How do you determine which laundry detergent to buy? You may choose your laundry product based on the scent, what’s on sale or how well it cleans your clothes. If your home relies on a septic tank, however, you’ll need to make your selection based on what is best for your plumbing system. Not all laundry detergents will satisfy both your personal needs and those of your septic system.
Which Form of Laundry Detergent is Best for Septic Owners?
When it comes to laundry detergent, you have three basic types to choose from: powder, pods and liquid. Here is a quick description of each as well as how they may impact your septic tank over time.
- Powder
- You may consider powder as an antiquated type of laundry detergent. However, it is often the cheapest and packaged the most environmentally-friendly. Unfortunately, powdered detergent doesn’t always completely dissolve in the washing machine. It has a tendency to clump together and clog your septic system pipes over time.
- Pods
- You’ll find that the latest trend in laundry detergent are pods. These highly convenient packages of liquid detergent are expensive, but they take very little effort to use. Sadly, laundry pods are a safety hazard for kids and pets in the household and must be kept out of reach. In terms of your septic system, pods have been proven to be generally safe.
- Liquid
- When it comes to the price, scent, convenience and health of your septic system, liquid detergent is often best. As a liquid, it won’t clog your drain lines, and it won’t cost you as much as pod detergents.
As with all of your household cleaning items, it is critical that you follow the packaging instructions and ask a septic expert if you have a product in question. Many of the harsh chemical cleaners can disrupt the healthy balance of bacteria of your tank and cause it to fail or need pumping sooner than scheduled. To learn more about how your laundry habits could be helping or harming your septic tank, call Metro Septic in Cartersville today.