[lucy-lu]

Hi,

For those with a septic tank how do you clean your toilets, to avoid using chemicals that will disrupt the septic but still manage to clean the toilet...?



Thanks,

[julz78]

We don't have a septic tank but have lived on a property in the past that does we just used bi carb and vinegar.

[Beancat]

I grew up on a farm and also had my own property with a septic for 6 years. i just used standard toilet cleaner and bleach. Never ever had a problem. Used to get the septic pumped out every 2-3 years just for maintenance - I dont even know if this is necessary, but did it anyway

[ZombieMum]

Is it a septic that gets pumped out, or does it get treated and go on the garden?

Our waste water is treated and it relies on bacteria in the tank to break everything down and make it 'safe' for the garden (water isn't allowed to be used on fruit trees or vegetables).

If we use normal toilet cleaners, then the bacteria is killed off, so we use just vinegar and bicarb.

[Giltine]

I just use usual toilet cleaner. I didn't know that I couldn't :/

[lucy-lu]

The septic goes back into the garden

[TheGreenSheep]

Ours is the septic that gets pumped out into lines underground. Its a worm farm style one.

I use bleach.

At first I was really scared that Id would kill all the worms in it. But after speaking to the installer he reassured me that for ours bleach is ok as its diluted and would only kill a very very very small amount and the would regenerate quickly. Ive even gone so far as to look inside the septic. And surprisingly if its a healthy environment it smells like nothing. Just that earthy smell from all the water inside.

[librablonde]

Bleach and other harsh cleaners kill the good bacteria that you need in a septic system that breaks down the "solids" in your septic tank. I use cheap white vinegar in a spray bottle and occasionally bi-carb sprinkled on the bowl to scrub stains. The vinegar eliminates odours (and the vinegar smell goes away in a couple of hours). I never put sanitary items or anything else down the toilet as it won't break down in the tank. With a family of 7, we will get the tank pumped out every 2 years or so and it costs us about $250. They take the tank contents away in a big truck and it's all contained and finished in about half an hour. Love your septic and it'll love you back for years and be trouble-free. Not caring for it will end in a great deal of stink and money and mess (I learned that the hard way, unfortunately )

[lucy-lu]

I have just used bicarbonate and vinegar but it didn't get everything out, so I added a small squirt of toilet duck and then it came out.
I don't use belch, but just thought there is something more effective yet still good for the septic.

Fr other cleaning I use earth products, bathroom, floors, however I don't think they have a toilet cleaning range..
Thanks,

This post has been edited by lucy-lu: 06/02/2013, 09:47 AM

[*LucyE*]

Do you have manual for your system or can you google the make?

We had the old style system that released water underground via trenches. That system wasn't so fussy but if you killed the bacteria, the tank would fill with solids more quickly.

We now have a bio septic. It has 4 chambers and purifies the waste water to a higher standard than the old style trench. Technically the output water is considered 'recreational grade' and one of the plumbers I spoke to, said that it was cleaner than the mains water from a regional shire he works in. I need to be more careful with what I put into this system because killing the beneficial bacteria would lead to an expensive and smelly problem. The sludge tank still needs to get pumped out every few years because there are some solid waste that is not released into our garden. Roughly every 6 years is what we are aiming for with our family of 5.

I occasionally use Napisan but it is well diluted and as a PP said, a healthy bacteria colony will regenerate quickly. The only thing our plumber said not to use were any antibacterial products such as pinoclean.