How to Best Maintain your Trelino

Why you should treat your Trelino with care

Maintaining your Trelino composting toilet is not only a sustainable choice but also a rewarding one. These eco-friendly sanitation systems offer a responsible way to manage human waste while also providing you with more comfort during your travels. Whether you're a seasoned user or new to composting toilets, this guide will provide you with essential tips and insights on how to effectively maintain and optimize your composting toilet system. In particular, your Trelino! 

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your composting toilet operates efficiently, remains odor-free, and continues to support you throughout your adventures. Join us as we delve into composting toilet maintenance and discover how simple steps can make a significant difference in what you can get out of your Trelino. 

Regular Cleaning

Clean the toilet seat and any accessible surfaces regularly to prevent the buildup of odor-causing bacteria or urine scale. Make sure that you are not using just water to clean out the urine canister!! The combination of water and urine leads to urine scale. This urine scale build up is the number one cause of smells in a Trelino, but they can be prevented! By cleaning with a higher concentration of a vinegar or citric acid mix, you can stop this build up and smell before they ever get to your nose. 

Additionally, when you clean make sure you are not using harsh chemicals or any rough cleaning materials. The harsh chemicals can wear down the coloring or even, in the long term, the material of a Trelino. Keep scratches away and keep your Trelino comfortable by using soft rags and all natural cleaners. 

Troubleshoot Odors

If you notice persistent odors, it could be a sign of improper maintenance. Check for ventilation issues, excess moisture, or incomplete decomposition. You can also reach out to us at hello@mytrelino.com in order to get some insight as to what the issue could be and how to help it! 

Educate Users

Ensure that everyone using the composting toilet understands how to use it correctly and follows the guidelines for adding cover material and maintaining proper hygiene.

For Trelino Evos, the care taken with the lid is especially important. You may know that it shouldn’t be bent too far back, but guests may not! Ensure that every user knows not to push the lid of your Evo back too far. Pushing it beyond its limits can lead to cracks in the lid near the hinge area. 

Initial Maintenance

Sealing your Origin lid is a fundamental practice for ensuring the longevity and durability of it. Wood, while naturally beautiful and versatile, is susceptible to various environmental factors, including moisture, UV rays, and pests, which can lead to decay, warping, or discoloration over time.

Applying a quality wood sealant or finish creates a protective barrier that shields the wood from these potential threats. Whether you are using it in your wet bath or in nature, sealing the wooden lid helps prevent water penetration, minimizes sun damage, and deters insects or fungal growth. Properly sealed wood not only extends the life of your Origins but also maintains their aesthetic appeal, ensuring that they continue to serve their intended purpose for years to come.

Store Properly

Ensuring the safety of your belongings tied down in a camper van is paramount for a comfortable and secure travel experience. When embarking on a journey in a camper van, especially over uneven terrain or during sudden stops, loose items can become dangerous projectiles.

Tying down your Trelino serves as a crucial preventive measure to avoid accidents and damage. Properly securing this not only protects you and your fellow travelers but also preserves the integrity of your vehicle's interior. By using sturdy tie-down straps, nets, or storage solutions, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your possessions won't shift unexpectedly while you're on the road. It's a simple yet vital aspect of camper van safety that ensures your adventure remains enjoyable and incident-free.

Additionally, this can prevent any potential damage to the lids of your Trelino. If you are on rougher terrain, having the lid secured down with a bungee or rope will keep it from moving around or hitting against the top of the body of the Trelino. 

Weight Capacity

Each Trelino has a weight capacity of 330 pounds. Ensure that this is not exceeded. This is especially important if you were going to use your Trelino as a seat with the lid on or as a stool as any weight on it would not not be as well distributed. 

If you are using a Trelino as a stool it is imperative that you first place it on a level and sturdy surface. This is so that the toilet does not tip over causing either harm to you or potentially damaging your Trelino. 

Making Alterations to your Trelino

As Trelinos are made of a high quality plastic, there is a very low risk of cracking or breakage if you decide to drill into the sides or bottom of them. However, we would recommend following some basic guidelines. 

If you are going to install your Trelino through the bottom, there are a few spots which are better suited for a more stable and secure set up. On the Evos, we have even indicated the best spots to drill into. The Origins should be drilled into from the three spots indicated in the photo.

Origin	Evo

If you are going to drill a hole into the side of your Trelino in order to either install it or put in your own DIY fan set, then we recommend drilling at least 35 mm from any of the edges of your Trelino. 

Before you make an alteration and have questions about how you can best do this, reach out to us and we would be happy to offer recommendations!

Monitor Temperature

Composting toilets work best in a temperature range of 50-80°F (10-27°C). Extreme cold or heat can affect the composting process, so keep your composting toilet within this temperature range if possible. 

In hotter temperatures, biodegradable bags may decompose more quickly which can lead to rips and unpleasant spills in your solids container. Ensure this doesn’t happen by changing the bag regularly when in warmer temperatures. Additionally, you could also line the container first with a regular plastic bag and then your composting bag. So that if it does rip, you at least have that plastic bag in place to make the sure container doesn't get messy. Then if it doesn't rip, then you can just place a new bio bag over that same plastic bag!

Conclusion

Maintaining your Trelino composting toilet is not just an eco-conscious choice but also a practical one for those seeking a sustainable and efficient way to manage waste. By adhering to the recommended maintenance practices, such as regular emptying, proper ventilation, and avoiding misuse, you can ensure that your composting toilet remains odor-free, functional, and comfortable.