[seeker]

Hi all,

Our smallholding has a septic tank system, so that means minimal use (preferably no use!) of traditional cleaning products or we'll destroy the amazing/gross biome in the tank 

We've used this so far and it's worked fine:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ecover-Pine-Toilet-Cleaner-750/dp/B004D4LD0U/

However, a family member *really* dislikes the smell. So to preserve domestic harmony, since we can't have domestos harmony haha, can anyone recommend another one to try?

[chrismahon]

We use ordinary scented toilet blocks, but when the lime scale starts to build up, so every 6 months, I sponge the water from the 'U' bend and fill it with white vinegar. We can buy it here in 5L bottles. You can get two strengths, 14% acid and 18% (which is used as a biodegradable weed killer). After half an hour or so the softened limescale is scrubbed off with an all-plastic brush. The vinegar is then sponged out and put on the patio weeds. Wear rubber gloves at all stages of course. Bit of a pain, but our septic tank continues to work perfectly.

[PipKelpy]

We use bleach, Domestos or Morrison's own (both state septic tank safe) and vinegar/bicarb which is fabulous for unblocking shower drains! Monthly muckmunchers too.

Our tank was fitted early 80's I think (mushroom style) but we had to bite the bullet and have new pipes last year. Chap actually found the old pipes (twice) whilst digging new route with laser. Mum said she remembers the old clay pipes being put in and they didn't use lasers! Field also slants several directions.

[doganjo]

We use bleach, Domestos or Morrison's own (both state septic tank safe) and vinegar/bicarb which is fabulous for unblocking shower drains! Monthly muckmunchers too.

Our tank was fitted early 80's I think (mushroom style) but we had to bite the bullet and have new pipes last year. Chap actually found the old pipes (twice) whilst digging new route with laser. Mum said she remembers the old clay pipes being put in and they didn't use lasers! Field also slants several directions.

Mine's the same - serves three houses, all built about 30 years ago, emptied by Scottish Water once a year. Works fine.
By the way, all Septic tanks need to be registered with DEFRA now

[ramon]

I can't see how a substance like Domestos which kills 99% of bacteria can be good for a septic tank. I use Ecover pine and mint. My septic tank dates from the 1950s. It used to smell slightly in summer but since I've switched to Ecover products for clothes washing and toilet cleaning the smell has completely disappeared, so I assume the septic tank is now working more efficiently. Some supermarkets sell their own brand products similar to Ecover. Last time I had the tank emptied the contractor recommended emptying every 10 years or so. I suppose if you are adding lots of chemicals to your septic tank you will need to empty it yearly.

[ZacB]

We have a modern septic tank, domestos is fine and has caused us no issues - just use in moderation.

[PipKelpy]

We use bleach, Domestos or Morrison's own (both state septic tank safe) and vinegar/bicarb which is fabulous for unblocking shower drains! Monthly muckmunchers too.

Our tank was fitted early 80's I think (mushroom style) but we had to bite the bullet and have new pipes last year. Chap actually found the old pipes (twice) whilst digging new route with laser. Mum said she remembers the old clay pipes being put in and they didn't use lasers! Field also slants several directions.

Mine's the same - serves three houses, all built about 30 years ago, emptied by Scottish Water once a year. Works fine.
By the way, all Septic tanks need to be registered with DEFRA now

Going slightly off subject......


Only the biggies. Mains sewerage finishes next door and our property and several others have our own tanks, we don't share. The reason mum knows that our septic tank was only put in, in the 80's (in the property we live in) is because she was born next door (we're a semi) and when she (with us) decided to come back in the 70's it was extended for a family of mum and 4 girls and INDOOR PLUMBING was installed!! 1980's winters with thick snow, lead range in kitchen to keep us warm and ice on inside of the windows. Gas CH wasn't installed until the mid 90's with the double glazing when she had some money! That septic tank was brick and sister had new tank/pipes installed 2020!

An old aunt lived in our current house until the 80's, went into hospital and council wouldn't let her come home until her home was deemed "safe", my grandad (her brother, no financial help back then) had to pay for indoor plumbing, bathrooms (down and up) fire place had to be bricked up, gas fire installed and gas CH fitted (he had to pay for the connection!) Then she died in hospital!

So mum had a door opened between the 2 homes and we spread into this side and grandad came to live with us.

