Why does our porta potty smell like ammonia after a hot week?
We have a standard portable toilet on a commercial site in Phoenix. It's July, over 100 degrees every day. The unit gets used by about 20 guys from…
2answers
35views
Deb K. replied
Questions tagged “Holding tank”
158 questions across all categories.
158 questions
Can a porta potty sit unused for a month at a hunting camp?
We have a hunting camp in Montana with no septic. I rent a standard unit for the season. It's just four of us, only on weekends from September…
1answer
37views
Marcus B. replied
How are operators adapting to 2026's new biodegradable deodorizer rules?
I just got a heads-up from my supplier that a couple of states are planning to mandate fully biodegradable, formaldehyde-free deodorizers in portable…
2answers
49views
Deb K. replied
Can a service driver refuse to pump an overfull porta potty?
I have a standard portable toilet on a residential rehab site. It's for a crew of eight guys, and it's been two weeks since the last service because…
1answer
47views
Tyler R. replied
Why does our unit smell like sulfur after a rainstorm?
We have a standard portable toilet on a residential addition in Chicago. It's been there for about six weeks, used by a crew of 10 guys. The unit…
2answers
44views
Tyler R. replied
Hunting camp porta potty: can it sit unused for weeks between trips?
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…
1answer
35views
Toni S. replied
Is the blue dye in porta potties necessary, or just for looks?
The blue dye in portable toilets is functional, not decorative. It masks waste visually, reduces fly attraction and provides a visual indicator of…
1answer
47views
Dave P. replied
Why does our unit smell like sulfur after a heavy rain?
We've got a standard unit on a residential addition site. It's been there about three weeks with weekly service, and the crew of eight uses it. The…
1answer
51views
Tyler R. replied
How are you handling the 2026 biodegradable deodorizer mandates?
Our state health department just sent out draft rules for 2026: all portable toilet deodorizers must be fully biodegradable and meet new toxicity…
2answers
101views
Kim S. replied
Why does the blue liquid disappear so fast in hot weather?
Our standard portable toilet is serviced every Tuesday by a reliable rental company. The unit is on a residential construction site with a crew of…
1answer
43views
Hector V. replied
Can a high-rise unit be serviced from the ground floor?
We're running a 12-story build in Phoenix and have a standard portable toilet on the 8th floor for a crew of 30. It's a long-term rental with weekly…
2answers
45views
Ray M. replied
Why does our unit smell like ammonia after a hot week?
We have a standard portable toilet on a residential addition site in Chicago. It's been there for six weeks with weekly service. The crew of eight…
2answers
46views
Hector V. replied
What's the weirdest thing you've found in a porta potty tank?
Sixteen years driving a vacuum truck, and I thought I'd seen it all. Last week, on a Monday morning service run at a downtown construction site, I…
3answers
92views
Sam O. replied
Why does our porta potty smell worse after the service visit?
We have a standard portable toilet on our jobsite for 15 guys. The rental company comes every Tuesday. This week, right after the service visit, the…
2answers
46views
Kim S. replied
Porta potty etiquette: what do drivers wish every user knew?
I run a ranch and have dealt with portable toilets for seasonal crews and hunting camps for years. My driver makes a 40-mile trip each way to service…
2answers
86views
Porta Potty Forum Team replied
Liquid vs packet deodorizer on a summer route: what are you dosing?
I drive a vacuum truck on a summer route with 40 to 60 stops a day. Most are standard units on construction sites, some are deluxe units with sinks,…
2answers
39views
Kim S. replied
What does an extra service visit cost and when is it worth adding?
I have a construction site with 25 guys and a standard portable toilet that gets serviced once a week. The crew works a standard 8-hour day, five…
2answers
51views
Ray M. replied
Can I add my own deodorizer or a bag of ice to the tank to keep it fresh?
We're hosting a backyard party this weekend, about 50 people over six hours, with a keg and some snacks. I rented a single standard portable toilet…
2answers
44views
Hector V. replied
How often should a construction porta potty get pumped in summer heat? ✓ Solved
Bump the service visit to twice a week while the heat sticks. Weekly is the usual baseline on a quiet lot, but a dozen people in August will cook the…
2answers
54views
Hector V. replied
Is it legal to dump a porta potty holding tank into my own septic? ✓ Solved
Do not dump the holding tank into your cabin septic. Most health departments treat portable toilet waste as septage that has to go to an approved…
2answers
51views
Brad L. replied
Can I clean the porta potty myself between weekly services?
We are halfway through a six-week bathroom remodel. The rental company drops a standard portable toilet on our driveway every Friday afternoon and…
2answers
58views
Ray M. replied
What actually happens during a porta potty service visit (from the driver's side)
A service visit means the driver pumps the waste, cleans the interior, refills the deodorizer and paper, and checks the unit for damage. We do this…
2answers
57views
Kim S. replied
How to service a porta potty yourself if you own one: the steps and the rules
I drive a vacuum truck for a rental company and see a lot of folks who've bought a used standard portable toilet for a hunting camp or a remote…
3answers
52views
Luis A. replied
Where does the waste from a porta potty actually go after it is pumped?
We have a standard portable toilet on our driveway for our bathroom renovation, and I just watched the vacuum truck pump it out. The driver was…
2answers
60views
Kim S. replied
Two-day festival: do the porta potties get serviced overnight?
I'm organizing a two-day festival with about 2,000 attendees each day, running from 10 AM to 10 PM. We'll have food vendors and beer gardens, so I…
2answers
41views
Nina R. replied