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Portable toilets: almost everyone has used one, but how much do you really know about these restrooms on wheels? From standard, portable toilets to luxury bathrooms on trailers, portable restroom facilities are a mainstay on construction sites, at outdoor weddings and concerts, and even at road races.

Read on to learn six strange facts about portable toilets. The last time you spent this long thinking about restrooms, you were probably waiting in line for a stall!

1. There Were Big Concerns About Porta Potties at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration

Thankfully, Obama did not go down in history as the President inaugurated amidst a vast porta potty shortage, but this was almost the case. One week before the 2013 inauguration, event planners had only allowed for 1,500 portable toilets at the event. With an expected attendance of 900,000, this was far under the recommended ratio of one toilet per 300 guests.

Thankfully, in response to the panic, event planners added more portable toilets to the plan, and catastrophe was averted.

2. Portable Toilets Go by Many Names

You'd be hard-pressed to find a rented item with more names. Port-a-john, port-o-let, Sani privy, portaloo, turdis: all of these terms refer to the same structure. If you're in Poland, you'll hear them called "porta-nocnik," and if you're in Germany, you'll hear the term "porta-T."

3. There Are Specialized Portable Toilets for Use in Mines

Have you ever wondered how and where minors use the facilities while deep below ground? As it turns out, they do so in portable toilets—a very specific type of portable toilets designed just for this purpose.

Portable toilets designed for use in mines have a low profile to ensure they fit in shallow shafts. They're also designed to avoid combustion, which is important in coal mines where the risk of ignition is high. Waste ends up in a special, fully contained cartridge, and miners can change the cartridge as it fills within exposing themselves to the waste.

4. In Restroom Trailers, the Middle Stall Is the Dirtiest

This is actually true in all public restrooms, not just portable ones. For one reason or another, people prefer to use the middle stall. Researchers theorize this is because they believe this stall to offer more privacy. The first stall is actually used least often and is, therefore, less colonized with bacteria. So if you're after the cleanest portable restroom experience possible, always go for that first stall!

5. Portable Toilets Are Eco-Friendly

If asked to name eco-friendly amenities, most people would not include portable toilets on the list. However, studies indicate that portable restrooms save more than 1.25 million gallons of water per day—or 45 billion gallons per year. Each flush of a standard toilet sends fresh water, which could otherwise be used for drinking and food preparation, down the toilet. A portable restroom eliminates these flushes, conserving water.

6. Setting Up Porta Potties at Running Events Is an Art and a Science

Road races present a unique challenge for portable toilet rentals. The standard attendee-to-toilet ratio does not really apply, and runners are all in a rush to use the toilets right before the start. With the importance of hydration before a race, almost every runner will use the facilities at least once, and all during the same hour before the race.

Some people spend a good portion of their careers figuring out the best way to arrange toilets at running races and how many toilets are needed at such events. A U-shaped arrangement of toilets seems preferable to a straight line, and race directors usually plan for one toilet per 10 runners. However, these matters are still a hotly debated issue in some running clubs and race panels.

Now you know a few secrets and strange facts about portaloos and port-o-lets. If you're looking for portable toilets or restrooms in the Jackson area, contact Gotta Go Site Service Rentals. We'll even let you use the extra-clean first stall.