Emergency Toilet Kit on a Budget

Emergency Toilet Kit

In an emergency, you'll want the basics: food, water, shelter, and access to a bathroom. If the sewage lines aren't functioning, then using your toilet isn't going to be an option. Having a Plan B beforehand is a very good idea. There are several emergency sanitation kits on the market, but I like having the option of customizing and creating my own. And because I'm also on a pretty tight budget, I don't want to spend a fortune. So I thought I would share how to make your own emergency toilet kit. Have fun!

Supplies:

1. Portable Toilet Kit from Emergency Essentials: $14.95. This really is a great value. It comes with a five-gallon bucket, snap-on toilet lid, and two enzyme packets for deodorizing. It’s the perfect start to creating your own sanitation kit.

2. One box of heavy duty trash bags: $5. Use two of these to line the bucket (or even your own toilet at home, if you have access to it but are unable to flush it). When it gets half-full (or at the end of the day), you can tie it up, discard it into a public trash receptacle (if available), or bury it on your property.

3. One bag of all-natural, biodegradable kitty litter: $6.99. I looked at various methods of deodorizing and sanitizing the waste in the emergency toilet, including using chlorinated lime (I was nervous about storing this long-term), bleach (too messy), and even sawdust (good idea for absorption, but does nothing for the smell). Then I stumbled across some all-natural, corn-based kitty litter available at my local pet store. It will eventually dissolve in water, so it’s safe to dispose of in a septic system if the city is providing one in an emergency. It will also keep the liquid mess to a minimum, and deodorize the waste.

4. One plastic camper's trowel from Emergency Essentials: $2.50. Keep this with the kitty litter and use it scoop and sprinkle some on top after each use of the toilet. It's also handy if you need to dig a hole.

5. One Bottle of hand sanitizer: $1.00. When water is scarce, this will be a VERY important component of your kit.

6. Several rolls of toilet paper from your own supply around the house.

Total Cost of Emergency Toilet Kit: $30.44

There are an infinite number of emergency or disaster scenarios. It is hard to anticipate when you might need. But even if you can’t be prepared for every single possibility, just having something will help you rest easier at night.

--Kirstin, Utah