Reliance Double Doodie review: sealing bucket-toilet waste when the sewer stops

This is a research-based review, based on manufacturer specs and published data. We do not test products. Specs come from Reliance Outdoors' product page for Double Doodie Waste Bags, checked November 1, 2026. Sanitation guidance comes from the CDC, the EPA and Oregon State University Extension, as summarized in our sanitation guide.

When an outage lasts long enough, the toilet can fail before the food does. The EPA's power outage checklist for water and wastewater utilities warns that losing grid power can cause pressure losses and sewage backups. Homes on wells lose flush water when the pump stops. At that point a household needs a bucket toilet, and the bucket is the easy part. The hard part is containing waste safely for days or weeks until it can be disposed of.

Double Doodie bags are Reliance's answer: a liner built specifically for that job, designed to fit its Luggable Loo and most other portable toilets.

Who should buy it

• Anyone with a Luggable Loo or another 5-gallon bucket toilet who wants purpose-built, sealable liners.
• Go-bags and car kits, where a small pack handles a roadside emergency or a shelter stay.
• Households with young children, older adults or someone ill, where a leak-proof seal matters more than cost.

Who should skip it

• Anyone planning to rely on these alone for a long outage. Six bags per pack runs out in days for a family.
• Homes with working sewer service and stored water. Pouring a bucket of water into the bowl can flush a toilet during a short outage; check our guide to flushing a toilet without power.

Strengths

• Two layers. An inner bag that rolls up when filled, inside an attached heavy-duty outer bag.
• Leak-proof closure. A double zip-lock on the outer bag, per Reliance, which beats a knotted trash bag for odor and spills.
• Puncture-resistant. The maker designs the bag for waste containment.
• Wide fit. Reliance lists the Fold-to-Go, Luggable Loo, Hunter's Loo, Hassock and most other portable toilets.
• Small to store. A pack is 7.5 × 4 × 5.75 in and weighs 0.75 lb.

Drawbacks

• Six per pack. At the CDC's planning figure of about one bag per person per day, a household of four uses a pack in under two days.
• 5 lb limit per bag. Change bags well before they are full.
• No cover material included. Odor control still depends on adding sawdust, shredded paper or cat litter and closing the lid.
• Disposal is still on you. The bags contain waste; they do not make it safe to throw anywhere. Follow local guidance.

How it compares

The bag is one part of an emergency toilet. Here it is next to the bucket it was designed for and the low-cost bulk alternative.

Using it in a long outage

Using the bags in a bucket toilet

1. 01Line the solids bucket with a Double Doodie bag, folding the outer bag over the rim before snapping the seat on.
2. 02Use a separate, labeled bucket for urine. Oregon State University Extension explains that separating urine reduces odor and the volume of waste needing careful handling.
3. 03After each use, add a scoop of dry cover material such as sawdust, shredded paper or cat litter, and close the lid.
4. 04Well before the bag reaches 5 lb, roll up the inner bag, seal the outer bag's double zip-lock, and put on gloves to lift it out.
5. 05Store sealed bags in a lidded outdoor container away from water sources and children until collection or local disposal guidance resumes.

How many bags to stock

Our sanitation guide uses the CDC's planning figure of about one bag per person per day. For a household of four, that is 28 bags for a week, about five packs of Double Doodie, and roughly 120 bags for 30 days. Most families stock a box of heavy-duty bags that fit a 5-gallon bucket as the main supply, and keep two or three packs of Double Doodie bags for go-bags, nighttime use and anyone who needs the tighter seal. Add gloves, cover material, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and a lidded outdoor bin, and store it all inside the bucket.

When to stop flushing

Keep flushing with stored water while the sewer works. Switch to the bucket when local officials say to stop, when drains back up, or when sewer service is in doubt. On a septic system, the CDC advises flushing as little as possible in an emergency. If you live on a well, read our guide to flushing a toilet without power before you use up drinking water on the toilet tank.