only expect the avid explorer to venture and would think they would know how to respect the bush. Hopefully the more we all talk about it, the more people will learn on how to do the right thing. Toilet paper in the bush is terrible and it is the last thing we all want to see when exploring beautiful parts of the country, especially when it is not hard to clean up after yourself.
Thanks again for reading and your advice Julie. I hope the rest of your trip is fantastic. Travel safe.
Cheers,
Peter