Dual Flush Toilets and Kits - Advantages and Disadvantages

Dual flush toilets are becoming more and more popular throughout the world. With a growing awareness and the need to conserve water, as well and more significant droughts throughout the world, people are turning to ways they can conserve water in their own homes. These toilets are used widely throughout the rest of the world, but slowly becoming a popular choice among residents of the United States and Canada.

If you are considering purchasing these water efficient and "green" toilets, you will want to consider the advantages and disadvantages of these water efficient toilets. These environmentally friendly units offer two flush volumes: one volume for fluids and the other for solids.

Is it worth abandoning the standard flush system and going for a full replacement or a dual flush toilet conversion kit? Below are some advantages and disadvantages of both.

Advantages

Save Water

There is no doubt that a these water efficient toilets are very highly efficient and are in compliance of the National Energy Policy Act of 1994. These dual flushing toilets use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to older standard toilets that use more than 3.5 gallons per flush. As mentioned, these dual flushing toilets and kits feature two flush volumes on every model. The lower volume or the liquid flush, uses less than 1.1 gallons per flush. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we can save up to 4,000 gallons of water every year by converting our toilets to the dual flush system.

Saves Money

Water bills can decrease by hundreds of dollars. Along with that, in different provinces in Canada and states in the U.S., rebates are given to consumers who purchase HET a dual flushing toilet with a WaterSense label. The EPA provides an extensive list of toilets from well-known toilet manufacturers. These include, Caroma, American Standard, Kohler and Toto. The WaterSense label indicates that a dual flush toilet is not only "green" but also of a high quality.

The best savings is through a dual flush conversion kit. For about $30 and a couple of hours in an afternoon, you can convert your own regular toilet into a water efficient dual flush toilet. Prices of a brand new water efficient toilet can start around $250 U.S. for economy models and can go up for luxury models.

Clog Less

Most dual flush toilets are made to use gravity to remove waste through a large trapway, rather than old-fashioned pressure siphoning. The trapway is large enough to reduce incidence of clogging.

Disadvantages:

May Be Hard to Install

Some models of these toilets may be difficult for the do it yourselfer and may require professional installation. According to reviews at Amazon.com, and eFaucets, the ease of installation will vary by the model and the experience of the person installing the dual flush toilet. These toilet conversion kits like the one2flush conversion kit will cost around $30 and a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon. Any do it yourselfer can have a dual flush toilet at a fraction of the cost using a kit like the one2flush conversion kit.

Can Be Expensive

Many dual flush toilet models can start at around $250 and go up from there. That is why a conversion kit may be the best choice for most home owners. You can easily convert your own toilet into a dual flush toilet with these conversion kits.

What To Do With Your Old Toilet?

Of course with every new toilet purchased, you need to get rid of the old one. If you are environmentally conscious then you know that your old toilet will increase waste in the land fields. With an increase in technology, scientists and environmentalists are looking for ways to recycle old toilets. To save money and the land fields, using a conversion kit is a smart solution.

Conclusion:

These bathroom fixtures and conversion kits will save money, reduce waste and are eco-friendly. If a full toilet replacement is not an option, a dual flush retrofit may be the best option when striving to make the bathroom plumbing more water efficient.

To save hundreds of dollars on a new toilet, check out these reviews and to get more information about the one2flush dual flushing conversion kit at dual flush toilets

Tag : toilet,toilet training,toilet paper,toilet repair,flush toilet

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Toilet For Small Spaces

Toilets come in a variety of styles and models. Some of which are one-piece models and others two-piece units. There is even the composting model for the eco-friendly touch. Models of toilets tend to be categorized, however, by the design of the flush, most of which tend to be reverse trap flush cisterns. A more expensive design is the siphon jet which also has the advantage of being more efficient. There is also the half-flush system which seems to be more popular in some countries than in others. The cistern isn't the end of the story, of course. When choosing a toilet you can decide between a wall-hung design or a low level cistern toilet; one of the traditional high-level cistern toilets; a low-level cistern toilet that has its back attached to the wall; closed coupled cistern toilet; an increasingly popular option is the composting toilet; and then, of course, you can always take a visit to Japan to view their fabulous Toto toilet which can only be purchased in Japan at present.

