Pooping in a porta potty remains an interesting experience. Some believe porta potties contain increased bacteria levels that pose serious safety concerns, while others flock to portable bathrooms without a second thought. Regardless of your options on the health concerns of porta potties, everyone has experienced the relief of finding a porta potty when nature loudly calls.
Since the invention of porta potties in the 1960s, improved construction methods and technological innovations have evolved portable bathrooms from cheaply made plastic outhouses into one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly bathroom spaces. As a result, many outdoor concerts, events, and festivals utilize porta potties as convenient bathroom options for many people.
As sanitation and cleaning methods for porta potties continue to advance, porta potties remain an excellent option for anyone short on time or far away from indoor bathrooms. Many porta potties remain cleaner and more sanitized than most bathrooms in restaurants and retail stores. Porta-potty companies prioritize deep cleaning their portable bathrooms to ensure a positive experience for their clients.
Continue reading to learn the best strategies for pooping in a porta-potty and navigating unfamiliar portable bathrooms at your next concert, outdoor music festival, or carnival.
How Does a Porta Potty Work?
George Harding first developed the porta potty in the 1960s with various plastics and polyethylene. Porta potties used before 1960 mainly consisted of metal and steel and provided a safe space to poop for travelers, sailors, and various vagabonds. Unfortunately, the smell emitted from wooden porta potties under direct sunlight made the pooping experience less than ideal.
Thankfully, vast technological innovations improved the porta potty poop experience. The most impressive improvements to the pooping in a porta potty experience include the following:
- No-flush systems
- Deodorizing agents
- Durable polyethylene cabana
- Ventilation improvements
- Wind and weatherproofing
- Power-washing cleaning methods
- Sanitation stations
If you wonder how a porta potty works and functions, speak to your local porta-potty professionals. Portable toilet manufacturers construct porta potties using the highest-grade plastics, nails, hinges, and metal to create safe, clean, and practical areas to take care of business. Professionals remove waste from porta potties using a long hose and pump that transfers bathroom waste from the toilet to a truck and eventually to a water treatment facility.
Unlike indoor bathrooms that transfer bathroom waste from the toilet to the septic tank, porta potties store waste in a compartment underneath the toilet seat. Poop in porta potty stalls gets removed after every event, ensuring the cleanliness of portable bathrooms. Luxury porta-potties, which may include more familiar flushing stems, continue to gain popularity for special occasions such as weddings, outdoor music festivals, farmers’ markets, and drive-in movie experiences.

Tips for How To Use a Portable Toilet
Newcomers to porta potties may not understand the proper techniques for ensuring comfortable experiences while using portable bathrooms. The negative connotation associated with porta potties affects how people view and use them. Cutting boards, computer keyboards, coffee makers, and pet food bowls may contain much more bacteria than porta potties.
If you still ask yourself, “are porta potties safe,” fear not. Pooping in a porta potty remains an entirely safe experience for everyone, including children and the elderly. If your child has never used a porta potty before, always closely supervise their actions while using porta potties to ensure a positive experience. Consider the following tips for making your next porta-potty experience as hassle-free as possible:
Do Porta Potties Flush?
One of the most significant technological breakthroughs of porta potties remains their no-flush systems—porta potties designed to remove bathroom waste without flushing use 95% less water than traditional toilets. If your child becomes frustrated when searching for a way to flush away waste, remind them that porta potties contain eco-friendly properties designed to improve the planet.
An easy way to improve the bathroom experience for anyone pooping in a porta potty includes closing the toilet’s lid after completing your business. Not only will closing the lid enhance the smell of porta potties, but harmful airborne chemicals will remain blocked from rising out of the waste tank. Perhaps, the cleaner you leave a porta potty, the higher chance the next person will do the same.
Sanitize and Wipe-Down
Porta-potty professionals take the deep cleaning process of portable bathrooms very seriously. High-grade pressure washers easily remove dirt and waste from porta potties after usage. Advanced sanitation methods kill harmful bacteria and ensure the safety and comfort of anyone pooping in a porta-potty.
However, you never know who used the porta potty before you. Someone who missed their mark while aiming for success in the bathroom or who failed to wash their hands properly can leave traces of pathogens and germs. Before taking care of your business, wipe down the following services of the porta potty:
- Sink
- Toilet seat
- Sanitation pump
- Faucet
- Door handle
- Toilet paper dispenser
A simple wipe-down of surfaces in porta potties ensures a comfortable experience. Consider bringing sanitation wipes in your wallet or purse to guarantee a wonderful porta-potty experience.
Wash Your Hands
As kids, we learned the importance of washing hands before eating and after going to the bathroom. Always wash your hands before and after using a porta-potty. Pooping in a porta potty without washing your hands could expose you to E. coli, hepatitis A, and various infections.
Hum the “Happy Birthday” tune and wash your hands for at least 30 seconds. Utilize the sanitizer located inside the porta potty for an extra boost of safety and cleanliness. Thoroughly washing hands protects you from transferring hazardous bacteria into your eyes, mouth, and ears.
Trust Wilkinson’s Portables for All Your Porta Potty Needs
Wilkinson’s Portables has proudly served the El Dorado County, Folsom, Plymouth, and Placerville communities since 1958. Our experienced staff works tirelessly to provide our clients with a safe and comfortable bathroom experience. Sanitation, cleanliness, and customer satisfaction remain our number one priority.
To learn more about our luxury trailer bathrooms for special events and extremely competitive pricing for portable toilets, call Wilkinson’s Portables at (530) 531-8295 to speak with our friendly, knowledgeable staff today! We strive to exceed our customer’s expectations and make pooping in a porta potty comfortable.