Fewer things. More experiences. #VanLife gives you so much more control over your time and focus so you can live a simple life with big adventure. There are some basics, though, that cannot be over simplified.
When you have to go, you have to go. So what are your options when you’re on the road? Below are some top picks from our team?
Why Van Life Forces You to Rethink Your Bathroom Plan
- Grocery Stores and Coffee Shops
Just because your home doesn’t have a bathroom doesn’t mean there aren’t bathrooms in your life. Most food stores and coffee shops are an easy answer. Our CEO is actually pretty fond of the repeat coffee shop routine, even when he’s not van living.
Camp spots have set areas, and there are obvious pit stops you can make along the way that shouldn’t slowdown your road warrior adventures.
- Gas Stations and Truck Stops
Believe it or not, truck stops, are some of the cleanest places we’ve seen for hearty bathroom breaks and a good shower, in that order. The cost is low and you’ll enjoy the total reset. Can’t really say the same for gas stations but you know the drill.
Public Bathroom Options When Your Van Has No Toilet
- Installed Toilet
An RV and boating favorite, cassette toilets have between 4.5 to 5.1 gallon space, and can come in at more than 40 pounds with a full waste tank. This is a pretty heavy setup given the precious area they can take up as well and is only suggested for the most picky vanners.
Let’s talk about the coffee can toilet in a little more detail, because this is where van life gets real. The beauty of this setup is that it’s simple, cheap, and doesn’t take up much space. You don’t need a fancy system or a set bathroom cupboard.
You need a can with a lid, some strong trash bags, and a little bit of planning. A metal coffee can works, but a plastic one with a snap-on lid is quieter and less likely to dent or rust. Line the can with one bag, then a second bag inside that, and fold the tops over the rim so they don’t slip.
When you’re done, you tie off the inner bag, then the outer bag, and the can itself stays clean. It’s the same logic as picking up after your pup—keeping it all in and using layers are your friends.
Comfort matters more than you think when you’re using a coffee can toilet at 2 a.m. in a cold van. You can make the whole thing a lot less awkward with a few small tweaks. Some people cut a pool noodle lengthwise and wrap it around the rim of the can for a softer seat.
Others use a snap-on toilet seat made for 5-gallon buckets that happens to fit their can or a slightly larger bin they keep the bags in. You can add a scoop of sawdust, wood shavings, or even kitty litter after each use to help with moisture and odor control.
If you’re parked in a city or a crowded campground and don’t want the sound of stuff hitting the bottom of a can, add a little bit of toilet paper or sawdust first. Putting it in the bottom before you go helps with the “noise factor.” It’s not fancy, but it works.
Odor is often the first concern people have with any DIY toilet setup, and the coffee can toilet is no exception. The trick is treating it like a short-term fix, not a long-term holding tank. This isn’t meant to sit in your van for a week. Use it, bag it twice, and get rid of it at the next good trash stop.
Use thick contractor bags or strong trash bags, not the flimsy kitchen ones that tear if you look at them wrong. A small tub of baking soda or a sprinkle of camping waste treatment powder inside the bag can help cut smells. Keep a roll of dog waste bags or earth-friendly bags handy for smaller jobs so you’re not burning through your big bags every time. And always have hand cleaner or wipes nearby so you’re not fumbling around in the dark after the fact.
There’s also the question of where and when to use your coffee can toilet. This is your backup plan, not your first choice. If you’re near a food store, coffee shop, or truck stop, use those bathrooms. Save the can for when you’re boondocking in the desert, parked on a forest road, or camped in a spot with no bathroom in sight.
It really shines on long stretches between towns, during storms when you don’t want to leave the van, or in sketchy parking lots where walking around at night doesn’t feel smart. For couples or families, set some basic rules—who uses it, when, and how you handle personal space.
A simple curtain, a headlamp with a red light setting, and a quiet agreement that “we’re all human” goes a long way.
Getting rid of waste is where you need to be a grown adult about the whole thing. Bagged twice waste from a coffee can toilet can often go into a normal trash bin. Don’t leave it in the woods, don’t bury plastic, and don’t toss it in a random fire ring. If you’re camping on public land, follow Leave No Trace rules and any posted rules.
Some areas have clear rules about human waste, mainly in fragile desert or alpine places. In those spots, a wag bag system or a more formal travel toilet might be needed. Think of the coffee can as one tool in your kit, not the answer to every setup.
The goal is to make your life easier without making the places you love to camp worse for the next person.
Next to cassette toilets and bucket setups, the coffee can toilet wins on space and ease. Cassette toilets are great if you want a more normal bathroom feel and don’t mind the weight, the cleaning, and finding a dump station. Bucket toilets like the Loo are cheap and simple, but they’re bulky and, as we said, not exactly airtight.
