Septic Tank and bleach

[twoheaped]

We have an old septic tank, definitely over 30 years old.
The owner before us cleaned her bathroom suite and toilet with white vinegar and nothing else. The toilet was beyond help and we replaced that not long after we moved in.
My dh is adamant that no bleach ever is to be used for cleaning. Consequently, the toilet smells like a men's urinal after a festival , sick not evny.
Surely there us something I can use that actually cleans, makes it smell a little sweeter and doesn't upset the septic tank.

The tank hasn't been emptied since 1990, so we are keen not to upset it.

www.ecoverdirect.com/products/toilet-cleaner---pine-fresh/etoiletpf750ml.aspx?productid=etoiletpf750ml

www.wte-ltd.co.uk/care.html
Sounds like you need to read up in maintaining septic tanks. You're supposed to have it emptied annually! That'll be why it smells.

bleach is neutralised by the organic matter in the tank, and breaks down to salt. This is OK for small amounts, like wiping round a WC. It would not be correct to tip bottlefuls down the drain though.

There must be some figures for the volume of bleach vs. the volume of your tank, but I don't know them. Some people like to use vast quantities. The company that periodically pumps it out will be familiar with the problems that can arise, they may have a leadflet or advice on your website. I have no experience of this but I hear they often inoculate a tank that is new or has been upset, by tipping in a bucket of liquor from a tank in good health, to rebuild the bacterial life.

Household cleaners like WUL are bio-degradable, but you need to use reasonable quantities. For a lot of cleaning you can sponge round with detergent or household cleaners and water.

Soon the septic tank doesn't smell at all, never has.
It's the toilet that smells. The septic tank is a significant distance from the toilet, I really can't see it being the septic tank making it smell. It is more likely to be urine, seeing as it smells of urine.

As for the septic tank, we have had it assessed by professionals. If it ain't broke, don't fix it has been the opinion of 2 different companies.

mumone I currently use Ecover but it's not great at neutralising smells.

Piglet I hadn't thought of asking the company who have looked at it, I shall dp that.

Ozkleen products are brilliant.

Bleach is OK once a week.

If you look on the side of the bottles of toilet cleaner, it will tell you if it's safe for use in a septic tank.

Iirc, Harpic is ok.

Spray of bleach round the loo is fine, also round the sink.
By the time it gets to the tank it's so diluted it is fine.

However what will kill your tank are anti bacterial products- cleaners, soap, hand wash, the stuff you are supposed to put in your washer to kill germs- DO NOT use them!

I have had houses with septic tanks, and now a "micro station" and never had to have one emptied or had any smells from them.

Do you have any mats or anything? I use vinegar and I can't smell anything!

Septic tanks should be desludged every year or so. The solids accumulate. A little bleach in the toilet to clean will not upset it. I have a Klargester with bio-discs that need looking after. I was told never to put oil down the sink and never a whole bottle of bleach but a little for cleaning is fine. I am not sure why your toilet smells though if its washed? I have known people who have inherited 30 years of someone elses solids

The ecover power one with the black lid is good. Our toilets never smell. Also out septic tank guy said a little bleach is ok but as a PP said it's the anti bac hand wash etc that's not good.news

The septic tank hasn't been emptied for almost 30 years! Where do you think all the wee and poo has been going?

We have septic tank and Klargester well over 30yrs old.
As PP’s have said,a little bleach is ok.Anti bacterial stuff is not, nor allegedly bio degradable wipes either.
I would also avoid thick quilted toilet paper too as takes longer to disperse.

I put a special tablet that I buy from Amazon down the loo once a month. It encourages bacteria. This is our fourth house with a septic tank and ours, like yours, is old. We have ours emptied every 18 months. It is probably only one chamber, not like the more modern ones that are three, so does need emptying.

Our actual septic tank in the garden doesn't smell. However, when it needs emptying smells start coming up through the loo or shower.