The Traditional Toilet

The traditional toilet often tends to take up too much wall space. Not just with the toilet bowl and cistern, but with water inlets being on the side of the cistern while the overflow may also be on the side. Of the various different models, each has its advantages and disadvantages. Perhaps one of the better choices for a toilet for small spaces would be the wall hung toilet which can be set at varying heights and due to its absence of appendages, can create a remarkable feeling of space in a room that is smaller than average.

Corner Cistern Unit

In a confined space, there is nothing to stop you fitting a corner toilet. These toilets are not as unusual as they sound - and it's the cistern that fits into the corner, rather than the toilet bowl. Ideal Standard is one of the companies that produce a corner toilet for small spaces: the model is one of the Space ranges which, although only available in white, conform to Ideal Standard E7172, E7091, and E7204. It is only sold as a complete set, comprising bowl, corner cistern and toilet seat. The actual height of the toilet bowl is 395mm and, because the cistern is recessed into an available corner, this model makes the ideal design for a toilet for small spaces.

Innovative Designs

While solving the problem of providing a toilet for small spaces calls for innovative thinking, I think the Toto is probably a little too innovative - apart from taking up a bit too much space either side of the toilet bowl with its 'all-singing-all-dancing' routines of taking your blood pressure and analyzing your urine then relaying the resultant information on to your doctor! However, manufacturers of toilet porcelain do, in fact, make smaller toilets - some far too petite to be a great deal of use. For a toilet for small spaces you need to be looking for plumbing that enters the cistern from below instead of the side, with the cistern being no wider than 16 inches. However, when you do need a toilet for small spaces, you might consider a round front bowl, rather than one of the elongated ones. The round toilet bowls are shorter in length by a full 2 inches, making this choice a particularly useful toilet for small spaces - just perfect for when space is at a premium.

Tag : toilet,toilet paper,toilet repair,toilet cleaning

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Kimberly-Clark to Sell Moistened Toilet Paper

Since 1890, the basic idea behind toilet paper has remained pretty much the same.

Competing brands have long slugged it out over which roll is softest, or which roll lasts the longest. But they have never competed over wetness.

But yesterday, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation announced its intention to retrain the nation to use wet toilet paper.

Kimberly-Clark introduced a new form of wet wipes for adults, Cottonelle Fresh Rollwipes, which hang from a dispenser above a family's dry toilet paper.

Last year, Americans bought $799 million in moist towelettes, a 5.3 percent increase from the year before, and Kimberly-Clark took the largest market share, 41 percent, according to Information Resources Inc.

But the leading moist towelette brands are all baby wipes, and Kimberly-Clark is betting that adults are ready to use them, too. Peggy Nabbefeldt, the marketing director for Cottonelle, said that one out of four Americans already used a moist tissue after they use the toilet.

Kimberly-Clark spent $100 million to develop the new product and will spend an additional $40 million to market it, running ads and installing Rollwipes in health clubs and spas. Rollwipes, which will sell for $8.99 for a dispenser and four rolls, will reach store shelves in the Eastern states by next summer. A set of four replacement rolls will cost $3.99.

''You would not think of this as a category that they could do innovation, and here they are,'' said Amanda Tepper, an analyst for J. P. Morgan Chase. ''They are swinging for a big one here.''

Ms. Tepper said she thought Rollwipes were a good investment for the company. Shares of Kimberley-Clark rose 71 cents yesterday, to $66.22. Still, the costs of rolling out the product will hurt earnings this year, and Ms. Tepper lowered her estimate yesterday by 5 cents, to $3.63 a share.

Kimberly-Clark contends Rollwipes are the first wet, flushable toilet paper on a roll. But DeWitt Paul, president of Cotton Buds, a company in California, said his company's Moist Mates reached shelves four months ago and do everything Rollwipes promise.

Linda Bartelt, the president of the wet wipes division of Kimberly-Clark, contends that the Moist Mates dispenser does not work very well. Mr. Paul, of course, disagrees.

''Once you start using it you wonder how you ever got by without it,'' he said.

Tag : toilet,toilet paper,toilet repair,toilet seats

http://www.nytimes.com/

Composting Toilets For Families With Children

As our nation faces water shortages and water crises in heavily populated areas like California, composting toilets continue to gain popularity as a water-saving alternative to traditional toilets. Their growing usage, however, leads many families and homeowners to wonder, are they a good solution for my home? Particularly for families with children, there are some special considerations to take into account.

