# Outhouse question ... lime



## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

Years ago when we had an outhouse, one of the things I remember doing is putting powdered lime in the outhouse every so often.

For those of you who have outhouses, what do you use now ... can you still get the powdered lime and if so where? Or is there something better out now?


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

You can get "barn lime" at most feed and fertilizer co-ops. Do not use regular aglime...it won't work. Barn lime, which is hydrated lime or calcium hydroxide, will increase the pH of your outhouse waste (~pH of 11+) to a point where bacteria will no longer break it down. Bacterial decomposition is what causes the odors.


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## THETOOLMAN (Feb 15, 2008)

I use regular lime 
I move mine every so often. & cover the hole up


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

THETOOLMAN said:


> I use regular lime
> I move mine every so often. & cover the hole up


Regular lime (ie, calcitic limestone or dolomitic limestone) will raise pH to a mzximum of above 8.0 which really has no effect on bacterial survival. If you are getting a benefical effect by using regular ground limestone, it's possibly due to the fact that you are "diluting" the contents of your outhouse waste thereby making the mix drier....dryness will slow down bacterial decomposition and thus, odors. Of course, if you totally cover the outhouse waste with a dry material (eg, ground limestone, soil, etc) odors will be reduced as well.


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## meanwhile (Dec 13, 2007)

We do not use lime. We just put leaves or sawdust down the hole now and then. Ours is used mainly in summer and we have not had trouble with odor.


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## Up North Louie (Nov 29, 2007)

What you want I have seen called "quick lime." You don't use much. But it seems to accelerate the breakdown of organic matter. They used it on corpses after huge disasters.

Don


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## Pamela (May 10, 2002)

We had an outhouse for 11 years, and used it daily for 6 of those years. We were told by someone at that time to put yeast in it once a week. So, 1 packet of yeast mixed in a gallon of water went in the hole once a week. Never an odor at all, and organic matter broke down very quickly. Worked great for us.


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## L.A. (Nov 15, 2007)

We used lime, but never knew it was for that reason. I thought it was used to melt poop so it wouldn't pyramid up to the top like a upside down carrot.


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

When Uncle Sam came out and built you a $10 outhouse during the depression, it had concrete walls around the hole with a concrete floor and a one hole concrete box like structure with roundegd front corners and a city type seat with a lid. They left a 4 inch crack along both sides under the roof. There was a "smoke stack" that went from right behind the seat up through the roof. 
They also had a cardboard sign on the wall with large letters saying DO NOT PUT LIME In THE PIT>>
They did not stink and didn't fill up.


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## blufford (Nov 23, 2004)

uncle Will in In. said:


> When Uncle Sam came out and built you a $10 outhouse during the depression, it had concrete walls around the hole with a concrete floor and a one hole concrete box like structure with roundegd front corners and a city type seat with a lid. They left a 4 inch crack along both sides under the roof. There was a "smoke stack" that went from right behind the seat up through the roof.
> They also had a cardboard sign on the wall with large letters saying DO NOT PUT LIME In THE PIT>>
> They did not stink and didn't fill up.


Hey Uncle Will in IN, I didn't know the WPA built outhouses during the depression. I googled some info on them and they also called the Rooselvelt backhouses and sugar shacks. Here is a pix of one in Milton WV. Blufford

This must be the 20 dollar one!


http://www.jldr.com/chapmanoh.html

http://www.rootsweb.com/~hcpd/norman/OUTHOUSE


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## Quint (Nov 12, 2004)

I lime mine every once in a while. That or dump a bucket of wood ashes down there.


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