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
Questions tagged “Service visit”
207 questions across all categories.
207 questions
Are porta potties safe and sanitary to use, and what makes one unsafe? ✓ Solved
A standard portable toilet is safe and sanitary when it receives regular service and proper maintenance. A well-serviced unit is clean,…
2answers
90views
Hector V. replied
Keeping the vacuum truck and hoses from freezing on winter routes
This is my first winter running a vacuum truck up here. I'm servicing standard units, a few ADA-compliant units, and one restroom trailer at a…
2answers
88views
Deb K. 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
Will a driveway porta potty freeze up during a winter remodel? ✓ Solved
Yes, a driveway standard unit can freeze up when nights sit in the teens. The holding tank liquid can thicken or gel, and the hand sanitizer jug can…
2answers
72views
Ray M. replied
How far can the vacuum hose reach if the truck cannot park next to the unit? ✓ Solved
Sixty to eighty feet is usually within reach for a normal service visit as long as the hose can walk a clear path to the unit.
2answers
71views
Ray M. replied
Can I move the porta potty myself once it is delivered?
I rented a standard portable toilet for my crew at a house remodel. The crew is four guys, working eight-hour days for three weeks, no food on site.…
2answers
65views
Brad L. replied
Porta potty cleaning and service cost: what a service visit includes and what an extra visit adds ✓ Solved
A normal service visit includes pumping the holding tank, recharging the deodorizer, restocking toilet paper, and wiping down the interior surfaces.…
2answers
64views
Marcus B. replied
What's the one thing you always check on a porta potty before using it?
After nine years driving a vacuum truck and a lifetime of using these things at county fairs and construction sites, I have a set routine before I…
3answers
63views
Luis A. replied
Porta potty water splashed on me: is the blue liquid dangerous and can you get an infection from it? ✓ Solved
A splash of blue liquid is not dangerous if you wash it off promptly, which you did. The real risk depends on how full the holding tank was and how…
2answers
63views
Deb K. replied
Porta potties after a hurricane or flood when the septic is down: how do people manage?
Hurricane flooded our septic field and the county says it's a total loss. A relief group dropped off a standard portable toilet with a holding tank…
2answers
63views
Ray M. replied
What's the hardest part of routing service trucks in a dense city?
I drive a vacuum truck in Akron, a city with plenty of narrow streets and parking restrictions. Planning efficient routes for 40-plus stops a day is…
2answers
63views
Kim S. replied
Operators: what's your 2026 strategy for rising wastewater disposal costs?
Our local wastewater treatment plant fees have gone up a lot in two years. We're a small operator with a mix of standard units, deluxe units,…
3answers
62views
Nina R. replied
What is a high-rise portable toilet, and when is it needed?
A high-rise portable toilet is a standard portable toilet designed for lifting by a crane to upper floors of a building under construction. It is…
2answers
62views
Jules T. replied
Do I need to be home when they deliver the porta potty to my driveway? ✓ Solved
You do not need to be home for a driveway drop if the pad is open and marked.
2answers
59views
Deb K. replied
Worst weather you've ever serviced units in?
Last week I had to pump our ranch's standard unit during a hailstorm that came out of nowhere. The wind was trying to tear the door out of my hand,…
3answers
58views
Porta Potty Forum Team replied
How much to rent a porta potty per month, and what does the monthly rate include? ✓ Solved
A monthly rental rate for a standard portable toilet covers the unit, a weekly service visit, and delivery and pickup. The weekly service includes…
3answers
57views
Ray M. replied
What's the weirdest thing you've found in a porta potty on a service run?
Ten years driving a vacuum truck, and I've pumped everything from the expected to the truly bizarre. Last week on a construction site, I opened a…
3answers
57views
Priya N. replied
What's the most creative solution you've seen for a blocked service truck?
Last Tuesday, my route had a construction site with six standard units and one ADA-compliant unit. The crew was pouring concrete, so a crane was…
3answers
57views
Priya N. replied
What's the strangest thing you've had to pump out of a unit?
After ten years driving a vacuum truck, I've pulled some strange items out of portable toilets. A full set of car keys from a standard unit on a…
3answers
57views
Porta Potty Forum Team 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
What if the service truck can't get to my unit on a rainy day?
I have a residential addition project in a suburb with a long gravel driveway that turns into a mud pit after heavy rain. We have one standard unit…
2answers
56views
Deb K. replied
What's the most creative solution you've seen for a blocked unit?
Had a head-scratcher this morning. A concrete truck parked right in front of a standard portable toilet on my route. The truck was there for the day,…
3answers
55views
Luis A. replied
What is the blue liquid in a porta potty and is it toxic? ✓ Solved
The blue liquid in a portable toilet is a deodorizer, and the formulas used in public spaces today are not toxic. It is a mixture of a blue dye,…
2answers
55views
Ray M. replied
What happens if the service truck gets stuck in mud on my farm?
We run a working ranch and have a standard portable toilet on a long-term rental for our seasonal hands. It sits in a pasture about 30 yards from the…
2answers
55views
Marcus B. replied