When you have a septic tank, you have to be very careful with all the products that you’re using around your home.
All the laundry detergents, dishwashers, cleaners, and very important, toilet papers.
Toilet Paper For Septic Tanks Products
All of them contribute to maintaining a well-functioning septic tank, but it may seem that toilet paper (as well as other paper tissues) is one product that can highly influence what happens with it.
Toilet paper and septic tanks can be in the same discussion in two situations. You avoid clogging the system by not throwing the paper down the drain. This is one situation.
The other one goes like this: you use the best toilet paper for septic tanks. This type of products is designed to be safe for your septic system (possibly in a certain amount).
Going for such a product instead of a conventional one can save you from unpleasant surprises and costs. Using the best toilet paper for septic tanks can have some great benefits for your home.
Benefits of using the best toilet paper for septic tanks
Helps you avoid septic tank problems
Septic tank products such as best toilet paper for septic tanks are created with two main purposes:
- to take care of your septic tank
- to allow you to use them like you would do with any other product
Focusing on the first aspect, there are a few things you should know about best toilet paper for septic tanks.
This type of toilet paper breaks down faster than other conventional products you find in many stores. This helps your septic tank to not get full easily and in a short period of time.
If you’re not living alone, you probably know that your toilet is used several times a day. Just imagine that each use contributes to the tank filling up slowly, but surely.
This increases the risk of your tank backing up and giving you a new problem to deal with.
Best toilet paper for septic tanks usually breaks down faster, decreasing the risk of an unpleasant surprise.
Also, this toilet paper is usually made without any harsh dyes and bleach chemicals. These ingredients can be harmful to the beneficial bacteria that live in the septic tank.
These bacteria help decompose what is coming down the drain and keep the septic tank functioning well. Killing them can affect how the septic system works and again, it increases the chances of everything backing up.
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May contribute to a healthier environment
Products from the best toilet paper for septic tanks category can be biodegradable.
This helps them break down faster, which is a great thing for your septic tank and for the environment.
Biodegradable products can be made from renewable materials and their manufacturing processes tend to be less toxic than the ones used for producing conventional items. They can be a safer alternative for you and the environment.
Note: The biodegradable label is an aspect which varies from one product to another. Make sure you check the product description and information before you buy a certain item.
Great quality products
Using best toilet paper for septic tanks does not mean you are sacrificing the product quality.
This type of products is designed to have a very good quality. This refers to their softness, how many layers are used, their color, and resistance to water.
Of course, these characteristics are different from one product to another.
This is why it’s important you check the product description, as well as the reviews. They can give you an idea of how the product feels and behaves in different scenarios.
Why does your septic tank require special products?
This is probably a question any user of a septic tank has asked.
Do not all products work the same way? Isn’t this just a new label to help sell more higher-priced products?
While it’s understandable that people can have these questions, the answer to both of them is no.
No, not all products work the same. No, they are not a sales or marketing strategy that companies use.
These products (including best toilet paper for septic tanks) are created to work in a certain way. They do their job and they do it while protecting the septic tank.
Conventional products like toilet paper or cleaning items (laundry detergents, dishwasher soaps, bleaches, all-purpose cleaners) can be harder to handle for the septic tank.
Toilet paper can take a long time to break down. It stays in the system, keeping it filled, and increasing the chances of backing up.
Cleaning products usually contain harsh chemicals. They are added for different purposes such as eliminating grease, oil, killing bacteria, or simply to give the product a certain smell.
These chemicals can be harsh on the system itself and on its components. Constant usage of such products can lead to the corrosion of the septic tank in time.
Of course, when speaking of the corrosion of the system, even of small components, it’s crucial to take into consideration other factors. How old the system is, how often it is inspected, and what products enter it are key elements.
Chemicals in cleaning products contribute to it deteriorating, but they cannot do all the job.
Cleaning chemicals also have the ability to kill the beneficial bacteria that live in your septic system. These small entities help decompose what goes down the drain and contribute to a well-functioning septic tank.
Killing them may cause certain working disbalances in the septic tank and it can slow down the degrading process in time.
These beneficial bacteria are affected from all sides: laundry detergents, all-purpose cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, all end up in their environment and threaten their existence.
This is why it’s essential you go for special septic-safe products when you’re using a septic tank.