One reason mum gets angry with governments giving money to people to improve their homes, she couldn't get any and worked and worked and worked. Even now, we had to pay ourselves to replace the pipes, our double glazing needs replacing as some of the seals have gone and you can feel draught, but if you don't have DG you can get it free but there is NO help for those that have aged DG. She was entitled to the WarmHome scheme 12 yrs  ago and was able to receive a NEW gas boiler on condition the MF stove was ripped out and replaced with a gas fire. We scraped together the money for a new boiler and the MF stove is currently chuckling keeping us warm.

[Muddy Wellies]

That's so crazy and frustrating the way grants for improvements are managed - especially when they insist on something that works perfectly well and is more reliable is rippd out!

And there must be lots of people who can't get help to repair or replace existing DG. Where oh where is the common sense?

[Perris]

Toilet Duck is safe for septic tanks. I don't know why but I think they even claim it on the labelling so they'd be in trouble with the ASA if it weren't.

[doganjo]

I'm sure I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again!

Why oh Why on earth do Governments not realise that insulating homes across the board (particularly with sheeps wool) would save enormous amounts of money, instead of handing out cash to people who may not need it - like the £300 extra against electricity bills for instance which I could probably manage without.

Planning regulations aren't stiff enough - regulations should make sure that ALL new homes have bang up to date insulation and energy saving heating before they can be built.

Governments should provide free insulation to all properties over a certain age

[Fleecewife]

We were told that having reached a certain age, we were going to have thick insulation fitted in our attic. With little notice, ie not enough to clear the attic of about 20 years of junk, the council boys turned up. They laid 30cm thick glass fibre insulation over the top of everything in the attic, making it unuseable, as we couldn't see where we had laid flooring and what was just bare rafters.  Then we had a new roof put in and the lads trampled all over everything under the insulation and unable to see where there was flooring and where there was not, a foot came right through the ceiling! They covered the insulation with rubble from the old roof being removed.  Because we couldn't get into the attic any more the rodents moved in, the big squeaky grey ones and    everywhere.  The end result was that an old man (Mr Fleecewife) had to spend days crawling round a grotty attic in a protective suit removing unwanted insulation, rat s**t, rubble and loads of contaminated junk. It's still not finished!
a) if we replace the insulation it will be sheeps wool, not glass fibre and b) laying the insulation over the top of stored items? wtf? Cowboys    Thanks Gov, we'd rather do it ourselves.

[Richmond]

My personal gripe is why oh why do toilets have to be flushed with clean water? Why can't a diverter system be put in place in every home, new or old, so that grey water from baths or showers can be used to flush toilets? Clean water wastage across the planet is horrendous.

[chrismahon]

Your cistern internals and toilet rim will very quickly get blocked with sludge [member=206414]Richmond[/member]. Ours is bad enough with 'clean' tap water, which here is officially unfit to drink by having too much pesticide in it. Despite the eye-watering (literally) amount of Chlorine they put in it, we get a black sludge buildup under the toilet rim which has to be cleared every month or so, otherwise the toilet won't flush properly. The pesticide content has increased every year since we've been here, so now we only drink bottled water which is not only expensive, but wastes a large number of plastic bottles (about 120x 5L per year).

[doganjo]

We were told that having reached a certain age, we were going to have thick insulation fitted in our attic. With little notice, ie not enough to clear the attic of about 20 years of junk, the council boys turned up. They laid 30cm thick glass fibre insulation over the top of everything in the attic, making it unuseable, as we couldn't see where we had laid flooring and what was just bare rafters.  Then we had a new roof put in and the lads trampled all over everything under the insulation and unable to see where there was flooring and where there was not, a foot came right through the ceiling! They covered the insulation with rubble from the old roof being removed.  Because we couldn't get into the attic any more the rodents moved in, the big squeaky grey ones and    everywhere.  The end result was that an old man (Mr Fleecewife) had to spend days crawling round a grotty attic in a protective suit removing unwanted insulation, rat s**t, rubble and loads of contaminated junk. It's still not finished!
a) if we replace the insulation it will be sheeps wool, not glass fibre and b) laying the insulation over the top of stored items? wtf? Cowboys    Thanks Gov, we'd rather do it ourselves.

I had a problem with insulation not being completely done because the guy didn't bother going into eaves he couldn't reach.  I found out by going up a ladder and holding my phone up and taking pictures.  I had got him through one of the builders groups - check a trader etc - so I contacted them and found out his address and took him to the small claims court. Got my money back.
No one now gets anywhere near doing work on my property without being checked out by my kids first and the work is checked by them after if I can't reach it myself to approve it.  Also I only hand over half the payment till it's been done to my satisfaction