We get it–you have a busy life, and the thought of cleaning and maintaining your portable restroom trailer is a bit overwhelming.
To make your life easier, we’ve assembled the ultimate cleaning and maintenance checklist for your trailer so that you remember everything you have to do. This way, when it comes time to do your chores and service your trailers, you can confidently tackle the tasks at hand and use your time wisely.
Before You Use Your Trailer
It is important to make sure that you can take care of any issues with your trailer before you move or use it. This helps to keep your plans running smoothly and can allow you to identify any minor problems before they become major ones.
1. Check Your Supplies
Ensure you have adequate supplies for your job site or event. Some things to look out for are:
- Toilet paper should be fully stocked in each unit, with extra rolls on hand if and when a unit runs out.
- Paper towels at all hand wash stations.
- Hand soap dispensers are full and functioning.
- Feminine hygiene products.
- Antifreeze if you are operating your trailer in the colder months. This will prevent any pipes from bursting.
- A plunger to sort out any minor toilet clogs.
- A spare tire for your trailer and the necessary tire jack.
2. Check Your Facility
Make sure that your trailer is functioning correctly. This can include checking tire pressure before transporting the trailer, flushing your water system of any antifreeze or sedentary water sitting in the pipes for some time, and ensuring all light fixtures are working correctly.
In ADA-compliant trailers, it is vital to ensure that signs are visible, ramps are stable, and grab bars are secure.
Most importantly, make sure that waste tanks are empty from the last use and that water tanks are full. If you forgot to do either after the previous use and rolled up to your trailer's new home with unsatisfactory tank levels, you could be in a pinch to address the issue at the last minute.
During Your Event or Workday
The key to maintaining your restroom trailer efficiently is to keep up with little tasks as they come along. We recommend checking in on toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, and hygiene product supplies periodically throughout the day and replenishing as products become unavailable.
Additionally, as you discover any clogs or plumbing issues throughout the day, address them as quickly as possible to prevent them from worsening. That is why we suggest you keep a plunger and any other plumbing tools you may need on hand so you aren’t caught out and need to call a plumber for a basic fix.
It is also essential to regularly check your waste tank levels throughout the day to prevent an overflow, as well as your water tank. You can easily monitor your tank levels remotely with our Smarter Restrooms App.
After Use
The most important part of trailer maintenance is thoroughly cleaning your facilities after a workday or event. Doing so prevents any issues from persisting and keeps dirt, grime, and bacteria from building up in your trailer.
As in any context, when using vaporous cleaning products, ensure you do so with the doors to the trailer open—a well-ventilated space is critical to safe use.
Your To-Do List for All Trailers
- Clean up and dispose of any waste left behind.
- Sweep and mop floors, drying them to prevent any bacteria or mold growth.
- Disinfect all surfaces, especially the high-touch areas, like door handles.
- Clean mirrors or windows with a streak-free cleaner.
- Empty waste tanks.
- Check for any leaks in the plumbing, both on the unit's interior and exterior.
- Check the exterior of the trailer.
- Is there any damage to the outer body?
- Are any tires flat?
- Are stairs and ramps in good, safe condition?
Be sure to address any concerns you may have right away. If you don’t intend to use your trailer for some time, flush all the water out of the systems, particularly when storing your trailer in colder months. Running systems dry prevents water from freezing, pipes from bursting, and bacteria from breeding in your tank and water systems.
3 Additional Items for Toilet Trailers
- Flush each toilet and urinal to confirm there are no clogs and that flushing mechanisms work smoothly.
- Clean toilet bowls, seats, lids, and fastenings with a dedicated bathroom cleaner to disinfect surfaces with high traffic.
- In the same vein, disinfect sink basins, faucets, and countertops.
Specific Tasks for Shower Trailers
In addition to the list for all trailers, you want to do these extra steps for mobile shower trailers:
- Disinfect shower heads, temperature dials, and towel bars.
- Beyond just mopping the floor, use a heavy-duty disinfectant on shower floors and walls.
- Clear drains of any hair or debris that could cause clogging and hygiene issues.
- Periodically use a preventative limescale agent on shower heads to keep them clear and clean.
3 More Steps for Laundry Trailers
For portable laundry trailers, it’s imperative to:
- Clear lint traps in dryer units.
- Ensure all washing machines are draining correctly and all draining mechanisms are clear.
- Keep washing machine doors open until subsequent use to prevent moisture from being locked in units and allow mold and bacteria to breed.
Don’t forget to disinfect all dials, door handles, and other high-traffic surfaces.
Why All the Work?
Maintaining a trailer in the best condition possible is essential to getting the most use out of your rental or purchase. It keeps your guests or employees happy and healthy, your space hygienic and clean, and your life easier in the long run. Checking for and addressing issues regularly prevents them from worsening or causing additional problems and keeps your trailer in excellent condition.