The needs of families with children will vary, depending on the ages of the kids in the home. If you have young children, for example, potty training may be a consideration. First, you'll want to evaluate the seat height of the toilet. Many composting toilets, specifically self-contained units, feature very tall seat heights. Some even have built-in stools or footrests, making it easier for an adult to step up to the seat. For a child, this would obviously create a problem in getting to the toilet on their own.

Young children are notorious for wanting to flush various objects down the toilet-any parent who's ever fished a watch or rubber ducky or other item out of their toilet bowl is well aware of this. With a composting toilet, reaching the lost object may not be so simple. One of the biggest pros to modern composting toilets is that they're designed in such a way that the homeowner does not have to come into contact with the waste until it is fully composted. However, if you think your child has dropped something down into the toilet, you may find yourself donning some gloves and sifting through waste to get at the lost item. Thus, it's important that parents of young children take the time to impress upon their kids the importance of not putting any foreign objects in the toilet. Another easy alternative is to install a child-proof toilet seat and lid, so that children cannot lift up the lid without your assistance.

If you have older adolescents to young teens in your home, you may also need to discuss the importance of not putting things like wet wipes, tampons, or sanitary pads into the toilet. The only things that should go in a composting toilet are waste and toilet paper. Everything else belongs in the garbage can.

The amount of toilet paper used may also be another conversation to have with kids, though this isn't a topic just for homes with composting toilets. Many parents have had to use a plunger to unclog a traditional toilet when a child has used half the roll of toilet paper and tried to flush. With a compost toilet, the issue isn't that it won't flush, but rather that using too much paper will affect the capacity of the unit itself. Capacities of composting toilets are typically based on the number of people using the fixture each day. If someone is adding a huge amount of toilet paper, this will of course have an impact.

Last but not least, homeowners with composting toilet systems should take the time to explain to their kids about the regular maintenance of the unit. Usually this involves adding some bulking material, such as a peat moss/wood chip mixture, each day and turning a crank on the outside of the toilet, which in turn rotates the inner drum. Once children are old enough, get them involved in these daily activities. The more they know about the system, the less likely they are to do something that might potentially harm it.

Composting toilets are a wonderful alternative to traditional toilets, and they can be used virtually anywhere. For families with children, they are still a very viable alternative to traditional toilets, provided that parents explain to and educate their kids about the toilet. Plus, by introducing your kids to an eco friendly fixture like a composting toilet while they are young, you'll be making a positive impact on their lifelong tendency toward a green lifestyle.

Tag : toilet,toilet repair,toilet paper,toilet water

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ellen_Bell

How to Replace Your Toilet

One thing is for sure, the level of difficulty in replacing your home's toilet does not correspond with its importance! Removing your current commode and installing a new one is a rather simple task that shouldn't take more than a few hours. Many people don't think about their toilet when they are redesigning a bathroom, au contraire! The toilet, as the centerpiece of any bathroom, should be where your design starts. Pick out one that will do its duty as the star player in your new bathroom, and follow these simple steps for its installation.

1. Most toilets have a separate tank that mounts on top of the bowl, so these instructions are really geared towards that kind of toilet's installation. Whatever toilet you choose, you should follow the manufacturer's instructions first and foremost.

2. Before you buy, be sure to measure the distance between the back bolts that hold down your toilet and the wall behind it. Most toilets should have about a 12, distance.

3. Turn off your old toilet's water supply, flushing afterward to let all the water out of its tank. Hold the trip-lever down as you flush to be sure that you get all the water out. Use a sponge to completely dry the tank and bowl.

4. Using a large, adjustable open-end wrench, loosen the nut between the toilet tank and the base. Watch the fill valve, you might need to hold it still with some pliers so it doesn't turn.

5. Loosen the bolts that hold the tank to the ground and to the toilet, the nuts for these are located at the rear of the toilet bowl. With these bolts out,they are long, you can lift the tank off the bowl.

6. If you have a tank that mounts to the wall and feeds the tank with a curved pipe, remove the pipe first with a trap wrench or water pump pliers. You can even saw it with a hacksaw to remove it. Then, carefully remove the tank from the wall after unscrewing the bolts that hold in place. Have someone support it as you unscrew so it doesn't fall.

