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Sawdust seems like a practical, natural addition to an outhouse, but it is not the best choice. The trouble is that it adds bulk to the pit and only temporarily covers smell at the surface without doing much to address the cause.

Wood ash is a common old-school remedy for outhouse odour, but slows decomposition and makes pits fill faster. Here's why biological treatment is the better short and long-term fix.

Outhouse care & maintenance While no one wants to think about it, there are a few things you should take into consideration to maintain a healthy outhouse. The primary concern is usually odour and to effectively deal with this issue it's important to understand that odour in an outhouse is caused primarily by build-up of ammonia in an anoxic (low oxygen) environment. Similar to a compost pile an outhouse requires “ingredients” in order to operate well. Ventilation is key to provide some oxygen and to assist the movement of gases such as methane up the vent stack.  Carbon is a...