When it comes to deodorizers geared toward portable units, the choices can seem endless. They come in different forms – tabs, packs and liquids. They come in various strengths. And they’re produced and sold by an array of companies.

“Over the years we’ve tried different brands from different companies,” says Darcy O’Laughlin, co-owner of Kimos Pumping & Portable Toilets in Winona, Minnesota. “We’ve lived and learned along the way.”

“Right now within the last five to six years we have stuck mainly with the Satellite brand,” she adds. This includes toilet chemicals, disks for the urinals, and air fresheners sprayed in the portable units.

Situational strategy

Danny Schlomka, owner of Schlomka's Portable Restrooms & Mobile Pressure Washing LLC in Hastings, Minnesota, is another who has turned to Minneapolis-based Satellite Industries for his needs.

Typically his company uses liquid deodorizer to service the 400 to 500 portable units located at construction sites on a weekly basis. “It’s just cheaper and more economical,” he explains, “and the fragrance is rather strong.” The liquid product tends to work and smell better over these longer durations of time.

His strategy changes for special events, however, when the units are used for shorter time spans. “For events we prefer using the QuickScents tabs because they’re just a lot quicker,” he says. “They’re portion-controlled powder in packets that dissolve in water, so you can really just toss one tab into 50 toilets and it takes you a lot less time than using liquids.”

Seasonal changes

“We’re real hot and real humid here in the summertime, so we need to have something that’s pretty powerful,” says Darrell Tunstill, owner of Arkansas Portable Toilets in Little Rock. His company handles events ranging from motorcycle rallies and Razorback games to music festivals and craft fairs in addition to servicing construction sites.

Tunstill says he commonly receives samples and is always willing to give new products a try to see how well they work. “A lot of the ones we’ve tried are great out of the gate,” he says, “but a week later when you get back to them they’ve lost their strength.”

The result? Tunstill says he always seems to return to Walex and its product line. He prefers to rely on Porta-Paks during the hot temperatures, and in the winter his company scales back to the Porta-Pak Express in order to save.

Clean and fresh

Cleaning is another important element in the ongoing battle against odor, notes Tunstill, who uses a Walex washdown spray to help with the deodorizing process; cinnamon spice has become a favorite scent.

O’Laughlin agrees that this is a crucial part of the overall deodorizing process. “All of our units are high-pressure steamed when they get back,” she says, “so they don’t go straight from job to job.”

Finding ways to go above and beyond might mean that her fees are slightly higher than some of her competitors, she notes, but Kimos Pumping & Portable Toilets has learned the importance of educating customers on the steps taken to ensure a quality experience. “We provide extra deodorizer because I know what I’d expect at an event like a wedding,” she says. “You want the best.”