If you’re interested in best toilet paper for septic tanks, you may also want to take a look at enzymatic cleaner for dog urine.
What you want to look for in your household products to keep your septic tank intact
Products that are labeled septic safe are one clear sign that the product can be used together with the septic tank.
Yet, when thinking of such products, you discover that they are rather diverse and you may want to know a few things about each category.
Here are a few examples and what to look for in these household products.
Toilet paper and tissues
Toilet paper, paper towels, and different kind of paper tissues, all can end up in the toilet.
We have the tendency to throw them down the drain because we know it’s a rather thin piece of paper that goes away after we flush the toilet.
In order to do this without worrying about the septic tank, there are a few things you want to look for.
Paper products (white ones or any other) can be manufactured using chemicals such as dyes, fragrances, inks, and most commonly, chlorine.
You’ve seen why such chemicals are not recommended to end up in the septic tank. Make sure that the toilet paper is made without these chemicals.
Attributes like biodegradable or made from recycled paper are great signs of a septic safe product.
They are also details that indicate an eco-friendly product. If you want your best toilet paper for septic tanks to be a green option as well, look for these characteristics.
Laundry detergents and other cleaning products
Laundry detergents and other cleaning products contain chemicals, that’s a fact.
What makes them different is the combination of chemicals and their concentrations.
To identify this, you don’t have to read the ingredients list, do a lot of research or read chemistry articles. Just pay attention to the labels these products have.
Cleaning items that have Danger and Poison labels written on them are known for being toxic and really concentrated.
Just like their name says it, they represent a danger for your septic tank and can damage it in time.
Other labels you may want to look for are the ones that say Irritating or Corrosive products. Now you know why you want to stay away from those items.
Cleaning products that are labeled with Warning and Caution tend to be less toxic.
What’s more, you may want to look for liquid cleaners, as these products contain fewer fillers than powdered products.
If you’re interested in this topic, check out laundry detergent without fillers.
Tips to maintain a well-functioning septic tank
A septic tank requires more than just a few special household products. How you take care of it will highly influence its future.
Here are a few tips to help you take proper care of your septic tank.
Do not drown your septic tank with water
The septic tank has a limited space. Always keep that in mind.
Its structure consists of two chambers in which the water flows.
The water from your home enters the first chamber, together with solid components. These components settle and will be digested anaerobically over time.
The water continues its journey and enters the second chamber, where remaining solid components also settle. The water will drain in the septic drainfield.
You can compare your septic tank with any object: a glass, a cup, a pan. What happens to any of them when you pour too much water in them?
The result is the same. Water spills all over the place.
Now imagine that this water is filled with solid components from your sink, toilet, shower, and washing machine. That’s not a pretty image.
In order to avoid such a situation, pay attention to how much water you use at once. Try to not take a shower, use a washing machine, and dishwasher at the same time.
Divide your tasks so that you can protect your septic tank.
Consider throwing something in the trash, not the drain
Not everything that can be thrown in the toilet needs to go down there. The same goes for the sink, shower, and any other drain.
Let me give you a few examples:
- coffee grounds
- feminine hygiene products
- cooking oil
- diapers
- condoms
- dental floss
- cigarette butts
- cat litter
Toilet paper can also go into this category. You can have a special bin in the bathroom where you throw it.
The idea is that all the objects that you throw down the drain end up in your septic tank. They can clog it, prevent it from working, and make it back up.
Make a rule out of it and don’t throw anything that comes to your hand down that road. You’ll be surprised when you see how it comes back to you.
Have the septic system regularly checked up
Having a specialist come over to inspect your septic tank is highly recommended.
Even if you’re using all the right products, you have strict rules in your home, the eye of a professional can identify things that you did not see.
How often a septic system needs to be inspected depends on its size, the household, and the amount of wastewater that was generated.
An approximate number for an inspection goes around 3-5 years.
Take very much care of your drainfield
The drainfield is the place where the ‘final’ liquid from the septic tank is absorbed. It’s a crucial part of the septic system and requires great attention.
You don’t want to park on your drainfield. This area should remain open so that it can do its job properly.
Also, if you’re a fan of gardening, you should keep any planting at a certain distance from the drainfield. The roots of trees and plants can interfere with it and may even grow into the septic system.
Asking a specialist about this aspect can be a great idea and can prevent unwanted outcomes.
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