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Hunting camp porta potty: can it sit unused for weeks between trips?

Luis A.asked 0 viewsHome Renovations & Long-termLong term rentalDeodorizerHolding tankPlacementService frequency

Our hunting camp is about 40 miles from the nearest town on a rough ranch road. We have a spot for a portable toilet that the service truck can reach with a 4x4, but we only use the camp for a few weekends each fall. The rest of the time, it sits empty. I’m wondering if leaving a standard portable toilet unused for weeks at a time is a problem. The deodorizer must lose its punch, and the holding tank is just sitting there. Does the blue liquid break down or get funky when it’s not being used? I also worry about wildlife, like bears or cattle, knocking it over between visits. Do I need to schedule a service visit right before we arrive, or can the unit handle the idle time?

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Toni S.Richmond, VA

Yes, a standard unit can sit unused for weeks between hunting trips as long as you book a service visit right before you arrive.

We keep one at a lease cabin that sits empty most of the year. The blue deodorizer does fade when nothing is moving through the tank. After a few idle weeks the holding tank can smell stale even if the level is low. Operators usually pump and recharge the chemical when they know you are coming back, which resets the unit for the weekend.

Wildlife is the bigger risk out there. Cattle will rub a unit and tip a light tank. Bears have flipped empty-ish boxes when food smell lingered. If the truck can reach it, ask them to leave enough charge liquid so the tank has weight, and set it on level ground away from game trails. Some people strap a unit to a ground stake for the off weeks.

You do not need weekly service while nobody is there. One visit before each trip is enough for light weekend use. Confirm truck access on that ranch road so they can actually reach it when you book.

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