When portable toilets are working as they should, no one thinks twice about them.

But in high-traffic settings, if the servicing doesn’t match the level of use problems start building fast. This could be in the form of unpleasant smells, full waste tanks, or empty dispensers (which can turn into complaints quickly). They slow down queues, create hygiene risks, and can damage your event or site reputation.

The fix isn’t complicated. With the right servicing schedule, smart user habits, and proper hygiene systems in place, portable toilets can stay fresh and functional all day.

This guide covers what users can do, what we take care of, and how to keep things under control.

The Small Habits Users Can Do That Make a Big Difference

Firstly, the easiest difference here is how the users of the toilet actually use them.

While it’s easy to assume a portable toilet is either clean or it isn’t, the reality is a bit more nuanced. Here’s our advice on how to get more out of each unit between cleans and help keep things in good shape for the next person:

• Close the lid after use

• • This helps the ventilation system do its job. Keeping the lid down contains odours and lets airflow move waste gases out through the vents properly.

• Flush if the unit allows it

• • Some of our portable units come with fresh water flush systems. Using them improves hygiene and cuts down on lingering odours inside the cubicle.

• Don’t throw rubbish or wipes into the toilet

• • Sanitary items, paper towels, and general waste block the system and lead to servicing issues. For those items, please use a rubbish bin.

• Use the hygiene products provided

• • All the units we supply come with hand sanitiser, toilet seat spray, soap dispensers, and rolls of toilet paper (these are stocked for a reason). Using them keeps the unit clean for the next person, and helps avoid mess build-up.

What We Can Do to Keep Toilets Clean and Ready

There are always going to be situations where you can’t control how people use the toilets, especially at big events or busy sites. In those cases, you need another layer of support to maintain hygiene and keep everything running. That’s where we can step in and help you.

We build servicing schedules around actual usage. That could mean once a day, multiple times per day during a festival, or scheduled pump-outs across longer-term sites.

Construction Site Compliance: Meet Your Legal Requirements

For construction sites, servicing is legally required at a weekly or fortnightly interval. This is usually based on the number of people on site. If there are more than 21 workers, weekly servicing becomes mandatory.

In practice, we recommend weekly servicing from the start (regardless of headcount) to keep things clean and compliant. For larger crews or multi-shift sites, we often provide servicing multiple times per week.

Tailored Servicing Based on Your Site’s Needs

How often a unit needs attention comes down to two things: how many people are using it, and how many toilets are on-site. We can help with both to ensure your site has the right number of units and the right servicing schedule to avoid hygiene risks and unnecessary downtime.

Here’s what’s included in our standard servicing:

• Waste tanks pumped out and deodorised

• • All waste is removed safely, and we replenish with SAFE-T-FRESH products to control odour and help break down contents between cleans.

• Restocking hygiene points

• • We check and refill everything (hand soap, seat spray, toilet paper, sanitiser) so every user walks into a functional unit.

• Interior cleaning and disinfection

• • All key touchpoints and surfaces are wiped down, keeping the units fresh and reducing bacterial build-up.

• Checks for functionality

• • Our team makes sure lights work, doors lock, flush systems operate, and nothing’s out of order.

For large events or high-volume sites, we also offer onsite attendants who keep the units in check throughout the day. They clean, restock, report issues, and help manage queues, making sure toilets stay clean and usable from start to finish.

For more premium functions, we also provide black tie attendants which complement our Luxury Six-Star VIP portable toilet range, offering a more discreet and professional presence suited to weddings, corporate functions, and upscale events.

Smart Monitoring: Using Toilet-iQ to Stay Ahead of the Problem

Toilet-iQ brings artificial intelligence into the world of portable toilets. Built into our latest units (including the Five Star Streamline 16-Pan Toilet Blocks) it gives you full visibility and control over your toilet or ablution setup from anywhere with internet access.

On large sites or at public events, things can change quickly. Tanks fill faster than expected, someone forgets to report an issue, or a unit gets overused while others sit idle. Toilet-iQ eliminates the guesswork and helps you act before problems escalate.

What Toilet-iQ Actually Does

• Live remote monitoring of tank levels

• • See exactly how full your tanks are, and get alerts (via SMS or email) before they overflow.

• Custom alerts and escalation settings

• • Set unlimited alert thresholds and assign notifications to different team members so nothing gets missed.

• Remote shut-off control

• • If a unit needs to be taken offline, you can shut off the water supply, turn off lighting, or even lock the doors remotely to prevent further use.

• Data-driven servicing

• • The system tracks usage patterns over time so you can build a servicing schedule based on real usage.

• Historical reporting

• • Access detailed logs via a secure online portal to review past usage, identify peak times, or adjust setup for the next event or job.

Toilet-iQ is a smarter, more reliable way to manage self-contained toilets across high-traffic events and busy worksites. It keeps each unit cleaner, safer, and ready to use when it matters most.

Combatting Odour: The Right Products Make All the Difference

Smells are one of the first things people notice when a portable toilet isn’t being looked after properly. Even with regular cleaning, high traffic can push units to their limits (especially on warm days or in confined setups).

That’s why we only use SAFE-T-FRESH portable toilet chemicals. They’re specifically designed for use in portable sanitation and work across all key areas.

If odour is something you’re currently dealing with, we’ve put together a full article on How Do I Stop My Portable Toilet From Smelling?. It covers the exact products we use, how they work, and what to consider when planning for high-traffic usage.

Get Your Portable Toilet Setup Sorted

Planning a big event or managing a busy site? Don’t risk hygiene or delays from under-serviced toilets.

Instant Toilets & Showers provides portable toilets for hire in Western Australia, with full delivery, servicing, and on-site support to keep things running smoothly from start to finish.Contact our team today on 08 9406 6600 or order online to get your setup sorted. We’ll make sure your toilets stay fresh, functional, and ready to go.