If you’re involved in living off-the-grid or van life, you’re well aware of composting toilets. These toilets are more or less the holy grail of recycling since they turn human waste into compost. It returns the nutrients we don’t digest into the ground, creating an environmentally beneficial cycle. There’s a lot to cover with composting toilets, with people figuring out how to add unique features to theirs. So, what about a composting toilet with bidet guide?
If you’ve grown accustomed to using a bidet rather than toilet paper, it’s a big challenge to switch back to toilet paper. You can say what you want, but bidets are as popular as they are for a reason. Bidets are healthier for the body, easy to use, and help save time in the bathroom.
Despite popular belief, you can use a bidet with composting toilets. There are some general rules to follow, which we’ll discuss, most of which revolve around dealing with extra moisture. Many recommend having a separate bidet toilet meant for cleaning. There are also plenty of portable bidets that are simple and don’t need to get hooked up to a water supply.
This guide will cover all the basics and necessary information for composting toilets and bidets. We’ll discuss what both are, composting toilet bidet options, bidets you can use, alternatives, and related questions. By the end, you’ll better understand bidets and composting toilets and know where to begin.
What is a Composting Toilet?
A composting toilet turns our waste into compost rather than flushing it away. Most composting toilets don’t require plumbing or water, meaning you can build one in an area where that’s not an option. Turning our waste into compost benefits the planet since it turns something we’d normally throw away into something useful.
The process works by separating the waste hit an absorbent that allows bacteria and fungi to break down the waste. Every toilet’s price, function, and requirements vary, but plenty of DIY options are available. The options range from a bucket to fully installing a vermicomposting toilet to your existing flush toilet.
What is a Bidet?
Bidets are toilet fixtures that use water to clean people off after they use the bathroom. They’re universal in Asia, South America, and Europe and are growing in popularity in the West. If you’ve used a bidet before, you know how much more efficient it is than only using toilet paper.
However, with a composting toilet, you might fear giving up a bidet since you won’t have water access with a composting toilet. Don’t worry, it’s possible to have a bidet with your composting toilet, and there are a few options to consider. We’ll go over each in detail, but you can either have a portable bidet, a DIY option, or a bidet hose.
Composting Toilet with Bidet Options
Two main issues can happen while using a bidet and a composting toilet. The first has to do with excess water since composting toilets need to stay dry to mitigate smells. If you get your waste wet, it won’t decompose correctly, and foul smells will emerge.
The other issue is knowing how to supply the bidet with water. No matter the bidet, it’ll require a water supply, so you’ll have to keep that in mind when picking the bidet option for your composting toilet. Thankfully, there are ways around these issues, as long as you can get creative!
Option One – Composting Toilet with a Urine Diverter
The easiest option is to have your composting toilet have a urine diverter. Most commercial options already have this, and adding it to your DIY option is easy. That way, the bidet water will go down the same as your urine, and you won’t have to worry about extra moisture.
When using a urine diverter, the bidet water will wash down into the liquid container and be disposed of when complete. There are many points to be aware of with the urine diverter as easy as it seems. Most importantly, you’ll have to empty the urine container more frequently. You also can no longer use the urine, and you have extra liquids to worry about.
Option Two – Separate Bidet Toilet
If you don’t want to install a urine diverter or hope to keep your urine for fertilizer, another option is to have two toilets. This solution is ideal for people who have composting that utilizes a fan to evaporate urine. Basically, you’ll keep your regular composting toilet and have another for your bidet.
If you have a separate wash toilet, it means your urine can remain usable. So, after you use the bathroom, you can move to the bidet toilet and wash. After the container is complete, you can dispose of it as you usually do with black water. The only real issue with this solution is space. It’s only worth considering if you can house two separate toilets.
Option Three – Extra Covering Materials
The last option to consider is to add extra covering materials if you’re using a traditional bucket system. Adding extra absorbents will soak up any extra moisture and prevent the bin from becoming too wet. Basically, since you’re adding more water, all you have to do is add more absorbents. That makes sense, right?
The downside is your compost will take longer to break down, and the bucket will fill up much more quickly. This option works best if only one person uses the bucket and bidet, which is usually the case with bucket systems. It’s worth looking into high-quality absorbents so they soak up moisture well.
Bidets to Consider with a Composting Toilet
Now that you understand how a bidet can work with a composting toilet and the composting toilet bidet process, you need to decide what bidet suits you the best. All of it depends on your water supply and the purpose of your bidet. Also, be aware of how many are using your toilet since you may want to consider more than one bidet for that purpose.
Portable Bidet
Portable bidets are the most common option for composting toilets since they don’t require a water supply. There are many portable bidet types, the most popular being a squeezy bottle with a spout for a lid. You just have to squeeze the bottle to get the water out.
If you want a more robust system, you might feel disappointed using a portable bidet bottle. Some battery-operated variations are more powerful, but none are like a traditional toilet bidet. Some options hook up to hoses, where the spray head is attached to a hose connected to a water bucket.
Usually, I recommend the option that uses the least water amount. You’ll obviously have access to water for hydration purposes, and the bidet water will come from that. A good rule is to note how much water you use daily with a bidet. That’ll give you a sense of what to expect water-wise for your bidet.
DIY Bidet
If you don’t want a portable bidet or go through the trouble of hooking up a bidet hose to a bucket, you can make a DIY bidet with a pressurized sprayer. It might take some time to get it working, but once you do, it’ll give you a more robust water stream without water lines.
Garden sprayers are ideal and are usually used for spraying crops. You can remove the sprayer and attach a bidet hose to the tank instead. Double-check that the tubes are the same size. If not, you can splice the two together. Also, double-check that the tank is pressurized otherwise, it won’t work correctly.
