To put the camping toilet in the shed?!

[delorisvancartier]

So it's my DD2 Birthday in a few weeks & we usually have a bbq for all her friends & drinks for the parents. Our house is a 2 bed end terrace so not very large at all but we do have a large garden which is fab. The last few years with only having one toilet & up to 12+ kids under 10, well you can imagine the state the toilet/bathroom gets in! AIBU this year to use our chemical camping toilet in the shed for the kids to use? I think it's ok but I'm not sure the more I think about it. Obviously we would make the shed child friendly etc?

Why not hire a portaloo

Hand sanitiser isn’t a great substitution for hand washing, especially if they’re going to be sticking their hands in the party foods after

12 ten year olds - maybe each one will go to the toilet once , and most of them will be perfectly tidy. . I wouldn't bother with doing the camp toilet thing - it sounds horrible. Just pop into the bathroom a couple of times and check if the toilet is OK. I'm betting it will be.

Find some less feral friends

Plenty of parties thanks.

If they're all so messy I would have thought the bathroom would be easier to clean than a shed, really.

With that many guests, more than one toilet would be useful, so I don't think a camping toilet in a clean shed with power and hand sanitizer is a bad idea, but as an addition. I wouldn't relegate children (or adults) to it toilet. Just let everyone use whichever they prefer.

The toilet will get full. It will be a faff if it needs emptying. Much easier to put personal towels / bath mat and other items away in the bathroom and clean it afterwards.

Surely nipping up stairs every now and then to wipe the sink and toilet would be much easier than emptying and cleaning a camping toilet?

What if these guests wee all over the camping toilet, the shed floor and throw half a loo roll in there, or have a poo?

Who takes a toilet camping anyway, isn’t that what buckets are for? Vom at the thought of using what is essentially a shared bucket.

It could work but probably be best as an addition to the main bathroom.
Also how will you get wee out of the wooden permeable floor? It could stink afterwards.

I think it’s fine, I would open it up to everyone as an overflow toilet and probably add a bucket of warm water, soap and a towel too or antibacterial wet wipes too.

If you don’t force just the kids to use the shed loo it’s not rude, and I bet a few —men— adults will use it too for convenience.

Ehh honestly? I’m a camper/outdoor enthusiast/roughing-it type of person but I’d still at my kid being directed to a shed with a chemical toilet in it while visiting someone’s home.
Not very friendly.
Bit weird.

I think it's a bad idea and I am very familiar with cassette and porta loos. You will end up with cleaning the bogger in the house AND the portaloo.

It's the hygiene side of it that would stop me doing it entirely though. I get where you are coming from but kids are often questionable about handwashing with full facilities but with gel and wipes and stuff that would slide further I fear.

With party food around you could end up with some horrible bug that due to the unusual toilet arrangements, you could be getting the blame for.

Unfortunately I would just use the toilet inside the house and check in it.

Sounds like a very good idea. It's handy to have an extra toilet with all those people over.

Nanna50 a proper camping toilet is far superior to a bucket in every respect. You cannot compare the two. I have done countless camping trips and have never once weed or crapped in a bucket! It has a rinse facility and the contents are sealed away in the base.
We have a van and carry ours everywhere with us. It's very reassuring to have a loo everywhere you go. I don't think I could go back to car ownership for this reason alone now.

How will it get less dirty than the inside toilet though? They'll just pee on the seat in the shed instead. I've had plenty of parties, huge family, never had this issue.

I'm also not keen on just hand sanitiser after a poo rather than washing. So it would be a no from me.

And why are you going off on one at people saying they think it's a bad idea?! You asked?!

Great idea.

The flush on the camping loos I've used operates completely differently to a normal toilet. I wouldn't expect your party guests to spend time following instructions on how to do this. I think it would get dirty very quickly and it's not as though it'll be easy to give it a quick proper clean in the shed where you don't have running water.

I think it's a bit grim asking that number of people to share a chemical toilet. In a hot shed my guess is that it might get smelly quite quickly.

I'd be concerned about there not being running water for washing hands when presumably there'll be buffet type food at the party.

I really think it would be better to just use your bathroom. At least it'll be easy to clean at the end of the day.

It sounds like a good idea. Presumably your bathroom is upstairs and a fair way from your garden were the party is happening.

Decorate the shed, fairy lights and things.

I think you do need a different hand washing arrangement. Not sure what. Garden tap? Handwash.

I think it would be fine as an option ( in addition to using the normal toilet) . Some children would love the novelty

Though I have come to realise.over the years on MN that the world is FULL of people who really really get upset over things that I cannot fathom

Chemical toilets can be used for a long time , especially when if it only wee. Days and weeks . I can't see it being used for.much else on the day anyway . They can be emptied down the toilet so no need to ' slurry' the garden !

Hand washing.put a very large jug of water and a bowl, soap and a towel. You will need to top up the water . Otherwise you might be able to use a big camping water container with a tap over a bowl.

Hand sanitizer is not an alternative to proper washing hands.
Why not just check on your loo every hour and clean up as necessary?

sounds like a great idea op

Put a sign on the door indicating if it’s free or not.

I think it will be fun. The children will prefer to use it rather than walk through your house and miss the party fun.

Call it an outdoor loo. Part of the fun.

otoh people actually dont use the toilet much tbh

As an alternative, to save queues and traipsing, great idea. Most kids (and some adults) will think it's fun.
Great idea OP!