Camper toilet smells, leaks, or won't flush? Here's how to fix it

Almost every camper toilet is a cassette model from Thetford or Dometic, and the complaints are predictable:

• Odor nuisance: replace the rubber slide seal (a small part you can install yourself) and rinse the cassette several times with warm water and cassette cleaner. Also check that the vent is clear.
• The slide sticks: usually due to dried-out rubber. Lubricate the seal with special silicone spray for sanitary use, never with petroleum-based grease.
• The flush does nothing: with electric flushes, the pump or the circuit board is the culprit; parts are available, but finding them takes time or labor costs at the repair service.

Spare parts remain affordable, but a completely new cassette toilet including installation can easily run into hundreds of euros. With an older camper that has multiple faults at once, it is questionable whether you should keep repairing it.