You might feel a bit iffy about composting toilets for the issue of cleaning a water-less system. The good news is - a bit of water during a clean isn't going to hurt your compost! With a bit of water and a few sprays of Nature Flush | Enzymes - Concentrate 1 Litre (Enzymatic), keeping your composting toilet clean is easy as pie!
The main thing to remember when cleaning a composting toilet is you cannot use harsh chemicals to do the job. Toilet wipes, soaps (even eco soaps) and homemade baking soda cleaning solutions are also a no-go. All of these are designed to kill bacteria and, while this is usually a good thing, unfortunately they do kill good composting bacteria, too, which are necessary for a healthy pile.
Use Nature Flush | Enzymes - Concentrate 1 Litre (Enzymatic) for all your composting toilet's cleaning needs. This is a natural detergent and enzyme catalyst derived from bacterial fermentation. Not only does it clean the toilet, but it actually facilitates the composting process, too!
Below is a list of composting toilet components and ways to clean them.
Always take precautions when cleaning your toilet, and make sure to wear protective gear when tackling composting trays or chambers.
Toilet Seat, Lid and Pedestal
Spray on a bit of Nature Flush | Enzymes - Concentrate 1 Litre (Enzymatic) on the seat and lid and wipe these down with a paper towel. All our seats are easily removable and can be taken off completely for cleaning, shall you wish to do so. Likewise, to clean the outside of the pedestal, spray on some Nature Flush | Enzymes - Concentrate 1 Litre (Enzymatic), and wipe this down with a paper towel.
Inside the Bowl
Spray Nature Flush | Enzymes - Concentrate 1 Litre (Enzymatic) around the bowl and let it sit for a short time, as you would with toilet "Duck" and a flushing toilet. Then, clean around the bowl with a toilet brush, and wash off with a bit of water (this is where a WCTNZ® TOOLS | Composting Toilet Washing Wand comes in handy) or wipe down with wet paper towels. If you have a porcelain pedestal, it is extremely helpful to add protective coating to it upon purchase, as this will help pearl off liquids and prevent dirt from sticking to the bowl, helping it stay cleaner for longer.
Cleaning Diarrhea
One of the questions that comes up the most - how to clean a composting toilet post-diarrhea. Simply spray Nature Flush | Enzymes - Concentrate 1 Litre (Enzymatic) around the bowl, scrub down with a toilet brush and wash off with a bit of water (again, a WCTNZ® TOOLS | Composting Toilet Washing Wand is a super useful accessory for this).
Composting Tray/Chamber (On-floor Systems)
Cleaning out the composting tray/chamber of your on-floor system is not necessary weekly, but is good practice to do once a year as part of your maintenance schedule. Remove the tray/chamber and dispose of its contents first. Then, spray the tray with Nature Flush | Enzymes - Concentrate 1 Litre (Enzymatic) and let it sit for a short period. Prepare a small divot in your garden by raking back a bit of bark/soil, and rinse the tray with a low-pressure hose, making sure any run off goes into the divot. Once finished, make sure to cover up the divot with bark/soil.
Chute (Split-Systems)
The chute of a split system doesn't require cleaning but, if you wish to clean it, you can. Do so by spraying Nature Flush | Enzymes - Concentrate 1 Litre (Enzymatic) around the chute, scrubbing with an extended brush, and washing down with a bit of water.
Batching Chambers (Split-Systems)
If you have a split-system with batching chambers, it is not necessary to clean these weekly, but it is good practice to do so once a year as part of your maintenance schedule. Disconnect the chambers from the chute, vent and leachate hose. Soak the chamber with Nature Flush | Enzymes - Concentrate 1 Litre (Enzymatic) and let settle for a short period. Prepare a small divot in your garden by raking back a bit of bark/soil, and rinse the chamber with a low-pressure hose, making sure any run off goes into the divot (make sure to cover up the divot with bark/soil afterwards). Batching chambers are double-walled, so make sure to let them sit and drain out before putting them back into use.
Continuous System Chamber (Split-Systems)
A continuous system's chamber does not require cleaning as it is constantly in use. However, if you spill a bit of material onto the ground upon disposal, make sure to sweep this up, dispose of the matter, and then hose off the spill area.
Need help choosing a system? Call WCTNZ® on 0800 022 027 for free advice on system specification and setup. Advanced design consultancy services are also available.
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