Last updated on August 2 2020
Why you should do portable toilet winter maintenance
Portable toilet winter maintenance is really important. Why? Because you’ve invested in the portable toilet and you plan to use it as a convenience when you need it. But, if you don’t maintain it, the parts inside, especially the rubbers can be susceptible to damage. This is particularly so if you live in a cold climate, with cold winters.
A quick search of the internet doesn’t find too much information on this, but we believe it is a necessary part of owning a portable camping toilet and keeping it in good working condition. The last thing you need is to just pack it up for a camping trip and realize only too late, that it doesn’t work.
Maintaining your portable toilet is simple and quick to do. Here’s what we recommend to keep your portable camping toilet in the best shape.
Check out the best camping toilets and their reviews here
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Keep your portable toilet as clean as possible
We recommend cleaning your portable toilet as often as possible. Even when we are on the road or camping, we get into the habit of giving it a general clean every day. This stops the build up of grime and possible bacteria. Besides, it also makes it a much nicer experience to use as well.
At the end of every camping session, we do a full clean, getting into all the crevices and giving it a good flush out.
If we are packing it up for winter, regardless of when it was last cleaned, get the portable toilet out again and give it a thorough clean all over.
We recommend using these products for a comprehensive clean.
- Thetford Premium RV Aqua-Clean Kitchen and Bath Cleaner-UltraFoam-32 oz 36971, 32. Fluid_Ounces
- Thetford 500236 Concentrated Toilet Cup Cleaner
- Aqua-Kem RV holding tank treatment – Deodorant / Waste Digester / Detergent – 1 gallon – Thetford 28614
Remove all water from your portable toilet
Storing your chemical toilet with any kind of water in it is not best practice, even if you use it often. This is especially so for any of the waste tanks. Do ensure everything works as it should the next time you use your toilet, ensure that all tanks are emptied, cleaned and flushed out before storing it.
Keep the portable toilet apertures open
To prevent damage to seals and to give some ventilation to the portable toilet, open the spout to the waste tank a little. Also, leave the cover between the toilet bowl and the waste tank open.
Maintain the rubber seals
Keep seals moist to prevent cracking or seizing by spraying with a lubricant.
- Thetford Toilet Seal Lubricant & Conditioner-24 oz 36663
- Premium RV Slide Out Rubber Seal Conditioner and Protectant – 14 oz – Thetford 32778
Store the portable toilet
Store the portable toilet in a spot where it can be easily accessed but kept dry. Outside of the winter months, if the portable toilet isn’t being used, it is still a good idea to get it out and flush some water through just to keep everything working. That way, when you are ready to go camping again, everything will work fine.
You might also like to read: How to use and care for a portable toilet
About the Author
Carrie has loved camping and being outdoors since she was a small child. After travelling extensively throughout the world, Carrie and her husband Chad really found their love of exploring by RV. Even though this is their preferred mode of travel these days, you can still find them in a tent too. Wherever they are, you can be sure they are also enjoying good food and wine.
