How Airplane Vacuum Toilets Work

Airplane toilets use a genius vacuum system that's completely different from your home toilet.

When you flush, a valve opens and air pressure literally sucks everything down at nearly 300

miles per hour using just half a gallon of water mixed with blue disinfectant. The waste goes into

a sealed tank below the floor where it stays until ground crew empties it after landing.

That distinctive loud whooshing sound you hear is the air pressure doing all the work.

The blue liquid isn't just for color, it breaks down waste and kills bacteria during the flight.

This system was invented in the 1970s and revolutionized air travel by making planes significantly

lighter compared to old water based toilets that needed heavy tanks.