Cleaners and Septic system

wife89 · #1 07/15/11, 09:06 PM

our new place has a septic system and I was warned not to use bleach to clean... sooooo what should I use? Any suggestions? I like using vinegar, but hubby hates the smell.... maybe this will be a good excuse for me to convert him..LOL

Haven · #2 07/15/11, 10:08 PM

1 part vinegar 1 part water 1 part green menthol rubbing alcohol

Smells minty.

Makes the best window cleaner ever, you can use it as an all purpose cleaner....and as an ear cleaner for your dog, lol...

Callieslamb · #3 07/15/11, 11:50 PM

Unless you are using gallons of bleach a day, I doubt if it will affect your septic system once there's enough water in it. Think of the dilution effect of 1 cup of bleach in 500 gallons of water.

Harry Chickpea · #4 07/16/11, 01:05 AM

Dunno who told you not to use bleach. Don't want to say they are clueless, but...

Bleach is made out of salt water. Look up how clorox is made online, and how it got a start at San Francisco salt flats. Bleach degrades quickly into chloramines and salts.

CarolT · #5 07/16/11, 01:12 AM

Your dog is a lot more patient than most! Most have a fit as both vinegar and alcohol can burn tender skin. However, if you're using it on a dog's ear, needs to be without water in case it gets in the ear. The water can cause problems, per my vet, anyway

**Cabin Fever** · #6 07/16/11, 10:05 AM

It is okay for small amounts of bleach to enter your septic system.

http://septic.umn.edu/factsheets/ant...ucts/index.htm

Haven · #7 07/16/11, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolT

Your dog is a lot more patient than most! Most have a fit as both vinegar and alcohol can burn tender skin. However, if you're using it on a dog's ear, needs to be without water in case it gets in the ear. The water can cause problems, per my vet, anyway

The recipe was taken from several vet techs that worked for vets who used this. It is diluted so it doesn't go in full strength. This is only used on healthy ears with no abrasions or infections...But seriously this solution works 100 times better than windex on windows, love it.

arabian knight · #8 07/16/11, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry Chickpea

Dunno who told you not to use bleach. Don't want to say they are clueless, but...

Bleach is made out of salt water. Look up how clorox is made online, and how it got a start at San Francisco salt flats. Bleach degrades quickly into chloramines and salts.

I don't either, I pour bleach in to clean toilet, clean things. Not a whole lot, but been here over 15 years not one things wrong with the septic.

wife89 · #9 07/16/11, 06:06 PM

Thanks, it was the plumbing inspector.... I will have to do a bit of research.. I appreciate the comments. I don't that all the old Cajun ladies from back home probably used bleach in their septic systems... I personally hate the smell of it.. it gives me major headaches..

The vinegar/ rubbing alcohol solutions sounds wonderful!

jlrbhjmnc · #10 07/16/11, 08:22 PM

We just had the septic system serviced while selling our old home. I use very small amounts of bleach here and there - the occasional load of laundry and in the kitchen sink after raw meat (diluted in both cases). Septic guy said it was working just fine. Just a few spaghetti-sized roots for the other septic guy to blast out of one of the drain lines with his water cannon thingy

.

mtnviewfarms · #11 07/16/11, 10:31 PM

have used small amounts of Bleach that goes into the tank for the last 22
years w/o any problem. I use cleaning mixtures of Vinegar, Baking Soda
and Bleach routinely as well as add Lysol Liquid to my washloads - also w/o
septic issues. We do use that septic cleaner you can get at the Dollar Store
or Grocery that replenishes the micro-organisms in the septic system - do that
at least twice per year.

DaynaJ · #12 07/17/11, 08:48 AM

Put a package of plain ole' bakers yeast in your septic once a month, will keep things moving along smoothly--per an old plumber that I knew--

arabian knight · #13 07/17/11, 11:06 AM

And really if one just uses the septic as it was made for. There are plenty of bateria eating scum that will take care of things.
And for goodness sakes you don't need to buy any so called "additive" if get my drift.

**Cabin Fever** · #14 07/17/11, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaynaJ

Put a package of plain ole' bakers yeast in your septic once a month, will keep things moving along smoothly--per an old plumber that I knew--

Yeast is not a decomposing bacteria - yeasts are a type of mold/fungi that break down simple sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol. Other than that, yeast will do not thing to decompose the more complex organic materials that enter a septic tank. In other words, you're wasting money by tossing yeast into your septic system.