Going to the bathroom in a DIY van build

UPDATE: After nearly two years of use, one of the welds broke on our Agitator Spider handle. We reached out to Nature’s Head and within 24 hours they had a new Agitator in the mail for us - FREE OF CHARGE! This was an incredible customer service experience and is so appreciated as nomads because often times deliveries are delayed due to backorders or poor customer care. Not the case with Nature’s Head!

Original post dated 02/18/2020 below:

We’re going to tell it to you straight. You’re not going to stop pooping once you move into a van. Since this is -fact- you’ll need to find a solution that works with your build and lifestyle. Jess’s #1 stipulation when agreeing to move into a van full-time was that it HAD to have a toilet. Enter Nature’s Head…

There are some tricked out (expensive) and basic (5 gallon bucket) toilet solutions out there. Do your research and you’ll see all sorts of options. What we were looking for was something that was A) easy to clean/empty and B) didn’t make the van smell like hell on an extra hot and muggy day.

Nature’s Head toilets are a composting toilet that separates the #1 from the #2. We generally dispose of the #1 in any public toilet and the #2 is grade-A composting material that can be buried in the woods - so long as you’re at least 200’ from a water source. There is a 12v fan and 5’ of supplied hose that vents any “fumes” from the unit directly outdoors. The toilet is 21.5” tall, 19” wide, and 19” deep, which creates a very comfortable and fairly standard sitting experience. The unit is 28 lbs and comes in either White or Gray “Granite” color. Lastly, the toilets are made right here in the good ol’ USA.

#1 tank with the black handle. #2 tank is the container under the seat assembly

Why we love it: First and foremost, we never, ever have to empty a blackwater tank. The #1/#2 diverter separates the goods into two surprisingly easy to deal with products(?). There’s a “trap door” that covers the solid waste box. Urine flows from anywhere in the bowl into the liquid bottle. As noted earlier, #1 is poured anywhere #1 is normally disposed of. It is concentrated, so it can be a little strong when emptying. The #2 is remarkably subtle in aroma - more earthy than anything. This came as a very pleasant surprise once we started using the Nature’s Head.

You can use any kind of toilet paper, however single ply paper breaks down quicker. We’ve been using aspen chips from local pet stores as a substrate for composting solid waste. There are a number of substrate options that are suitable for composting, such as sawdust, peat moss, and coconut coir. The key is to make sure that the compost bin is churned to increase oxygen content using the included agitator handle. Oxygen allows the aerobic bacteria to work their magic.

We feel like the Nature’s Head toilet stays cleaner longer than our sticks and bricks toilet did. The bowl is easy to clean with a little Simple Green and we generally give it a wipe down weekly. The unit is designed so that it can be placed in a shower, so it can reduce the footprint of any bathroom in a build-out. Ours is located in our shower, and we are very happy with it there. Lastly, the small fan that keeps the van smelling fresh only pulls 1.7 amps in 24 hours.

Things to keep in mind: It’s recommended that all users sit to use the toilet for #1 and #2. This helps ensure all liquid goes into the bottle and not into the back chamber (and no more fights about urine on the seat!). We have to empty our liquid container 2-3 times per week, depending on how accessible other restrooms are. We find that we empty the #2 container approximately every 5 weeks, but this too depends on how close we are to other restrooms during our travels.

While the fan does a great job on the solid waste box, we have noticed an occasional odor from the liquid container when it’s near capacity. We’ve heard adding 2 packets of sugar can help and there are tablets made specifically for odor control. Right now we’re spritzing the container with essential oils right after emptying it and finding it does a good job of controlling any smells.

The height of the toilet is on the taller side. Children and those that are short of stature may be on their tippy-toes when seated.

Shown here is the fan power cord, air outtake hose, and the “trap door” lever

The take away: A toilet in the van was on the must-haves list for Jess and we are so happy with our Nature’s Head. It means we don’t have to worry about where to find a toilet during the night or first thing in the morning. The peace of mind of having a toilet has given us some regularity in our lifestyle (if you’ll pardon the pun). We have a shower curtain around the toilet & shower, so there has been some adjusting to the new level of privacy. Emptying and cleaning these toilets is as good as it gets - all things considered. Check out the link below for pricing and availability for your van, cabin, or prepper projects.

A note on composting toilets: Due to the fact that your composting toilet is a vessel containing goods that bugs find hospitable and/or delicious, you may occasionally get bug infestations. This is just a cold hard reality of living outdoors with compost. If (and when) this happens to you, you will want to give your toilet a very thorough cleaning. It is important to clean all walls, corners, and crevices with soapy water. We like to use Simple Green. Additionally, as a preventative matter, we now add Gnatrol to our composting media. Gnatrol is a natural, biological control agent for gnats and other larvae based flying bugs. It essentially kills off the larvae, thus ending an infestation. By adding a scoop of Gnatrol to our fresh compost mix each cycle, we have been able to control infestations. We purchased a 2oz. packet of Gnatrol and it has lasted us over a year. You will want to include this agent as part of your composting maintenance.