The vault toilet doesn't have to smell.
- Encapsulates the hydrogen sulfide and ammonia that cause the odor
- Beneficial microbes muscle out the odor-causing bacteria
- Breaks down solids and toilet paper — vaults fill slower, pump easier
- Used by national parks, U.S. Forest Service, and BLM
From $18.00
Build a Case — Save $16
Best ValuePick any 4 gallons — ships as 1 case, not 4 packages
Buying for an operation?
- Quart Trial / small unit$18
- 1 Gallon Single vault$41
- 2.5 Gallon One standard 1,000-gal dose$94
- Case (2x2.5 Gal or 4x1 Gal) Multi-vault / season supply$156–$179
For fleets of vaults or park-system pricing, contact us for a quote.
PORT is a powerful outdoor restroom and holding tank treatment that provides rapid waste degradation and odor control. PORT efficiently and effectively breaks down solid waste, clears bio-solids in septic systems and opens up clogged pipes, often adding years between tank pumping. Benefits of PORT:...
Keep your septic and waste systems flowing clean.
See PORT Vault Toilet Treatment in Action
A vault toilet that smells drives people away from your site
The Green Cloud
The U.S. Forest Service designed the vent-based 'sweet smelling toilet' to move odor up and out — but on a still, windless, or overcast day, a green cloud of hydrogen sulfide settles around the building and drifts into the picnic area. Ventilation alone can't beat the chemistry.
Vaults That Fill Too Fast
When solids and toilet paper don't break down, the vault fills faster than it should — which means more pump-outs, more truck trips, and more cost per season. Undigested waste is dead weight you're paying to haul to a treatment plant.
Complaints You Can't Ventilate Away
For a park, campground, or trailhead, the restroom is the one piece of infrastructure every visitor uses. A foul vault generates complaints, hurts the visitor experience, and reflects on the whole facility — no amount of air freshener fixes a biological problem.
How It Works
| Feature | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| Odor encapsulation (hydrogen sulfide + ammonia) | Binds the two compounds responsible for most vault odor instead of covering them with perfume — the smell is removed, not masked |
| Competitive-exclusion microbes | Active aerobic biology muscles out the anaerobic, odor-causing bacteria that thrive in a sealed vault |
| Organic carbon + acids | Carbon binds hydrogen sulfide and feeds the microbes; organic acids break surface tension so vaults don't crust or clog |
| Complete solids and paper breakdown | Digests toilet paper, fats, oils, tissue, and hydrocarbons — slowing how fast the vault fills and making pump-outs easier |
| Non-corrosive, non-pathogenic, chemical-free | Reduces corrosion from leaching hydrogen sulfide and is safe to handle, store, and use around people, animals, and water |
Application: Pour into the vault after pumping
Standard maintenance (per 1,000-gallon vault): • Add 2.5 gallons of PORT with 15 gallons of water • Apply when the vault has been freshly pumped • Let the vault fill to capacity — no additional product needed between pumps High-traffic periods: • Add 1 gallon of PORT between cleanouts, or as needed • Add extra water if solids begin to exceed the water line Tip: • Best results come from dosing a freshly pumped vault so the biology establishes before heavy use
Calculate Exact Quantity for My AreaWhy Ventilation Alone Isn’t Enough
The U.S. Forest Service’s “sweet smelling toilet” design uses a vent stack warmed by the sun to pull odor up and out of the building. It’s clever engineering, and it works — when there’s sun and wind. On a still, overcast day, or in a heavily forested site, the draft stalls and the odor has nowhere to go. That’s when the green cloud settles in.
PORT solves the part ventilation can’t: the chemistry inside the vault. By binding hydrogen sulfide and ammonia and shifting the vault’s biology from anaerobic (odor-producing) to aerobic (odor-consuming), PORT removes the smell at its source. The vent moves air; PORT changes what’s in it.
