Portable toilets have evolved a lot since their inception, with their history going back as far as the 14th Century B.C. To truly appreciate the portable toilets we have now, we think it’s important to take a look at their earliest forms and understand how they evolved through history.

14th Century B.C.: The Earliest Portable Toilet

In 1906, a team of archaeologists discovered the undisturbed tomb of ancient Egyptian foreman Kha and his wife. Much like in many other ancient tombs, the team found furniture, trunks of clothes, food, and tools. Through their collection of personal artifacts, they also found the earliest example of a portable toilet. The Egyptians made this toilet out of wood with a hole in the center, positioned over a pottery jar. While the design wasn’t the simplest, it was easier to transport from room to room for members of ancient Egypt to use.  

6th Century: The Chamber Pot In Ancient Greece

Discovered in ancient Greek ruins by archaeologists and dating back as early as the 6th century, the use of chamber pots began. The Greeks created these toilets for women to use in the comfort of their homes. These ancient chamber pots were made of lead, clay, or glass and wouldn’t fall out of use for over a thousand years. 

15th Century: Outhouses 

In the 15th century, outhouses became popular across Europe. At higher-end inns across the continent, inn owners would install two outhouses, one for men and one for women, using a moon or sun made of wood to signify which outhouse was for each. The upkeep of two outhouses became too time-consuming, and inn owners combined the outhouses to create one universal outhouse. 

While these early outhouses were not portable, their proportions are similar to that of current day porta-potties. Outhouses of the time were traditionally 3 to 4 feet wide and 7 feet tall. Today, standard porta-potties are almost 4 feet wide and over 7 feet tall.

The early 1900s: Introducing Indoor Plumbing

In the late 1800s, illness, including cholera, had run rampant in large cities. As these problems continued in places like Chicago and New York, many realized how vital proper sanitation was for avoiding illness. As the century turned, running water became more common in homes, and by the 1930s, running water and indoor plumbing were widely available to homeowners. 

1940: George Harding’s Idea

While working in a shipyard for the U.S. War Department, George Harding realized how long it took for sailors to return to work from the restroom at the end of the dock. With this, he created his first portable toilet. These original toilets were relatively simple and made of steel or wood. While they did what they needed to, these original porta-potties quickly dealt with complaints of unpleasant odors, which seeped into the wood. 

1960: The First Patent

Taking the complaints he’d heard to heart, George continued to evolve his portable toilet. He began working on a prototype to replace the wooden predecessors. These prototypes, however, still held odor. Deodorizers were created in the 1950s, helping push George’s innovation. On June 3, 1960, he received his first patent for “the portable toilet cabana.” His portable toilets were made of polyethylene and were much more durable. This patent and the durable portable toilets that it created sparked the start of an industry.

1984: The Portable Toilet Trailer

In the couple of decades following the patent of the portable toilet, it continued to evolve with each company that entered the market. By 1984, portable toilet trailers entered the market, followed soon after by luxury portable toilets, which featured running water and flushing toilets.

1990: The ADA Compliant Portable Toilet

On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law at the White House. With the passing of this new law came a need for more accessible portable toilets. These new ADA-compliant toilets featured grab bars, more floor space to accommodate mobility aids, and outward-opening doors that can fit a wheelchair. 

Rent A Portable Toilet For Your Next Event

We’ve come a long way from outhouses and chamber pots, and we believe we should celebrate this. Next time you throw an outdoor party, consider renting a portable toilet for your guests and celebrate their evolution. Your guests will appreciate having a clean restroom to use. 

Whether you’re throwing a barbeque this summer or a small backyard birthday party, every guest deserves a clean restroom. And, as a bonus, renting a portable toilet means you don’t have to worry about a mess in your home. Canyon View Dumpsters & Toilets has a wide variety of portable restrooms for your next event, including restroom trailers and ADA-compliant restrooms. If you’re looking to rent a portable toilet, contact us today.

Porta potties have a reputation for being gross, smelly, and ill-maintained. This can make people reluctant to use them. It can make people think that renting them for an event makes them look bad. However, this isn’t always the case. 

Of course, it’s up to either you or the company you’re renting from to ensure that the porta potties remain sanitary places. That is a caveat to all of this, because if you don’t maintain the porta potties, then you can make the following myths realities.

That said, there are some persistent myths about porta potties that aren’t true when the porta potties are taken care of properly. 

#1. Porta-Potties Are Unsanitary

As previously mentioned, this depends on whether or not you’re maintaining them. However, if you’re on top of maintenance, they can stay clean. If you are renting, the company will clean and sanitize the porta potties between each use.

#2. Porta-Potties Are Smelly

They definitely can be when they are not cleaned and maintained. In order to keep them from becoming smelly, ensure that you have plans in place for waste removal and regular cleaning.

Porta potties can also have vents, in order to get fresh air in them. 

#3. Porta-Potties Can Only Be Used For Informal Events

With their reputation, you may think porta-potties are best for construction sites, concerts, or food festivals. You may think that using them at a formal event will instantly turn it trashy.

However, there are special types of porta potties that give more of a traditional bathroom experience. These are ideal for weddings and other more formal events. Restroom trailers have running water, stalls, mirrors, nice floors, and more. This helps to maintain the atmosphere of the event by ensuring the guests have a clean, put-together place to see to their needs.

#4. Porta-Potties Are Trashy

If there are no restroom facilities in the area or you are not allowed to use the restroom facilities in the area, porta-potties provide a way for people to see to their needs in relative comfort. They’re infinitely better than squatting in the woods or having to leave a place in order to find an open restroom. 

#5. Porta-Potties Aren’t Maintained

So, this is where it depends. If you purchased the porta potty, then it is up to you to maintain it. If you rent it, the company may or may not offer maintenance. You will want to check with them prior to renting so that you can make arrangements for maintenance if needed.

If the company does offer maintenance, it will be done on a regular basis, like every night at a multiple-day festival.

If they don’t, you will need to make arrangements to ensure it is clean. 

#6. You Can’t Wash Your Hands

This is another way people think porta-potties are gross and unsanitary. In truth, porta potties typically have hand sanitizers you can cleanse your hands with. You could also rent a handwash station for people to use when they come out of the porta-potty.

Some porta-potties have sinks in them that you can use, as is most often seen in restroom trailers. 

#7. Porta-Potties Don’t Have Amenities

Another common porta potty myth is that they only have a toilet and nothing else. This isn’t always the case. Indeed, they can have the amenities of an indoor bathroom. This is especially true with restroom trailers. Some porta potties have sinks, lights, mirrors, and more. 

For those without sinks, you can get handwash stations to place outside of them. That way, people can easily wash their hands and keep everyone cleaner and safer.

#8. Porta-Potties Aren’t ADA Friendly

It’s true that not all porta potties are ADA-compliant. However, there are indeed ADA-friendly porta potties out there. They have the space needed for people in wheelchairs to get in and out and to maneuver around them.

#9. Porta-Potties Will Tip Over

They can tip over if they are not secured, either from strong winds or people being malicious. However, they can be staked down and strategically placed in order to prevent this from happening.

#10. Porta-Potties Can’t Hold Enough Waste

There are actually guidelines that you can follow in order to ensure that you rent enough porta-potties for your event. OSHA has regulations about the number of porta-potties needed at worksites. So long as you have enough porta-potties and you have them regularly maintained, you should be fine.

Do You Need To Rent Porta-Potties?

Contact us here Canyon View Dumpsters & Toilets! We offer porta-potties, both ADA-accessible and not, as well as restroom trailers and handwash stations.