The Best Way to Keep Your Septic Tank Healthy

Anyone who has a septic tank knows that good bacteria is your tank’s best friend. Just like your own intestinal tract, good bacteria is what keeps it healthy and strong. Through trial and error and many chats with our local honey wagon operator, we found some surefire ways of keeping our septic tank healthy that I’d like to pass on to you.

According to Kline’s Services, the first no no is anything containing chlorine. After some research, I found a few products that will act the same as chlorine, therefore having the same effect.

The first one would be anything in the hand sanitizing department. These products contain rubbing alcohol which is very effective against killing bacteria, even the good kind. So if they are to be used in the house, care must be taken that they are not put down the drain in any way. This includes antibacterial hand soaps and detergents.

The second offender is vinegar. Believe it or not, this is a very effective way to kill bacteria and can do a lot of damage to your septic system. Many alternative cleaning methods suggest using vinegar and water as a base for all natural cleaning products. In a house with a septic system this is not a good idea. Take it from someone who knows.

The third offender is chlorine based products. Now you would think this would be a duh, but after searching my house, I didn’t realize how many chlorine based products I was using on a day to day basis unknowingly. Make sure you read all the labels on your cleaning agents. You might be surprised at what you find. Dishwasher liquid or powder can be deceiving. Most are littered with chlorine. Toilet cleansers and general all purpose household cleansers can also contain chlorine at levels that are not safe for your septic system. Anything containing Oxiclean agents also has the same effect. They can be found in many clothing detergent.

Now that I’ve discussed all the no no’s. Let’s discuss some yes yes’s. As you probably well know, a certain amount of build up in your tank is healthy. This is actually expected, but when the build up is not breaking down and is so thick that the honey wagon operator has to break out a sledgehammer, then you know it’s time to do some investigating to find the problem. The build up is usually from a bacterial imbalance.

Kline’s Services was kind enough to recommend Clorox Green Works to us. This has made a big difference in the amount of build up our septic tank has accumulated. It is made in a coconut oil base with essential oils used as the cleaning muscle. It was specially made by Clorox for septic tank owners.

We switched to Seventh Generation Dishwasher fluid. It is chlorine free and is biodegradable. For our hand soap, we now use Soft Soap. If I use any cleaner that has a chlorine base to it, I make sure it gets dumped outside, away from the septic field.

Kline’s also recommends buying bacteria filled tablets that can be flushed once a month to help keep your septic healthy. It is like taking a giant probiotic supplement for the maintenance of your own health. If you follow these rules for keeping cleaning your home you will indeed have a healthier septic system and possibly save yourself money in the long run. Nobody wants to hear the word sand mound.