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There are different ways to disinfect your septic toilet. Using bleach shouldn’t be one of them. However, since bleach is a common and a very useful household item, it’s easy for everyone to just grab it and use it for all types of cleaning. Bleach has countless uses. They can be used to whiten surfaces, sanitize, kill germs, and remove stains. In fact, most toilet bowl cleaners you can buy in the supermarket are bleach or chlorine based.

Every chemical you use to clean your sink, toilet, or even what you put in your washing machine can affect your septic system’s lifespan. Therefore, you need to be meticulous in choosing the right product for your septic tank. Failure to do so could result in septic tank problems, expensive repairs, contaminated drinking water, foul odor, and a lot more.

So, why should you avoid using bleach in cleaning your toilet?

See, your septic system is filled with different kinds of bacteria. Each of which has their role in decomposing all your waste. When bleach and other chlorinated chemicals get introduced into your tank, they kill all the bacteria inside that are needed for waste treatment and breakdown.

Thus, the dead bacteria build up in the septic tank with nowhere to go. They consume more septic space that oil, grease, and other solid wastes are pushed out of the tank into the drain field. Putting too much pressure on the drain field can cause failure and you may end up spending money for costly repairs.

Here’s what you should use instead:

Instead of using chlorinated chemicals and bleach, you should use all organic biodegradable cleaning products.

You can also use liquid laundry detergents that are low-sudsing, low phosphate, and biodegradable.

Septic toilets and green toilets basically have the same function. They are both composting toilet tanks. Both toilets store waste and serve as the decomposing environment. These toilets also require consistent cleaning and regular maintenance for both to work properly.

However, you will notice that there are a lot of differences between septic and green toilets if you will have a closer look.

Here are some of them:

1. Use of Water

Septic systems use water, while green toilets do not. They can also handle different types of waste that come from different areas of the house, like the kitchen. On the other hand, green toilets solely handle bathroom wastes.

2. Operations

Septic toilets with tanks can be used as a regular bathroom toilet. Wastes are being flushed each and every use to push them to the septic tank where the solid wastes settle. On the other hand, liquid wastes continue to flow to the leak field and into the ground to soak.

Things are way different when using a green toilet. Since there is no water involved, you need to have a direct path to the toilet outlet. Normally, the composting tank has a heater and a fan to keep the waste aerated and warm for easy decomposing.

3. Cleaning and Maintenance

A septic toilet and tank requires some maintenance. It has to be pumped every three to five years, but you can hire a pumper truck to do the job for you.

On the other hand, composting toilet needs more maintenance. Compared to septic toilets, you have to empty your compost pit once every month, depending on the size of your pit or your usage. You also have to do it manually by hand using a shovel.

4. Overall Cost

Installation of septic toilet and tanks can be really costly. It requires installation of pipes and system components (not to mention the cost of water used for flushing).

On the contrary, green toilets are great alternatives to expensive toilet systems. Installing these toilets won’t break your bank. Although you won’t be spending on water for flushing, you will have to pay for electricity for heaters and fans.

5. Hygiene

When it comes to hygiene, both toilets can be problem-free and efficient if installed properly. However, both septic and green toilets can also cause problems. For instance, leach field and discharge pumps can fail for septic systems. When this happens, it can cause a serious public health hazard right in your backyard. You will also need a huge amount of money for fixing.

On the other hand, green toilets won’t cause such huge problems, but can also cause hygiene and clean up issues.

If you want to be stress-free and save more money in the long run, you need to be more practical and exert some time and effort in maintaining your septic system. Keeping a well-functioning septic system is manageable. Here are some of the best things to do to make this happen:

1. Instead of finishing off your laundry loads in one day, try to finish them and spread them over the week.
2. For field repairs and septic pumping service, make a record of the location of your septic system’s key areas.
3. Have a regular septic plumbing service.
4. Keep all your septic pumping and system maintenance records.
5. Use water conserving devices like showerheads and low flush toilets.
6. Use lint traps on your washing machine.
7. Check any moving parts on your septic system on a regular basis.
8. Check for growing roots near your septic tank and cut them regularly.
9. Keep surface water and roof drains from the leach field.
10. Make sure that your interceptor drain remains to be free flowing.
11. Avoid noxious gasses from building up and causing foul odor by running water in seldomly used drains like showers, tubs, sinks, and more.
12. Do not flush anything other than human waste on your toilet. This includes:

• Sump pump discharge
• Poisons
• Waste oils
• Varnishes
• Paints
• Pesticides
• Dental Floss
• Cloth
• Tissues
• Paper Towels
• Plastic Materials
• Condoms
• Tampons
• Kitty Litter
• Sanitary Napkin
• Diapers
• Cigarettes
• Coffee Ground
• etc

Keeping a well-maintained system is essential not only for the environment, but also to save you from unnecessary costs. On an average, the whole septic system replacement costs $26,000. To avoid the risk of spending that amount of money, you need to know how to properly use your septic system and avoid these:

1. Never allow any type of plastic to enter the septic system. This goes the same with large amount of solvents, fats, or chemicals.
2. Protect your leach field and make sure no vehicles or heavy equipment will park or drive over the area so the soil won’t be compacted and the pipes won’t be crushed.
3. Do not use the septic system as garbage disposal. Make sure that food particles that won’t break down in the septic tank are chopped up so they won’t clog the leach field lines.
4. Never connect basement sump pumps to the septic system.
5. Keep the leach field open and do not plant anything over it. Never cover the septic tank with concrete, cement, or asphalt.
6. Do not overload the system with too much water.
7. When entering the septic tank, make sure there’s proper ventilation. You need to have a second person to be present on the ground. Remember: sewer gasses can cause death!
8. Never connect water treatment devices to the septic system without professional advice.
9. Never put a separate pipe for grey water to a ditch or in the woods. Greywater also contain microorganisms that can cause diseases.
10. Do not wait for signs of septic system failure.

These are just some of the most important things that you should avoid doing to your septic system. Keep yourself from stress and added costs by properly using and maintaining your septic toilets and tanks.