7. To remove the toilet bowl, you will need to unscrew it from the floor. Typically, toilets are fastened to the floor with two hold-down bolts and nuts, hidden beneath trim caps. Pry off the trim caps to expose the bolts and nuts and unscrew them. If unscrewing the nuts is difficult, you can saw them off with a mini-hacksaw,just be sure to protect the bowl's finish with masking tape.

8. Now you can rock the bowl back and forth to break its seal with the floor. Once it is free of the seal, you can lift it and take it out of the house. Don't forget to hold it level so you don't spill any water left in trap-seal.

9. Fill the hole left in your bathroom with rags or paper towels in plastic bags so you can keep sewer gas out of the house and protect the soil pipe.

10. Now, you need to clean everything up before you install your new toilet. Remove any old putty or wax that created the toilet seal. Clean the floor completely just in case the new toilet doesn't sit in the same place. Remove the old hold-down bolts and throw them away. If you want to paint the wall behind the toilet or replace the tile in the bathroom, now is the time!

11. Install any new water supply plumbing you want. It is a good idea to install a new fixture supply valve and a flexible riser tube, as they are helpful when shutting off your toilet's water supply. The valve will attach to the water supply pipe.

12. Check out the toilet flange, ensuring that it sticks up about 1/2" from the floor.

13. Set the new toilet in position on the flange to check for levelness. Check it on all sides, putting in some shims if necessary with non-rusting metal washers.

14. Install some new toilet hold-down bolts. If there are already holes for them, insert there. If you are using a cast iron piping system, the hold-downs will screw into the floor. Be sure to use the correct bolts, ask your retailer for them.

15. Now it is time to install your new toilet, handle it with care so you don't crack or chip it! Invert it onto a thick padding of newspapers on the floor.

16. Next, seal the toilet to its soil pipe by placing a wax toilet ring gasket over the bowl's outlet hole. Make sure the gasket is at room temperature before you install it. The flat face should go against the bowl and its sleeve (if it has one) should face away from it. Be sure to use a new gasket for this!

17. You'll need to seal the bowl-to-floor joint at the edge of the bowl's base. Lay a bead of plumber's putty where the toilet will be set or use two pounds of plaster. You can also caulk the joint with bathtub caulk.

18. Before setting the bowl, remove the rags from the opening. Hold the bowl upright a few inches over the floor. Lower it slowly, ensuring that the hold-down bolts pass through their openings in the base and the wax gasket meets with the toilet flange.

19. Rock the bowl carefully from front to back and side to side while pushing down hard, this will seal the bowl onto the floor and on its gasket. Make sure it is level and square with the rear wall, but do not raise the bowl from the floor! You will have to start the setting process over.

20. Put washers over the hold-down bolts and thread on the brass nuts. Tighten the nuts with your hands, as using a wrench could break the bowl. If the bowl has some front-mounting holes, install toilet studs with washers and nuts into them.

21. Install the toilet tank hardware if it comes separately. Take the rubber spud washer and set it into the flush valve opening in the bottom of the tank. The washer will go beveled side out. If there is a rubber tank cushion, set it in place on the bowl. Pick up the tank and lower it into place on the back of the bowl.

22. Install the brass tank-mounting bolts from inside the tank, sliding them down through their holes. Place two rubber washers against the tank and bowl, drawing them up gently until they are snug.

23. Connect the tank's water supply to the inlet valve on the bottom of the tank. Use a coupling nut for this, as it will work perfectly with a flat-ended riser tube. Turn on the water and watch the tank as it fills, checking for leaks. See that the tank fills to about 1/2" below the top of the overflow tube.

24. Tighten the bowl hold-down bolts one turn beyond hand-tight. Cut the ends and install the trim caps, filling their recesses with plumber's putty and pressing them down over the bolts.

25. Smooth and clean up the excess sealant around the base of the toilet and test-flush it. Install the toilet seat and tank cover and you are done!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Youri_Naimark

New Toilet Installing - You Can Do It!

If you can install your own toilet then you can choose what toilet best suits your needs, as there is a very big variety in style, price, and quality of toilets. Installing your own toilet is not as big a question as you might think it is. Learn how you can install a toilet yourself. You can have your new model toilet in place in just a few hours. Probably even much less time than that.