I have always used some bleach and it doesn't seem to cause a problem, in moderation.

If there are smells it could be because the drainage traps are not effective. In other words the tank isn’t closed off from your loo and bathroom waste. We have had the odd problem when bathrooms have not been used.

Get the tank emptied immediately. We have a soakaway and assuming you have one too, make sure it’s working. 30 years of neglect isn’t going to do you any favours. A bit of effort and money now will get it sorted out. Ours is 30 years old and still effective.

Ps: cleaning with bleach and diluting it as you go really makes no difference. These tanks should never smell if bathrooms are used and they are emptied annually.

The tank doesn't smell. At all.
If I look down between the stone slats, it looks like lovely compost. Everything is contained, no leaks or smells.

The problem is the toilet. My dh is adamant no bleach/anything that smells nice is to upset the balance of the septic tank.

I appreciate the tank will need 'doing' at some point but it has been assessed and we have been told to leave well alone. We have been warned it will probably be irreparably damaged on emptying.
Since moving in, we have had to install drains to prevent flooding, rewire the house, install central heating and replace th hydro ram that fired water up from the spring to the house. The joys of living off grid 🙄

Everything is a major job, doing them all at once isn't an option.
Doing them when they need doing is the plan.

I agree with a couple of previous posters the tank needs emptying. We have 6 bathrooms in a very old Georgian House, one in particular smells horrid when the tank needs emptying. As soon as it’s done it’s absolutely fine.

We have a septic tank and treat it as we would any other drainage system - we use bleach, but sparingly (as everyone should) once a week when cleaning. However ours is emptied annually, it sounds like yours might be more of a delicate balance in terms of its ecosystem, so I can understand your husband's concern! Good idea to ask someone who has actually seen it what they would recommend.

By the way, the urine smell will be because it is getting trappped in the limescale (above or below the waterline) - urine itself will be washed away with flushing and/or wiping when you clean. So you may find a descaler is what is needed (I have no idea if that is better or worse for a septic tank than bleach - another question for your septic tank person!). Harpic sell special tablets you put in the toilet bowl and leave overnight. We use these occasionally with our septic tank.

You’ve had very very odd advice about enjoying your tank. Where do you think all that toilet and sink waste has gone in the last 30 years? The fact the tank hasn’t overflowed is a miracle!

Should have added we’ve lived in houses with septic tanks for 25 years, so know what I’m talking about. The longest we’ve left a tank before emptying is 18 months.

The fact it hasn’t overflowed seems to suggest you must have a massive hole in it and the waste is seeping out of it. I hope you don’t have any water courses near you as it’s illegal to allow your tank to leak into water. You could face a fine!

We had a Septic tank for nearly thirty years, I just used septic safe products and the toilet were like new. Just read the labels, you'll find some good products. Only flush poo pee and paper.
Ours was emptied 4 times in nearly thirty years, we had a solids tank, a filter and underground lines for the filtered water to run off. Dh used to flush the lines annually and all worked well.

I'm really not sure why some pp's are getting so uptight about emptying.
Believe me, it doesn't smell, it doesn't overflow. It just sits there composting waste, rather efficiently it seems.

As I said, if it packs up, we will replace with a kargester, until then, it can carry on doing it's thing.

My question wasn't about the spetic tank, it was about the toilet smell. Thankfully, one pp has thrown some light on that.

In the event of a catastrophic failure, we have a kargester for another building on the land and we have facilities, so we won't be up shit creek without a septic tank

I'm really not sure why some pp's are getting so uptight about emptying.

It maybe because you’re supposed to empty them regularly.
It’s a tank with seepage holes for liquid, but the solids say inside the tank. Who the heck wants 30 years worth of shit at the end of their garden?!
If it isn’t full of shit then it must have a large hole which means raw sewage is leaking out. If it’s leaking into your own land then that’s your choice to have leaking shit there. If it’s leaking into a neighbouring property or into water course, you’re breaking the law.