Festival Portable Toilet Hire Etiquette

Portable Toilet Hire Etiquette:

Festival Portable Toilet Hire Etiquette – Just think of it – you’ve been looking forward to this festival for months. You’ve got your ticket, packed your bag (the event is being held over two days and you’re camping), and you’re ready to go. But your biggest concern, out of everything that could go wrong, is the portable festival toilet situation.

Based on your previous experience, they’re always dirty, smelly and have long queues which mean that you’re left standing out in the sun for hours.  Portable festival toilets have a bad reputation, and unfortunately in many cases, it’s well-deserved. But there are steps users can take to make the experience more pleasant for everyone involved.

Summer’s here and there are so many great festivals that you don’t want to miss this season and we don’t want to have your time negatively impacted by horrible toilet experiences. So, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to festival toilet etiquette.

Here are our top ten tips to ensure that you’re using the portable festival toilet facilities correctly

We’ve compiled the top ten toilet etiquette tips you should make when going to the toilet at the festival. By following them, you will make the experience of using the toilet more pleasant for yourself and for others at the festival (particularly those using the toilet after you).

1. Queue in an orderly fashion

If there’s one thing the British excel at, it’s queuing. But when people are desperate to get back to the fun, etiquette can go out the window. Remember, everyone else is there to enjoy themselves too, so stick to the rules.   Respect the Male/Female designation of the toilets and join the appropriate queue.

When joining the queue, make sure you join at the back, don’t push in. It is also considered polite to make way for people who are differently-abled, pregnant or have a good reason for needing to go to the toilet ahead of you. Following queue etiquette is fairer all round and ensures everyone gets back to the fun in the minimum amount of time.

2. Choose the correct portable toilet option

This one is particularly for men. If you only need to urinate, then please use a urinal. This is basic common sense. Portable festival toilets are usually in high demand, and it’s best to leave them for those who need to do more than just wee. Also, please only use the toilets that have been designated for men. Women generally prefer not to have to share their toilets with men, so please respect that.

3. Lock the door

It may seem obvious but locking the door benefits both you and other people. It’s not easy to see whether a toilet is occupied or not if the door isn’t locked. Make it easy for yourself and everybody else. Locking the door ensures that you’ll be able to use the portable loo in private. It will also give you some peace as you won’t have people constantly knocking on the door or opening it while you’re busy.

4. Be time-conscious

We’re not suggesting that you rush things. But if there’s a queue, it’s good manners to take only the time you need without hanging around. Don’t use it as a quiet place to make phone calls or catch some peace and quiet. However, don’t be in such a rush that you forget to flush, clean up or wash your hands.

5. Sit on the toilet

Without going into graphic details, if you squat, you increase the chances of leaving a mess for the next person who uses the toilet. Portable festival toilets aren’t designed for squatting. Men especially – if you choose to ignore rule 2 – urinating standing up can be messier than sitting down.  

If you are concerned about hygiene, then you can ‘hover’, but please keep fellow festival goers in mind and clean up behind you if you have made any mess. Put simply, leave it as you’d wish to find it.

6. Use only what you need

There should be enough toilet paper for everyone, but the calculations are based on average usage. Don’t use reams and reams of toilet paper as it is wasteful and may block the toilet when you flush. Blocked portable toilets become unusable and will affect the experience for everyone at the festival. And if supplies are low or have run out, tell the toilet attendant. They’ll have a supply on hand and can restock it for the next person.

7. Don’t flush anything extra

Like regular toilets, portable festival toilets are designed to deal with faecal matter, urine and toilet paper but not much else. Don’t flush cotton wool pads, sanitary waste, or anything else down the toilet. This can lead to blockages that will make the toilet unusable. A well-organised festival will always have designated bins for other waste.

8. Always flush a portable loo hire

Remember to always flush the toilet, and always leave it clean when you’re done. It’s common courtesy to other users. Leave a toilet in the same condition you’d wish to find it.

9. Wash your hands

We know staying clean at a festival isn’t easy, but every little counts. We want everyone to stay healthy and prevent the spread of germs. By washing your hands, you’re helping us achieve that goal. After washing your hands, check that the toilet is clean and neat and close the door behind you as you leave.

10.  Get assistance if needed

If the toilet you’re using becomes blocked or if it has run out of toilet paper, please inform the toilet assistant or one of the event managers. This will ensure that they are able to address the issue as quickly as possible so that the portable loos stay in great condition for the duration of the festival.

They can fix the issue, which will reduce people queuing for an unusable toilet, and keep the maximum number of toilets in operation, making it quicker for you next time you need it.

These are our top ten tips to guide you on the best toilet etiquette for festivals. We’ve covered everything from queuing for the portable loo, how to choose a toilet, and the steps to follow once you’re locked in the hired portable loo. We hope this helps you enjoy your festival experience!

Extra tips:

There are plenty of things to remember to take if you’re attending a festival, but toilet supplies aren’t always on everyone’s list. If the event takes place over a couple of days, the portable festival toilets will be serviced regularly, but you might be unlucky and enter a portable loo where someone has not observed the correct toilet etiquette.

In these situations, it’s good to come prepared. You might want to take wipes, waterless hand sanitiser and your own roll of toilet paper so that you’re ready to make the best of any toilet experience. And it’s best practice to inform the attendant that the toilet needs looking at.

It’s also worth doing some research when you first arrive to find out where all the portable toilets are. Some are more likely to be quieter (and therefore cleaner) than others.

Generally speaking, the further away from the main stage(s), the quieter they’ll be. If they’re located on grass, by the end of the festival it’s likely to be a mud bath – especially in wet weather, so those on concrete may be preferable. It may be worth a longer walk for a quicker, cleaner experience.

A bit of smart planning can reduce queuing time too. Like all amenities on-site, the portable festival toilets will be busy at certain times. At music events, this tends to be just before and after big acts play, when everyone makes a dash for a wee/ beer/ hotdog. Take that into account and you can drastically reduce your queuing time.

Finally, if festival toilets really aren’t for you, we understand (and we’ll try not to take it personally). There are a variety of reasonably priced, compact, portable toilets available that you can bring along with you.

Or, if all else fails, be sure to book yourself into the VIP camping area. The toilet etiquette is likely to be better there, and who knows, you could even end up sharing a luxury toilet trailer with your favourite act!

Organising and running a festival is a huge undertaking, so why not make things easier for yourself by letting the professionals take some of the work off your hands?

If you’re planning a festival and have had bad experiences with portable loo and toilet etiquette in the past, LetLoos can help. Choosing to hire our portable festival toilets is the best decision you’ll make.

We specialize in portable toilet hire for events and will be able to design a solution that perfectly caters for your festival. We offer a full range of portable toilets from basic options to ones that cater to disabled persons and families, as well as providing hand sanitiser stations.

We also have bespoke options for a more luxurious experience. When you host VIPs such as music performers or premium ticket holders, you want to give them a great time, and that includes their time in the toilet.

We offer high-quality portable shower hire and VIP toilet trailer hire that will make your festival a luxury experience for them. Staying clean and hygienic at a multi-day festival is always a challenge, make sure that you can meet that need.

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