Existing technology for a possible solution

Huge score today. I found existing technology that is used in underwear pads that eliminate flatulence odors. Yes, you are reading correctly, these are basically fart filters (the filter above is made by Flat-D). I found two such products in this category that are available for purchase online.
These filters could be used for a potential solution that I've thought about. Basically an outhouse mask of some sort that protects you from the outhouse odors. This filter technology is the most relevant I've found so far to incorporate into the mask. The last post contains some info on the technology used in these filters.

Charcoal Filters

Activated Charcoal - Well proven technology

The medical industry has long known the benefits of charcoal as an odor absorbing media. Charcoal is used for filtering liquids and gases from their harmful elements. Activated charcoal fabric is the latest technology in gaseous odor absorbency. It actually has the carbon imbedded into the fabric. Then when the textile is formed it is in every part of the structure. Other carbon types are less effective. Granular charcoal is granules of carbon. They can be displaced so the entire structure is not active. Or if the granules are secured with adhesive then the surface area is not totally active because the adhesive will cover the granule.


Activated charcoal cloth was originally developed by the British Chemical Defense Establishment as a highly efficient filter medium for protection against nerve gas and other highly toxic vapors that might be used in chemical warfare. This is the reason for its outstanding advantage as a decontaminating material in commercial air and water purification applications.








ACC is 100% activated charcoal produced in a flexible textile form and it absorbs more effectively than any granular form of activated charcoal due to its micro-porous character and higher internal surface area as compared to the granular form. Because the activated charcoal cloth is so much more effective per unit area in removing odors than any other known agents, the thickness of the cloth can be significantly reduced without loosing effectiveness. The use of special manufacturing techniques results in highly porous charcoals that have surface areas of 300-2,000 square meters per gram. These so-called active, or activated, charcoals are widely used to adsorb odorous or colored substances from gases or liquids. The word adsorb is important here. When a material adsorbs something, it attaches to it by chemical attraction. The huge surface area of activated charcoal gives it countless bonding sites. When certain chemicals pass next to the carbon surface, they attach to the surface and are trapped.

The information above came from this site.

How to quantify the outhouse odor?

I recently looked up the basics of measuring odor. I learned (from a completely unreliable source) on Wikipedia that the following scale was used to determine odor strength in a German study on odor. While its not very scientific, it does seem like it would accurately describe odor intensity.

0 - no odor
1 - very weak (odor threshold)
2 - weak
3 - distinct
4 - strong
5 - very strong
6 - intolerable

The other thing I would be interested in is air quality. In my study I would be particularly concerned with the humidity and temperature inside the outhouse. Odors seem more intense when you experience higher humidity and temperatures; stagnant air is stinkier than moving air.
I am concerned with this because there is usually very little ventilation in campground outhouses which I assume is to keep the smell away from those camping nearby as well as to reduce the impact on the natural wildlife. This lack of ventilation also reminds me of the gnats that hover about the pit itself. All of these factors may very well be a part of what people generally think of when they describe the unpleasant odors in outhouses, and could therefore affect my survey results.

I am also interested in considering the psychological aspect of the outhouse stink, but I think I'll save those thoughts for another post.

One way to deal with a smelly outhouse

Israeli gas mask with Russian filter from Load Up.

Project Timeline

Who Am I?
I am a product design student who is passionate about craft, simplicity, and design for social good. I am also very passionate about teaching design to young people. I admire the playful creativity and imagination abound in young minds.

What Inspires Me?
Nature and its intelligent systems, young people, my peers, new places.

Six Words That Describe Me

Pensive
Tedious
Pragmatic
Unrelenting
Secretive
Sarcastic