It’s smarter to buy the bidet first; that way, you know what to look for size-wise for the sprayer. You can do either or first; you just need a reference point. That way, you know what size you’ll need for either or. Also, it’s worth noting that some people use a garden hose or jug filled with water to fulfill their bidet needs. Consider looking into composting toilets with bidet DIY options to see what else comes up.
Bidet Hose
A bidet hose is a handheld option to aim yourself and push to release water. The harder you push, the stronger you will be, and vice-versa. There are a couple of bidet hoses that let you connect them right to your faucet. This is only feasible if you have a sink near the toilet and water access.
Bidets like this are also great since they make it easier to use for other things (cleaning your dog or changing a diaper). If you have a running water supply, it’s a simple enough solution to consider. However, considering most people using a composting toilet are trying to live off the grid, don’t worry about this option.
Alternatives (Compostable Wet Wipes)
As great as bidet is, there are comparable options to consider. One of the best and most straightforward solutions is compostable wet wipes. It won’t reduce the toilet paper you use since you’ll dispose of the wipes, but it will keep you feeling cleaner.
Some people just wet the toilet paper and have that be a solution, though it may be messier than using dry toilet paper. Either way, we’re trying to avoid using more toilet paper, so that’s not an option unless you have it zeroed in somehow. You can find plenty of compostable wet wipes online that you can use in your waste bucket to decompose.
Search for biodegradable wet wipes and see what comes up. Some options are certified as home compostable, meaning they’ll break down in the lower temperatures in a compost pile (rather than an industrial setting). Keep that in mind since some wipes will only break down in an industrial composting facility.
Why Consider a Bidet with a Composting Toilet?
People utilize bidets as an alternative to toilet paper. You either use a bidet or don’t, with bidet enthusiasts claiming that water is more hygienic than toilet paper. Considering toilet paper should be thin when using a composting toilet, that point has some support.
Think of it like this: if you had feces on your hand, would you be satisfied just wiping it off with toilet paper? Of course, you’re not, hence why bidets are so popular. It’s a straightforward analogy responsible for why more people are installing bidets in their homes than ever before.
Bidets are also helpful for people with bowel issues or an allergy to toilet paper. Examples might include pregnant women, people recovering from surgery, or the elderly. If you don’t fall under those categories, you’ll still benefit and appreciate using a bidet.
If you’re worried about water consumption, don’t. The average roll of toilet paper uses 37 gallons of water. Toilet paper manufacturing requires many resources to create a single-use product. A bidet only uses a little water per use and gets the job done faster.
If you need to dry yourself off afterward, there are plenty of eco-friendly toilet paper options. Lastly, if you live in an RV or van, toilet paper can take up a lot of space. Installing a bidet can free up that space, and plenty of guides are available to walk you through the installation process.
FAQ
Are Bidets Expensive?
Bidets vary in price, with DIY options costing as little as $10 and keeping a water supply of bottles around. The most expensive ones hook up to a traditional toilet and cost thousands of dollars. You won’t have to worry about those options since you won’t have that toilet type with a composting toilet.
With composting toilets and bidets, the highest cost will be keeping your water supply. It won’t be a big deal if you have a well or access to clean water. However, if you’re in a secluded area with no water outside your water jugs, realize you’ll spend more on the water with a bidet (bidets only use ⅛ gallon of water a day for reference).
Do Bidets Require Power?
Similar to composting toilets, some bidets don’t require electricity, while others do. It’s worth looking into an essential bidet attachment since it’s usually mechanically powered. That means you don’t have to hook it up to electricity or worry about that and instead use it whenever you need to.
Some portable bidets require batteries to work, and the plus side of those options is the added pressure you get from the power. If strong water power isn’t a concern, then a standard bidet attachment will work well. Any of the DIY options we mentioned earlier are also worth noting.
Are Bidets Fancy?
There’s an odd stigma with bidets, at least in the West. People in the West are so accustomed to toilet paper that they don’t appreciate or understand the use of a bidet. Thus, it’s best to try and see how you like it. If you’re too used to toilet paper, it might be challenging for you to switch over.
That’s usually not the case, though, since pretty much everyone realizes how proper a bidet is after using it a few times. Although you’re more limited with a composting toilet and finding the right bidet, plenty of options will work well. Try to look through and see which option fits your needs the best before building or buying one.
Do Composting Toilets Require a Bidet?
No composting toilets don’t require a bidet. Most people don’t worry about adding a bidet to their composting toilet since that’s not their primary concern. However, if you’re used to a bidet, you may want to add one to continue having that added luxury. As we discussed earlier, many options can replicate and replace a traditional bidet. Look into portable bidets, bidet hoses, DIY bidets, or compostable wet wipes.
Is a Bidet Meant for One Person?
The biggest misconception about a bidet is that it’s meant for one person. All bidets do is spray water, making them more sanitary than toilet paper. You don’t have to worry about the sanitary component of your bidet as long as anyone using it does so correctly. If you have a DIY option that’s meant for one person, then you’ll know that. This point is meant for the broader scope of bidets.
Final Thoughts
Getting a bidet to work correctly with your composting toilet can significantly enhance your quality of life. If you’ve used a bidet before, you know how much easier it is to use than toilet paper. Why waste your time sitting on the toilet when a bidet can quickly clean you up and get you back to where you need to be?
As we’ve discussed, there are many composting toilet with bidet options. What matters is you find the right solution to fit your budget and preferences. Remember to stick to this guide to keep your bidet with a composting toilet working correctly. If you have issues, leave a comment below to start a discussion! There’s no better feeling than finding a community that has the same interests as you.