The first thing you need to do is pick out the toilet that you prefer to have. If you are older or have health problems, consider a handicap height toilet. They are a couple of inches taller than a standard toilet and make it much easier to get up from. If you have a lot of usage than a pressure assisted toilet might also be a good fit for you. The extra water pressure will help to keep the toilet from clogging. Toilets usually come without a seat, so don't forget to buy a new one or you can save the one from your previous toilet if it will fit the bowl of the new one.

The floor does not have to be spotless before installing the new toilet, but it should be fairly clean. You will next need to install the tank onto the bowl. Set the bolts with the rubber washers on them in the holes on the tank and then set the tank on the back of the toilet bowl. Tighten the bolts gently, just expanding the washers a bit.

Next, turn the toilet bowl upside down and place an new wax ring and sleeve onto the toilet horn. The toilet bowl wax gasket works best if it is at room temperature. This will ensure the proper forming of seal. Now stand directly over the toilet and lift it turning it over and setting it down over the bolts in the flange. By doing this you will place the toilet on top of the wax ring. The bolts will come up through the holes on the side of the toilet.

Install the washers over the bolts and slowly tighten the nuts until snug, while slowly pressing down until the toilet is seated flush with the floor. Make certain that the bolts are tight enough to prevent the toilet from rocking, however do not over-tighten them. Tightening the bolts too much will cause the toilet which is porcelain, to crack. Now, reconnect the water line from the floor to the tank. To give it a nice finished look a bead of silicone caulk can be run around the base of the toilet. Remember that he caulk will be visible, so choose a color that looks good with your toilet for a professional look.

Installing your own toilet can be just that easy. In an afternoon your can pick out your new toilet, remove your old one, install your new one and have it up and flushing in no time at all! Then last of all, check for leaks!! Don't be embarrassed if you find a leak, retighten and check again. Even a pro will have a leak sometimes. Leaks happen! Good Luck!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D._Floyd_Kolb

Easy Ways to Find Cheap Toilets

A comfortable and stylish bathroom is one of the features of an attractive and well-maintained home. It's usually easy to decide on wall designs, fixtures and sinks but choosing the perfect toilet for your bathroom is definitely hard. Most quality toilets with classy designs are really expensive. If you don't have enough savings it's really difficult to have the best toilet. However, though most are costly you can still find cheap toilets with good quality if you'll learn simple buying tips.

If you're looking for cheap toilets it's best to browse business sites. Most of the home improvement stores that handle their business online sell bathroom products and accessories at a lower price. Another reason why it's wise to buy online because it provides you a grand opportunity to select the toilet that suits your creativeness and style, for these online bathroom shops provide huge selections of new toilet such as wall hung, back to wall toilets, and corner toilets. At times, these stores offer fabulous discounts, free shipping fees, and other great deals to invite more online clients. Apart from such overwhelming offers, you can be assured that you can get the kind of toilet you choose and it will be brought straight to your home; plus you can also receive handy instructional materials that can help you set up your new bathroom without a plumbing contractor. Following these instructional tips can be fairly simple and more convenient when you have little experience on how to install a new toilet. Therefore, purchasing a new toilet online is more practical and economical than buying one in corners stores.

You can also purchase cheap toilets even in home improvement stores in your area by taking a look at the style and features. The price of a toilet also depends on the color, so when you want to buy a new toilet for your bathroom, it's smarter to choose a sparkling white toilet. It's definitely cheaper than toilets in different colors and it also suits all bathroom designs and fixture tones. You should consider the shape of the toilet. Toilets with elongated beats are more expensive than round toilet seats. Though, elongated toilet seats are more comfortable and sanitary you can still choose a round toilet seat and just make sure that you keep it clean and maintain it well. And if you're saving bathroom spaces the round-shaped toilet is ideal. The flushing system also adds up to the price of toilets. If you don't want to spend much of your savings, you should prefer gravity-fed toilets. A gravity-fed toilet is usually cheaper than other toilets with pressurized assisted or dual flush system. If there are added features to a new toilet such as heater or bidet-like function, it will be more expensive. If you want to settle on a more affordable toilet in a corner store, try to compare the prices of the toilets available. You can buy a toilet with no extra features; the key is to maintain it properly. Before purchasing a new toilet, it's also more prudent to check the quality as well so you won't end up wasting time and money.