The coffee can, on the other hand, can live in a small cupboard, under a bench, or in a storage bin until you need it. It’s light, easy to clean, and easy to replace if it gets beat up. For a lot of van lifers who value simple living and freedom, that trade-off makes sense. You’re giving up some comfort and polish, but you’re gaining space and ease.
There’s also a mental side to all of this. Van life looks dreamy on Instagram, but real life means working out where to go to the bathroom when it’s snowing sideways. At times the nearest gas station is 40 miles away. Having a coffee can toilet in your van is less about roughing it and more about cutting stress.
You’re not stuck holding it, you’re not forced to drive at night just to find a restroom, and you’re not relying on a campground reservation to meet basic needs. That kind of freedom is a big part of why people hit the road in the first place.
It’s not fancy, but it’s honest, and once you’ve used it a few times, it turns into just one more part of the routine—like filling water or checking your propane.
Ready to build a van that actually fits how you live (and go)? If you’re thinking through layouts, storage, and bathroom options for your rig, explore our services or contact us to talk through a conversion that works in the real world.
In the end, the “best” toilet setup for van life is the one you really use and maintain. For some, that’s a full cassette toilet with a set cupboard and a vent fan. For others, it’s a simple coffee can toilet tucked away for those “uh-oh” moments and late-night needs.
You don’t have to overbuild this part of your van to enjoy the way of life. Start simple, see what works for you, and adjust as you go. If you find yourself relying on the coffee can more than you thought, you can always upgrade later.
If you barely touch it, you’ll be glad you didn’t give up a chunk of your living space for a bathroom you don’t really need. Either way, you’ll know you’ve thought it through—and that’s what keeps van life fun instead of stressful.
Portable Toilets for Van Life: From Cassette to Bucket Setups
- Removable Toilet
Less fixed and a lot like a Home Depot bucket, the Luggable Loo is a cheap option for those longer rides or just in case times you’re bound to run into. We personally don’t think this is small or good enough to be worth the space, but you do you with your poo. Also, these things STINK, for real. Read the notes on the cons re: “Not A Tight Seal.”
Luggable LooWhy a Simple Coffee Can Toilet Actually Works on the Road
- The Coffee Can
couple of thesethese funnelsOur Lead Builder’s top method, this is the most comfy, cost-saving, and our best “e word,”- efficient. If you have a dog, you already get the need for double wrapping with a bag. If you don’t, get a dog and still double wrap your pooping mechanism.
Whether you’re “dropping the kids off at the pool” or it’s late at night and, ladies, you don’t feel like putting on your clothes and shoes and jackets, the coffee can helps. You don’t have to go squat outside and then maybe pee on the back of your legs (can we talk about how these funnels don’t work?) so give the ol’ coffee can a shot. No matter your needs, a coffee can and couple of these will get you through those cold nights and long drives with no gas stations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a coffee can toilet and why do van lifers use it?
A coffee can toilet is a simple DIY bathroom setup that uses a lidded coffee can lined with trash bags for waste. Van lifers use it because it’s cheap, compact, and doesn’t require a built-in bathroom or plumbing.
How do you set up a coffee can toilet in a van?
Use a metal or plastic coffee can with a tight lid, then line it with one trash bag and a second bag inside that, folding the tops over the rim so they don’t slip. When you’re done, tie off the inner bag, then the outer bag, so the can itself stays clean.
How can I make a coffee can toilet more comfortable?
You can cut a pool noodle lengthwise and wrap it around the rim for a softer seat. Some people also use a snap-on toilet seat designed for 5-gallon buckets if it fits their can or the container they keep the bags in.
How do you control odor and noise with a coffee can toilet?
Add a scoop of sawdust, wood shavings, kitty litter, or even a bit of toilet paper to the bottom of the lined can before you go to help with moisture, odor, and the sound of waste hitting the can. Adding more of the same material after each use keeps smells down between bag changes.
What are other bathroom options if my van doesn’t have a toilet?
Many van lifers rely on grocery stores, coffee shops, campgrounds, gas stations, and especially truck stops, which often have clean bathrooms and showers. For an onboard option, cassette toilets are common, though they’re heavier and take up more space than a simple coffee can toilet.
Comments
We have never had a toilet in our van. We keep a plastic bag for emergencies, but otherwise we try to use facilities along the road (e.g. stores, gas stations, resting areas). When out in the wilderness, where we prefer to stay, we do it “the primitive way”. That is peeing behind a bush, and for “#2” walking a bit away to dig a hole and just squat over it. For sure, no door to lock so the privacy is not guaranteed. But why bother? I guess most other out there do the same.
🤔😅💩thanks!