Built for the Way Vaults Actually Get Managed
Vault toilets get pumped on a schedule and left to fill between visits. PORT is dosed to match that reality: add it to a freshly pumped vault, and the biology establishes and works on its own as the vault fills — no daily maintenance, no staff returning between pumps. For high-traffic weekends and holidays, a single gallon between cleanouts keeps the system ahead of the load.
Trusted Where It’s Hardest to Manage
National parks, U.S. Forest Service sites, and Bureau of Land Management facilities use PORT because remote public restrooms are the hardest sanitation problem there is: high use, no plumbing, no chemicals allowed near sensitive land, and a visitor experience riding on how the building smells. PORT is the biological, chemical-free answer that holds up under exactly those conditions — and it works the same in a backyard pit toilet or a construction-site portable unit.
Related Reading
750–13,000 gal
Vault Sizes Treated
0
Harsh Chemicals
Parks + USFS
Trusted in the Field
A+
BBB Rating
We manage vault toilets at trailheads that see heavy summer traffic. Before PORT, the complaints started every July. Now we dose after each pump and the buildings stay tolerable through the whole season, even the shaded ones the vent design never worked well on.
Customer Reviews
3.8
Waste of money and time and caused more issues
This product really messed up the balance in our tank and leachfield causing us many issues .. I am not going to use the remaining treatments we paid for...complete waste of money and time.
Southland Organics replied
It looks like the product did EXACTLY what it was supposed to do and opened up the leach field. You likely had a biofilm break or a clog, and PORT broke it through to open it up. That is what happens when clogged leach fields are finally released
Works as advertised
Works great to reduce odors, speed up waste breakdown and reduce pump outs.
NO MORE STINK!
Keeps vaulted privy from being stinky all summer!
It's the real deal!
Works as advertised. Helped rejuvenate my drain field. Also reduces odors and helps waste break down faster.
NO MORE SMELL!
My septic overflowed and my drain to leech field was completely clogged. I bought a sewer jetter to use with my pressure washer and opened lines up. I was using a different product and still had smell. Found out about Port and since using it for 6 months no more smell. A little gross but I wanted to be sure everything was good so opened tank checked wasn’t a sludge mess and ran sewer jetter down line no blockage. Completely satisfied with PORT getting rid of smell and preventing any further issues. Read more
My septic overflowed and my drain to leech field was completely clogged. I bought a sewer jetter to use with my pressure washer and opened lines up. I was using a different product and still had smell. Found out about Port and since using it for 6 months no more smell. A little gross but I wanted to be sure everything was good so opened tank checked wasn’t a sludge mess and ran sewer jetter down line no blockage. Completely satisfied with PORT getting rid of smell and preventing any further issues.
AVOID COSTLY BACKUP!
Be proactive and avoid costly backup.
NO BACKUPS SO FAR!
I do not have a way to be sure that it did the trick but one thing is for sure....... my sewer has not backed up. I am going to ask my plumber to look into the tank to see if the build up is gone
Stop the Stink
PORT immediately stops the horrible smell when sprayed over moldering privy deposits. When mixed with medium pine chips, it seems to speed up the decomposition of the human waste.
Appreciative Trail Maintainer
As a trail maintaining group, we use PORT in our mouldering privies to increase decomposition. It means we can wait longer between the dirty jobs of cleaning out privies.
Southland Organics replied
Hi Appreciative Trail Maintainer 😀 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this great review! We’re thrilled to hear that PORT is helping make the maintenance of your mouldering privies easier and more efficient. It’s fantastic to know that it’s allowing you to wait longer between cleanings and reduce the workload for your team. Your dedication to keeping the trails in top shape is inspiring, and we’re glad that PORT can play a small part in supporting your efforts.
Your product improved the smell of our outhouse!
Still waiting
Well I'm sorry to say it hasn't helped yet. I had the tank pumped, I ran a snake down all three Leach feilds lines and no blockages and put the Port into the lines as directed . I guess it's been a month and no changes . I have three stars because it may help others.
