By simply grabbing your older or rotten tomatoes from the back of your refrigerator you can promote bacteria growth in your septic system by grinding them down into your garbage disposal. 3-4 rotten tomatoes every 4 months should be enough to provide good bacteria to your septic system and break down your waste.
The best way to keep your septic system working well is not to put anything in it except human waste and minimize kitchen & laundry waste. Also, pump the tank according to industry recommendations (once every 3-5 years). Those are the most important things you can do to keep your septic system working properly.
Your septic tank naturally contains good bacteria, and you won't really need to do much to put good bacteria in the septic tank. You can use additives like active yeast, rotten tomatoes, or store-bought septic enzymes or chemicals if you'd like, but typically, the system will produce beneficial bacteria on its own.
Enzymes go to work on the scum, and bacteria goes to work on the sludge. The microbes eat the waste and convert large portions of it into liquids and gases. This process allows the septic tank to push the now-treated wastewater out to the drainfield.
For new systems, many people believe you must add bacteria. While septic systems require bacteria to work, no special bacteria need to be added. Don't Let Your Dollar$ Go Down the Drain!
Baking soda and vinegar are safe and effective cleaners for your household drains and, best yet, they are 100% safe for your septic tank and drain field. Bleach and ammonia-based cleaners (i.e. most of the cleaning aisle at the big-box stores) can be harmful to the good bacteria in your septic tank.
You can replenish good bacteria in your septic tank by adding three rotten tomatoes or 1/4 ounce of yeast every three months. Put three overripe tomatoes in the garbage disposal while running the faucet. Or pour 1/4 ounce of yeast in the toilet and flush it down.
One way to speed up the degeneration of solids and increase the bacteria count in your tank is by flushing 1/2 cup of dry baking yeast down the toilet. The yeast promotes the growth of the bacteria that your system needs and will safely break down the waste that is slowly filling up your septic tank.
Yes, Dawn dish soap is generally safe for septic systems. It's got quite a reputation for being septic-friendly, and for good reason. As long as you're not going overboard with it, Dawn isn't likely to mess with the bacteria in your septic tank.
Do not put cigarette butts, paper towels, sanitary tampons, condoms, disposable diapers, anything plastic or similar non-biodegradables into a septic tank system. Avoid washing food scraps, coffee grinds, and other food items down the drain. Avoid using a garburator to dispose of kitchen wastes.
As an added benefit for your septic system, the finely grained Epsom salt will promote vegetation growth over your drain field, which helps prevent it from becoming water laden during heavy rains.
In general, a septic tank should be inspected every 1 to 3 years and pumped every 3 to 5 years.
You can keep your septic tank clean by using natural septic-safe ingredients, such as distilled white vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice. What's the best toilet cleaner for septic systems? The best toilet cleaner for septic systems may be plain old white vinegar.
Adding RID-X® to the septic system each month is a simple septic maintenance solution that will help prolong the life of your septic system.
Use Baking Soda
By flushing 1/2 cup of baking soda down the toilet weekly, you can help to maintain the pH balance in the tank and encourage beneficial bacteria to break down waste.
What science says about septic tank additives. There is little scientific data to suggest that you should add bacteria or enzymes to your septic system. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reported that biological additives do not appear to improve the performance of healthy septic tanks.
Septic systems rely on bacteria inside the tank that works to break down toilet paper and solid waste. As the solids get broken down, they are transformed into sludge that settles at the very bottom of the tank.
Septic systems are not intended to dispose of food waste, coffee grounds, grease, or fat, and, in fact, they will harm the septic tank. Try using a compost pile for non-meat food waste; it will help you avoid paying for unnecessary septic system repairs! Don't use a kitchen garbage disposal.
So, to sum it all up, Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner and most other Lysol products are generally safe for septic systems if you use it like they tell you to. It cleans and disinfects well without hurting the good bacteria that your septic system needs. But remember, don't use too much of it or any cleaning stuff.
Waste, not septic additives, provides bacteria
The truth is, bacteria is added to the tank every time the toilet is flushed; there is no need for additives unless the system is being overloaded or residents are putting items down toilets and drains that they should not.
Bacterial microorganisms break down the waste inside a septic tank which can then be safely redistributed or disposed of.