If you're looking for cheap toliets it's best to browse business sites. Most of the home improvement stores that handle their business online sell bathroom products and accessories at a lower price. Another reason why it's wise to buy toilets online is it provides you a grand opportunity to select the toilet that suits your creativeness and style

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amaan_Goyal

Camping Toilets - Choosing the Best Camping Toilet For Your Needs

Camping toilets can enhance our camping experience a lot. As in other areas in our lives the small things are those that count and the same can be said for camping toilets. Most camping toilet facilities that are available in camp sites, are usually poorly maintained and not very clean. Although, when camping, it is understandable that you're not going to be able to keep your personal hygiene levels like you can at home but a certain minimum is also required when camping.

This is where portable camping toilets come into play since they enable us to avoid the usage of dirty toilet seats thus reducing our exposure to potential pathogen bacteria that reside on uncleaned toilet seats. If you do not have access to your own camping toilet and you are "forced" to use a toilet facility, you do not need to panic since there's a small chance of you contracting a harmful virus or bacteria from a dirty toilet seat. These toilets also prove themselves to be their moneys worth, when we need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. Unless you are really brave, most people find it difficult to get to the toilet facility in the middle of the night. You never know, what can happen in a lightless camping area. This is why having a camping toilet can be a very clever idea.

There are two main types of camping toilets, simple and complex. Simpler (in design) camping toilets are generally made of a light metal frame with a seat that has a hole in the middle - they are almost identical to a foldable chair except they have a hole in the middle of the seat. Usually these kind of types require you to also have some bags in which you can capture the feces. One of the main concerns with using these type of toilets is that the bags for containing the poop are made out of plastic which is not nature friendly. In recent times we have seen the arrival of biodegradable bags, which help reduce our impact on the nature. The main advantage for these type of camping toilets is their price. Because their design is not that complicated, they are easy to be produced and thus the price is lower.

On the other hand we have bulkier, more complex camping toilets, that are more robust and can be used for a number of times before emptying them since they have a large storing tank for the waste. Some of them also have a water storage tank which enables us to flush the poop in a manner a lot similar to our home toilets. These types of camping toilets are in most cases bulky in design which increases their size and weight thus rendering them a bit less portable. They are best suited for people that are not willing to change the waste bag every time they need to go to use the toilet and are not willing to carry a camping toilet with them on a hike. Since these types of camping toilets are more complicated in design they cost a bit more.

When using these types of camping toilets we need to use different liquid or powder agents that liquefy and neutralize the produced waste. More often than not these solving and odor neutralizing agents are harmful to the environment. Nonetheless it is possible to find these agents that are environment friendly, you just have to look for them. The main advantage of these type of camping toilets is their capacity and versatility. Complex camping toilets can hold a lot of waste, which means no need for frequent emptying and they can be used almost anywhere. You can place them in a caravan, they can serve you as a back up toilet in the house for emergencies, etc.

Either way you choose you can't go wrong. Both of the described types of camping toilets are far superior compared to the dirty camping toilet facilities. So if you want to have an even better camping experience, then be sure to get your hands on a camping toilet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dean_Milford

Camping Toilet – The Best Way To Use The Bathroom Outside

A camping toilet may well not be a necessity, but it's absolutely a convenience. Whilst hiking is all about being from the fantastic outdoors, it's also about enjoying your self and not worrying about catching anything when you choose to make use of the bathroom. So, regardless of whether you would like to rough it or you need luxury, there's a camping toilet that could fit your situation.

What need to you appear for in a hiking toilet?

Once again, depending on how experienced you might be and what you're in search of, there's a camping toilet that is going to be perfect for you. When you don't mind the clean up or the hassle, a bucket toilet may well be your ideal bet. Basically, a bucket toilet is a five gallon bucket that comes with a detachable toilet seat. If you're in search of a inexpensive solution, absolutely go with the bucket toilet.

If you would like something virtually as inexpensive, but a lot more portable and with less clean up, a folding toilet will work ideal. Folding toilets are made just like folding chairs, except they have a hole in them and a plastic lining to catch waste. When you're done, you just throw the lining away, fold up your toilet and move on.

When you definitely would like to go all out and avoid any resemblance of using the bathroom on the ground, a portable flush toilet has both luxury and convenience. These toilets have two water tanks, one for fresh water and the other for waste. You is going to be producing a bigger investment, but if you want the closest point to a bathroom for the outdoors, this will absolutely fit the bill.

