How to Properly Clean Portable Sinks

This is an area that stumps many portable restroom operators – cleaning their portable sinks. If you’ve ever tried it, you know how difficult it can be. Additionally, many PROs might think they’ve cleaned out their sink but actually haven’t cleaned it as well as it needs.

Properly cleaning your portable sinks is very important for their longevity. If you don’t give them regular, thorough cleanings, they can start to grow mold or algae, emit nasty odors, and fall into disrepair.

To help you properly clean your portable sink, we’ve gathered together some of the best industry tips below:

Always Stay One Step Ahead

Preventative maintenance of your portable sinks can save you time and money spent on more expensive cleaning and repairs jobs later. Using chlorinated tablets, for example Fresh-Sink Tabs, kills bacteria, eliminates odors, and removes algae and mold.

It’s worth investing in a product like this and using it whenever you clean your sinks, as it does all the nasty jobs in one.

Adding a chlorinated tablet every time the sink is filled with water will go a long way to preventing issues down the line, eliminating tank troubles, blockages, and heavy clean-ups.

How to Clean Properly

Cleaning your sinks out properly can be hard if you don’t know what to do. Following these steps will lead to a hygienic sink ready for your customers to use:

1. Use a mild soap to clean all of the surfaces and components of your portable sink.
2. If you find any minor scratches and abrasions you’d like removed, you can sand them or scrub with a mild abrasive cleaner like Soft Scrub. Be sure to follow the directions on the cleaning solution so you don’t mix chemicals with hazardous materials or gases.
   Tip: Make sure your cleaner contains calcium carbonate, hypochlorite bleach, and detergents.
3. You can also use an industrial hot air gun to hide any scratches or marks that are troublesome to remove.
4. Rinse the cleaned area and buff with a conventional wax.
5. Fill both the freshwater tank and wastewater tank with a mixture of water and cleaning solution. Bleach is often used for this. Make sure to check the instructions on your cleaning solution for the right ratio of water to cleaning
6. Let the tanks soak and then drain them.
7. Make sure the tanks are rinsed completely before being sent back into service.

Note: Many freshwater reservoirs are difficult or even impossible to get a brush into, so you may not be able to scrub them out. Wastewater tanks, however, on portable sinks like the Bravo from PolyJohn, are often big and wide enough to fit a scrub brush. You may want to shop around for a portable sink that has a big enough wastewater tank so that it can be cleaned properly, as it will last longer.

Follow these steps and you’ll know how to properly clean your portable sinks, which will ensure they last longer. More importantly, your clients and their customers will notice the difference when they go to wash their hands!

Looking to Take Your Portable Restroom Business to the NEXT LEVEL? Download our FREE Guide: “Your Guide to Operating A Portable Restroom Business.”

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