Insightz

Who Invented the Porta Potty?

Portable toilet. The John. Water closet. The loo. No matter what you call it, we’ve all used one. Whether they’re located on a worksite, festival grounds, or at an outdoor wedding, porta potties provide much-needed relief when we aren’t at home. But how did they come to be? 

Porta potties haven’t always looked like the large plastic enclosures that we’re accustomed to seeing today. (Or the luxury portable toilet trailers seen at high-end events.) They’ve evolved quite a bit over time and are now manufactured to be as convenient and sanitary as possible. 

Maybe you’ve never really thought about who invented the porta potty, but you never know when this sort of trivia will become useful! There’s a whole lot of history behind the question.

After all, even the earliest humans had the same biological needs as we do today.

An Abridged Porta Potty History

Ancient Civilization

Tracing porta potty history is no simple task. One could look all the way back to the 6th century B.C. when the ancient Greeks were using chamber pots typically made from ceramics, tin, or clay. Some looked like chairs while others resembled small pots, with or without lids… The collected waste would be dumped in a field or composted.

Medieval Times

Several centuries later in the medieval era, the privy chamber (among many other names) actually consisted of a toilet built into the wall. This was so that waste would fall through the hole in the (usually stone) floor and into the moat below. The toilet seat was made of wood and grass or hay was used as toilet paper. Did someone say comfort?

Medieval castle ruins have revealed that urinals also originated around this time so that castle defenders did not have to leave their posts for long periods of time in order to relieve themselves.

Keep in mind that all of this was well before flushable toilets–those wouldn’t come until the late 16th century. And we’re still very far out from sanitary designs. After centuries of changes, we arrive at the more modern porta potty resembling what we have today, but it still wasn’t quite right.

World War II 

The first porta potty came during WW2. It took navy men and those working on ships a long while to go to the bathroom on the other side of the dock. The lightbulb moment came when they decided to seek out a portable bathroom option. 

The rough and ready solution was constructed of wood and metal. That meant it was really heavy and really foul-smelling. Fortunately, workers were just as turned off to these porta potties as we would be today, so these didn’t last too long.

Later, to lessen the weight, Harvey Heather produced the first fiberglass porta potty in the 1970s. He called it the Strongbox, but it still wasn’t ideal–mainly because the fiberglass blocked most light from coming in and these units weren’t stackable for transport.

George Harding’s Porta Potty Patent

Enter George Harding. Harding had been working on ships during WW2 around the time portable toilets were deemed a necessity. Noting the issues with the wooden and steel option, Harden created a portable toilet made from rigid plastic. He was awarded a patent in the 1960s.

The portable restroom industry transformed in the mid-70s, now equipped with cleaner, convenient, easy-to-transport options.

The Modern Porta Potty

Today’s plastic porta potties are the easiest to keep clean and sanitary and the easiest to transport. With deodorizers and ventilation, smells are virtually non-existent. Portable toilets are also very durable. The life cycle of a porta potty averages about 10 years.

Other Names for Porta Potties

Given their long history and common use around the world, porta potties have come to be known by many names, including:

• Portable toilets
• Porta-Johns
• Porta-Lets
• Porta-Cans
• Chemical toilets
• Honey Buckets
• Portaloo (common in the UK)
• Portable lavatories
• Mobile restrooms
• Porta-Potty (brand name used generically)
• Outdoor latrines
• Temporary bathrooms
• Portable privies
• Porta-San
• Porta-Throne
• Porta-Sanitation units
• Restroom trailers (for larger, more sophisticated units)
• Sanitation stations
• Camp toilets
• Event toilets

There are still a number of porta potty myths, but the evidence speaks for itself. Portable toilets are the go-to for outdoor events and are mandatory on construction sites. Paired with a portable handwashing station, a portable toilet can be a germ-free experience.

Even more, there are a diverse selection of portable toilets to choose from depending on your project or event. From ADA compliant portable toilets to restroom trailers, it’s more than possible to customize your portable toilet rental. Get in touch with us and an account manager will devise a solution tailored to your needs.