Southland Organics replied
Hi Kenneth! Thanks for the feedback. I am a little confused as to what change you are looking for. It sounds like you did a lot of work to unclog your system, then added PORT. PORT couldn't unclog your lines because there was nothing to unclog. So at this point, PORT's job is to maintain those flowing lines so that you don't have to pump or use a snake again anytime soon. So the thing you would be looking for is a lack of an issue. Since you resolved the main issue before using PORT, it is just preventing future issues. Which it sounds like it has done so far? Please let me know if I am misunderstanding your issue! I want to make things right for you, just confused because it sounds like PORT is working as intended. Thanks!
Honestly, this product performs 100% as advertised
I'm just a no BS homeowner, that has searched high and low for additives that I can put in my septic tank that will dissolve the scum layer. I do not leave reviews unless I'm very impressed. And after 5 months of putting the port in my septic tank, my scum layer is no more than a very thin layer on top of the water less than 1/8 inch. I would highly recommend using this as monthly maintenance additive, you'll be as impressed with the results as I was. Read more
I'm just a no BS homeowner, that has searched high and low for additives that I can put in my septic tank that will dissolve the scum layer. I do not leave reviews unless I'm very impressed. And after 5 months of putting the port in my septic tank, my scum layer is no more than a very thin layer on top of the water less than 1/8 inch. I would highly recommend using this as monthly maintenance additive, you'll be as impressed with the results as I was.
Southland Organics replied
Wow, thank you so much! This is honestly the best review we could ever hope for. We know how well PORT works because we're really familiar with the science behind how it breaks down biofilm, so it's amazing to hear a customer witness that exact experience. Thank you so much again for taking the time to leave a review! It means the world to us. So glad your tank is performing better with PORT! In case you have not seen it already, we do have a subscription program for PORT for monthly septic maintenance. This may make it easier for you, unless you prefer to buy in larger quantities. You can check it out here: https://www.southlandorganics.com/products/pour-the-port-septic-tank-treatment
Cleared up my septic issues!
It works, had septic issues and used as directed now it has cleared up
Southland Organics replied
Roger, thanks so much for leaving a review! So glad to hear that PORT has helped resolve your septic system issues. Thanks so much for trying it out!
Questions & Answers
Q: Can you use this product in RV holding tanks?
— Mwsanchez805
A: Yes, you absolutely can! It's great for breaking down waste and eliminating odors in RV holding tanks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PORT stand for?
PORT stands for Portable Outdoor Restroom Treatment. It's a biological holding tank treatment made for vault toilets, pit toilets, portable restrooms, and other waterless or holding-tank systems where odor and slow solids breakdown are the main problems.
How does PORT eliminate vault toilet odor?
Most vault odor comes from hydrogen sulfide and ammonia produced by anaerobic bacteria in the sealed vault. PORT encapsulates those compounds and introduces active aerobic microbes that outcompete the odor-causing bacteria. The organic carbon in PORT also binds hydrogen sulfide directly. The result is odor removed at the source, not masked with fragrance.
Will PORT help my vault fill up slower?
Yes. PORT's microbes and carbon accelerate the breakdown of solids and toilet paper, so more of the waste is digested rather than accumulating. Vaults treated with PORT tend to fill more slowly and pump more easily, which reduces how often you need a pump truck on site.
How much PORT do I use?
For standard maintenance, add 2.5 gallons of PORT plus 15 gallons of water per 1,000-gallon vault, applied right after the vault is pumped. During high-traffic periods, add 1 gallon between cleanouts as needed. Add extra water if solids rise above the water line.
Is PORT safe for the environment and for the people using the restroom?
Yes. PORT is harmless to human, animal, and marine life, non-pathogenic, non-corrosive, and free from harsh chemicals. It's the same biological approach national parks and the U.S. Forest Service rely on to keep public restrooms usable without introducing chemicals into remote environments.
Can PORT be used in pit toilets and portable restrooms too?
Yes. While PORT is most commonly used in vault toilets, the same biology works in pit toilets, portable restrooms, construction-site units, and RV or marine holding tanks. Anywhere waste is held rather than flushed to a sewer, PORT controls odor and speeds breakdown.
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The vault toilet doesn't have to smell.
$18.00