A camping toilet can definitely change the way you camp. It prevents you from having to worry about how clean the facilities are at any given campground. If you've to obtain up from the middle of the night to make use of the bathroom, a camping toilet will save you every time from walking across a muddy field and then finding your self in a disgusting outhouse.

By: K King

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Squat Toilet Tips

One of the biggest shocks when it comes to traveling in China is the feral state of their squat toilets. Not only do you have to get used to doing your business in the squatting position but you also need to remember not to flush your toilet paper away!

I first discovered the wonders of the dreaded Squat Toilet in my younger years living in Malaysia, and although it was not the best experience, it was still an experience for me to learn from.

* Always carry around toilet paper, hygiene wipes or tissue paper (some public toilets will sell packets of tissue at the door)
* Always have 20sen ready so you can pay to gain entry into the smelly public toilets
* Bring a friend, Malaysian toilets are notorious for having bad things happen to helpless women on their own
* If you are wearing pants or jeans, it is a necessity to roll them up prior to entering
* Expect to be greeted with wet, dirty floors
* If you get a seated toilet, be aware that many Malaysians will still squat on those seats
* Beware of your neighbours. The person next door may decide that the cubical needed a quick rinse... or at least, that's what I hope that water was....
* High heels/stiletto shoes are not advisable unless you are experienced

Prior to China I had always believed that I had already experienced the worst that I could experience (in regards to squat toilets), there could be no way in this lifetime that people could live in a country with public toilets worse than Malaysia. I was, of course, completely naive and obviously not using my head.

The worst public toilet I've ever encountered was in China's rural region. The good thing is that the toilets aren't difficult to locate, you just need to follow your nose. There are however, a lot of bad things to note about rural public toilets.

1. The stench is enough to make you faint
2. There is no toilet paper
3. There is no toilet flush (their flush is actually someone throwing water down the trench at the end of the day)
4. There is no toilet seat (no western toilet!)
5. There is no toilet hole (no squat toilet!)
6. There is no toilet door
7. There is a waist-high toilet wall dividing each 'cubical'
8. There is a foot deep little trench to do your business
9. There is a waste-basket for used toilet paper and sanitary products (if you're unlucky, you might not even have this)
10. There might be someone's #2 waiting to greet you
11. There will likely be many naked bottoms and other bits to greet you

China sure knows how to bring their people together.

Here are some things you may want to consider in preparation for the worst toilet experience in China (and some other countries)

* Never travel without toilet paper, hygiene wipes or tissue paper
* Some nice public toilets have a toilet roll near the entrance
* A face mask doused in perfume/cologne may help with your trip to the toilet
* Always look for a 4 or 5 star hotel, or a newly built hotel to use their lobby toilet
* An umbrella is a useful tool to hide your ass from fellow toilet users if there is no door
* Always use the toilet at hotels even if you don't need to, you never know when your next toilet break is or how much worse the toilet may be.
* If you are lucky enough to get a squat toilet, face away from the hole (I was never sure why but a friend told me that #2 will go straight down that way. But I've still encountered evidence of people facing the wrong direction and #2 was obviously not flushed away)
* Never flush the toilet paper down as you will clog the pipe! (more on this later)

No matter how many times I use those squat toilets and how often I hear how hygienic it is compared to western toilets, I will always prefer western toilets! The fact is, not everyone knows how to use a squat toilet properly and I know there is a larger percentage of people who miss when it comes to squatting.

Now on to the importance of NOT flushing the toilet paper down the pipes!

I never really followed this advice until I stayed in the Beijing student dorms when I studied there. As a result of not obeying the rules, I had to go without a toilet for up to 24hrs on several occasions. The toilet actually clogged up a couple of times even though I didn't flush toilet paper!

It's not a proven fact but rumour has it that the waste from the top floor dorm rooms drain down to ground floor, so you will likely have more clogged-toilet problems at the lower level dorms. I know for a fact that some of my friends staying on the ground floor of the dorm building had the worst smelling toilets even after they had bleached the whole room...

Just Don't Do It!

Don't flush toilet paper down those pipes!! Think about the poor Chinese people whose job is to unclog the mess you make, and just be grateful that the toilet can even flush!

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