What if you have diarrhea in a composting toilet?

Discussing waterless composting toilets can sometimes lead to uncomfortable questions. What happens if you have diarrhea? Can a composting toilet still work? And what about handling vomiting or menstrual blood? In this article, we’ll address these topics openly, so you can get the answers you need.

Diarrhea in a composting toilet

Everyone experiences diarrhea from time to time—it’s completely natural. While the symptoms may be unpleasant, the good news is that a waterless composting toilet can still be used as usual.

Since diarrhea contains more moisture, adding extra dry organic material (such as hemp) can help in preserving the moisture balance inside the composting toilet. It also helps cover up any traces for the next person using the toilet. In most cases, the amount of “extra” liquid from diarrhea is relatively small compared to the capacity of a composting toilet’s solids container, so it does not significantly impact the composting process nor the use of the toilet.

If any poop/diarrhea is left on the toilet, it can easily be cleaned with a small amount of water (e.g., from a water bottle) and a toilet brush.

Periods and menstrual blood in a composting toilet

Menstrual blood is not an issue for composting toilets—what comes out of the human body will naturally compost inside the composting toilet. However, tampons and pads often contain plastic or synthetic materials and should not be disposed of in the composting toilet. Instead, we recommend placing them in a small trash bin in the bathroom.

Vomit in a composting toilet

While vomiting is unpleasant no matter where it happens, it is safe to vomit into a composting toilet.

For urine-diverting toilets, vomit should go into the solids section (where poop goes). Vomiting into the urine bowl may clog the urine hose. If this happens by accident, be sure to clean the front bowl thoroughly to prevent blockages.

For non-separating waterless toilets, you can vomit directly into the composting chamber without any issues.

Hope you stay healthy, and if you’re feeling unwell, we wish you a quick recovery!