Can I Use Bleach in My Septic Tank?

One of the most popular questions of septic tank owners is can I use bleach in my septic tank? Bleach is a very common cleaning product, especially for cleaning toilets. No one expects you to let your toilet go dirty, so how do you go about balancing the conundrum of using bleach?

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of conflicting advice online when it comes to using bleach in septic tank systems. That’s why, in this guide, we’re going to settle the debate ‘can I use bleach in my septic tank?’ once and for all – no more confusion!

Can You Pour Bleach Down The Drain If You Have a Septic Tank?

The short answer is no. Pouring most kinds of household bleach and chemical cleaners down your drain and into your septic tank is likely to cause all kinds of problems for your septic system.

Advice varies on this – there are some bleaches that are environmentally friendly and very low on chemical content yet still get toilets clean. There’s also a school of thought that suggests basic household bleach won’t cause that much concern for your bacteria. Rather than taking that advice, we’d seriously suggest you look carefully for a cleaner that’s nicer on the chemical front, and which isn’t going to be abrasive on the way through.

Is Bleach Bad for Septic Tanks?

Yes, bleach is bad for septic tanks because it kills bacteria. That’s the bottom line!

While that’s great for the toilet, where you want your bacteria to take a hit, it’s not so good in your septic system.

That’s because you need that bacteria to break down the waste and sludge in your septic tank. Were it not for these microbes, the sludge would simply build up and up. That’s going to lead to potential health hazards, appalling smells, and more money for you to fritter away on pumping out the tank. That’s an annoyance you can easily avoid. However, there’s no need to panic as you can buy septic safe bleach, which is an alternative to using chlorine bleach.

Bacteria in your septic tank is actually extremely beneficial to you. When left to its own devices, bacteria can effectively keep your septic tanks working smarter for you over the years to come. Instead of having to pay for pump-outs every year, you’re instead having to pump out twice a decade. That’s a massive bonus.

On top of this, if you lose your bacteria, you’ll need to start from scratch. That’s where Muck Munchers comes in handy. You can top up your tank with good bacteria regularly, and make sure that your septic tank levels are always broken down to the standards you expect. It’s all about avoiding that extra hassle and any extra money you might need to expend!

What is The Alternative to Using Chlorine Bleach for My Septic Tank?

The good news is that, if you do have a septic tank but want to continue keeping your toilet and sinks clean, you do have a variety of different alternatives available to you. The main issues surround chlorine – which means you are ideally going to need to look for a healthy, natural alternative to bleach that happily does away with the nastier chemicals, and instead protects the septic tank that you’re flushing into.

It may seem as though there are only basic household bleaches as far as the eye can see when you head into the supermarket. However, if you do a little bit more scouting around, you’ll find that there are some good alternatives.

What is Chlorine Free Bleach?

This is an alternative to bleach that contains zero chlorine. Zero chlorine products use formulas that instead release a hydrogen peroxide compound, which means that there’s nothing nasty lingering down the drain. 

In many cases, people use chlorine free bleach on clothing and household fabrics as it can be a non-abrasive and safer way to get colours back to normal, as well as to generally clean.

Of course, you will also likely find plenty of cleaners and bleach alternatives out there that do away with chemicals altogether. These are fantastic if you can find them – but then again, do be prepared to read up on the small print on the label, as well as on what other people have to say. The last thing you’re going to need is a bleach alternative that just doesn’t get things clean.

What Toilet Cleaner Can I Use Instead of Chlorine Bleach?

As mentioned, the world is more or less your oyster when it comes to finding non-chlorine alternatives. Therefore, it’s worth taking a look at what your local supermarkets or shops have to offer.

Some of the bigger brands and makes you may already have heard of. For example, Oxy-Bleach, while great for protecting your tank as it does away with chlorine in the mix, isn’t always the best for getting rid of awkward stains and marks.

As a sanitiser, it’s great – and this really does go for hydrogen peroxide cleaners in general – but they may not have the sheer elbow grease cleaning power you’d normally expect from a bleach-based cleaner.

However, there are other options available, with brands such as Eco Toilet being both popular and highly effective at sanitising and cleaning up stains and messes.

It’s all about looking for those cleaners and bleach alternatives that are ‘eco-friendly’. These tend to be getting more proficient at cleaning up stains as well as doing away with abrasiveness.

What Cleaning Products Are Best for Septic Tanks?

As mentioned, anything that does away with chlorine in the mix is a big plus, however, if you focus on the eco-friendly cleaning products, you will likely find a great alternative to bleach.

If a bleach alternative or cleaning product states that it is environmentally friendly, then there’s a likelihood it will do well to protect your tank, while keeping everything you flush through in the house free from dirt and scale.

Environmentally friendly cleaning products not only help to clean your septic tank, but also help people living in your home who may have breathing problems. Unfortunately, bleach – while useful – can also be extremely harmful to people and pets. Therefore, going eco-friendly might just be a healthy all-around solution.

Overall, an eco-friendly cleaner and bleach alternative is going to help keep your bacteria communities healthy in your septic tank. That means your tank is going to effectively care for itself over time, meaning that you won’t have to worry about the time, hassle and expense in having to pump your tank out every five minutes.

Beyond this – yes – you can keep your everyday household fittings clean and healthy, and free from bacterial nastiness inside the house. As mentioned, bacteria is great in a septic tank – but everywhere else, not so much!

Conclusion – Can I Use Bleach In My Septic Tank?

One of the absolute must-dos when it comes to using a septic tank is keeping an eye on the products you flush down into your waste supply. Anything even slightly abrasive is at risk of killing off your tank bacteria, and therefore, you’re at risk of a tank blocking up over time.

Muck Munchers are here to help – if you do ever need to top up your tank with microbes and to start getting that sludge and waste down an inch or two, we are always on hand to support you. 

Why not take a look at our further guides and blog posts on how to better and easier manage your septic tank moving forwards?