Emergency toilet

[Gardenarian]

I'm having some friends visit next week and the bathroom situation may be tight. I've bought a toilet seat that fits over a 5 gallon bucket and will be putting it in a nook in the basement.

I think it's a good idea to have one of these on hand - you don't know when your water might get shut off, for repairs or in an emergency.

I think I'll bring it camping, too.

We're hoping it'll just be liquids so I didn't buy the doody bags. We'll see how it goes!

[lessisbest]

My husband grew up in a 12-person household - 4 older sisters, 3 younger brothers, parents, uncle and grandmother with one bathroom. You shouldn't have any challenges compared to that....(LOL).

We have an emergency 5-gallon bucket with a toilet seat, but we also have trash-bag liners and chemicals used in RVs to add to the mix. You could also add old-fashioned brown Lysol + water. For longer emergency use, we are prepared to use a composting toilet and have all those things on hand. A few years ago, during an ice storm, one of the sewage sending units was off-line and we were warned to go to emergency use only and conserve water and sewage use, or the city would shut off ALL water so there wouldn't be a BIG issue with sewage processing from non-compliance. It's times like that you know you already have an emergency toilet, no matter how disgusting it seems at the time.

[Float On]

Like lessisbest my mom grew up in a 12-person household. 5 girls, 5 boys, mom & dad, plus 5 other relatives lived there off and on.....and one outhouse. They didn't get indoor water until my mom was in high school and she was 3rd youngest. I think the boys went and watered the garden and I'm sure there were a few hideyholes around the property you could find a bit of privacy if needed. I try to imagine that many people in a cold winter waiting their turn...can't do it.
Growing up we had a hunting cabin where we did the 5 gallon bucket with toilet seat thing. Worked well. Being late 60's-70's I'm sure my dad just took it out somewhere in the woods and dumped and buried it.

[happystuff]

I like this idea for emergencies. I have a bucket, just need the seat... and some lysol!

Thanks for sharing.

[mschrisgo2]

We had this issue come up at my elementary school a few weeks back. We had a lock-down, because there were people shooting at each other in the adjacent park. So when kids couldn't run out to the bathroom as needed... admin sent out an email telling teachers to have the kids use a wastebasket... apparently, we will all be getting 5-gallon buckets, toilet seats, and kitty litter for use in any similar situations.

[BikingLady]

My dad has always kept a 5 gallon bucket in the garage for this. Guess he had to many memories of the the sewer being out! I was reading life in 1850 stories last week and that was one of the morning tasks to empty the pots from the night before, lovely. Gosh the things we take for granted today.