What is one chore around the home that is never complete? Laundry! The clothes you are wearing while you are washing, drying, and folding are becoming laundry as you work. It truly is a never-ending cycle and one that can affect your septic tank.
Short of sending your clothes out to be washed by someone else or never wearing the same article of clothing twice, laundry is a fact of life you cannot escape. Most people dread the monotonous chore of laundry and the last thing they want to do is cause problems in their home by the way they do the laundry. Ri-Industries is here to help you avoid common laundry mistakes that often lead to problems with septic tank systems.
Too Much is Not A Good a Thing
Some people like to take a big breath, dive in and get a week’s worth of laundry done in a day. Unless you can accomplish this in two loads, it’s not a good idea. When too much water passes through the septic tank, it does not have enough time to undergo the settlement process to properly break down the solid matter. The end result is that your soakage field could fail, causing expensive damage. Be especially cautious with the number of loads you do after an excessive amount of rain has fallen. To best care for your septic system, loads should be well spaced apart.
Double the Lint
Check your washing machine for a lint tray. Many machines come with one that needs to be emptied and cleaned just as you do with the lint tray in your dryer. Laundry debris and lint can escape to your pipes causing severe blockages. These substantial backups can break down your septic system, so take this tip seriously.
Liquid is Better Than Powder
Powdered detergents use fillers or extenders that can clog the soil in the drainfield and permanently damage its absorption ability.
Again, Too Much is Not a Good Thing
Excessive amounts of bleach and detergents will damage the good bacteria in the septic system. Good bacteria are needed to break down solids within your septic tank.
Excess Dirt Not Welcome
What? This is the laundry. Isn’t this where I’m supposed to put my dirty clothes? Normally soiled clothes, yes. Clothes that are excessively dirty, eg with caked-on mud, should first be brushed off to remove any excess dirt. The dirt/mud can clog the system and damage the absorption ability of your drainfield.
The above tips may not make your laundry chore go faster, but they will reduce the risk of damage to your septic tank system which we think you will consider a big plus. If you have more questions or would like to learn about Ri-Industries’ septic tanks, please call us at 08 8444 8100.
