Are Porta Potties Safe During the Covid-19 Pandemic?

You’re out at a fair, a festival, a bar-b-que, a rodeo, or even out at a park or a beach, and all of the sudden, it hits you – you have to use the restroom. You look around and see a portable toilet, and while you normally probably wouldn’t think twice about using it; after all, when ya gotta go, ya gotta go. But then you suddenly remember: there’s a bug going around, which may make you stop and think twice. 

There’s no denying that a lot has changed during the Covid-era. In fact, it’s pretty much changed every aspect of society. You want to protect yourself, of course, and as such, you may be wondering whether or not using a porta potty is safe. When you’re out in public and the need to “go” comes over you, don’t cross your legs until you get home or let yourself suffer in pain. With the following information, you can determine whether or not using a porta potty is safe to use during the Covid pandemic, and what you can do to protect yourself. 

Since they don’t flush, they may be safer than traditional toilets

Since porta potties don’t flush, it might seem like they would be hazardous to use – especially during a public health outbreak; however, believe it or not, a portable toilet may actually be safer to use right now than a traditional flushing toilet. Why? Well, it all has to do with the fact that portable toilets don’t flush. 

There’s a lot of research that demonstrates that flushing a toilet can actually pose a health risk. That’s because the flushing action aerosolizes the contents of a toilet bowl, and that aerosolized content can then circulate into the air, land on other surfaces, and can even be inhaled. As you can imagine, if someone is ill and uses the toilet, if there are any bacteria in their waste materials, you could potentially be exposed to those bacteria when you use a flushing toilet after they have. With a portable toilet, that isn’t something you have to worry about. As long as the contents of the porta-potty are below the tank’s blue-colored water, using it shouldn’t be an issue. The blue water is comprised of chemicals that are specially formulated to kill off bacteria. That, coupled with the fact that the toilet doesn’t flush, so there’s no need to worry about being exposed to aerosolized bacteria, and you should feel safer using a portable toilet than a traditional flushing toilet in a public restroom. 

Ventilation 

Another factor that contributes to the safety of using a porta-potty during the Covid-era is the fact that it features built-in ventilation. All portable toilets are designed with built-in ventilation pipes and screens, which are situated at the top of the unit. This pipe and screen provide airflow. So long as there’s the slightest breeze in the outdoor air, the portable toilet should ventilate well. Do keep in mind, however, that if it’s hot and humid, or if the air is unusually still, the conditions inside the unit may not be as pleasant. 

Close the Lid

If the portable toilet has a lid, make sure to close it. Closing the lid on a flushing toilet before prior to flushing is always recommended, as it helps to prevent the aerosolized bacteria from circulating through the air, and the same is true for a portable toilet. While it’s true that you don’t have to worry about aerosolized bacteria, if you want to give yourself an extra layer of protection, if the porta-potty features a lid, don’t open it until you’re ready to use the toilet, and close it as soon as you’ve finished using it. 

The Frequency of Cleanings

Prior to the Covid-19-era, it was standard for sanitation companies to clean portable toilets after 200 uses, or at least one time per week; whichever one happened first. Since the advent of coronavirus, however, many sanitation companies are now recommended more frequent pumping and cleaning. A reputable porta potty company will use the most advanced tools, state-of-the-art technologies, and cutting-edge cleaning products to pump out the contents of the unit. Once the waste has been emptied, a technician will then thoroughly cleanse, sanitize, and disinfect the entire unit. All surfaces will be scrubbed, including the walls, the doors, the toilet, the sink, the floors, the ceiling, and any other surface. Once the surfaces are scrubbed, sanitizer and disinfectant will then be applied. The bowel itself will also be refilled with blue liquid that contains cleansers and anti-bacterial agents that will kill off any future waste that is added to the bowl in the future. 

Which is safer: a porta-potty or a public restroom? 

So, which is safer to use during the covid-19 era? While most people would likely believe that a public restroom with a flushing toilet would be safer, in reality, a portable toilet could actually be the safer option.

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