A common problem with sawdust toilets and composting toilets is bugs, mainly flies and gnats. The simple, inexpensive method outlined below will prevent these pests from getting into your sawdust toilet or composting toilet.
Why do people use sawdust toilets and composting toilets?
There are many reasons that people install sawdust toilets and/or composting toilets in their homes. These simple toilets eliminate the need for an outdoor toilet for those who live outside the reach of modern utilities (“off the grid”), or for those who live in areas where water is precious or expensive, or for those who do not wish to pay the $10,000-$13,000 to build a septic system that requires expensive biannual maintenance forever after. Whatever the reasons, sawdust toilets and composting toilets are used around the world.
How do bugs find the sawdust toilet and composting toilet when there is no smell?
Even though a sawdust toilet or composting toilet owner may have taken every possible precaution to prevent odor from being emitted from the toilet, bugs will still find it. Even though we cannot smell any toilet odors, a bug can. If there is a fly or gnat in the home of a sawdust or composting toilet owner, that bug will indeed find the toilet, guaranteed, even though there is absolutely no detectable smell according to our olfactory senses. That bug will find the toilet, enter it, and reproduce within.
Organic, natural bug killers such as diatomaceous earth only work if you cover the contents of the toilet with a 3/8 inch to 3/4 inch thick layer of the stuff. In the case of a multi-compartmental composting toilet, this is nearly impossible. Also, diatomaceous earth is expensive.
Chemical bug sprays can work, but no one wants to use those in their sawdust or composting toilet. They’re not good for plastics or the environment.
So how does one keep bugs out of their sawdust or composting toilet?
If your toilet has an exhaust pipe, then the toilet seat cannot be covered airtight to prevent bugs from entering. This would render the exhaust pipe useless, and in some cases could cause damage in those toilets that have an electrical-fan-aided exhaust system that requires freely-flowing air.
One simple solution to this problem is to drape a one-yard-square of fine mesh over the toilet, under the seat, preferably, so that it lays flat with no wrinkles, such as shown in the photo above. One wrinkle could actually create a “tunnel” big enough for a gnat to find its way in. The fine mesh cloth is very easy to remove when the toilet is in use, and easy to put back into place.
This method allows plenty of airflow for an exhaust system to work effectively. Regular screen will not work because young gnats can actually get through it. The cloth must be a very fine mesh, similar to the fabric used for a window in a tent. A one-yard piece of fine mesh cloth can be purchased at most “big box” hardware stores, such as True Value, Home Depot, or Lowes for a couple of bucks.
If any readers know of other non-chemical methods to prevent bugs from entering a sawdust toilet or composting toilet, kindly leave your comments below.