Is There A Equal Substitute For Bleach?
 

Hello everyone,

I need some input on this. I am only use to washing dishes using Dawn liquid, and bleach. At the beginning of the year we had a septic tank issue. Guy come out to take a look, and said it was full, but that due to us not using that box of stuff you buy that breaks it all down (Rid X) I think, we needed to not use bleach for a few months.

Ok, so we have done that with everything better, but I want to use my bleach again. Some have said that I can't use the bleach and expect the septic tank to not give issues.

I have a dishwasher, but don't use it due to I have to make sure I see my dishes totally clean before I put them up.

Can I use my bleach again? If not what do I use for peace of mind?

Thanks

How much bleach are you using? You only need to use a little bit of it for doing your dishes, if that is what you wish to do. I dont use any bleach for dishes, but understand that some may like to such as yourself.

Now for laundry I do use bleach and we also have a septic tank and I haven't had any problems. Did the tank guy say to use Rid X? If you google this issue you may find some solutions.

You seem to have "survived" without using bleach for several months.

There are all sorts of articles on the internet about bleach being a "hazardous/toxic" product and harmful to humans.

I try to avoid using bleach - (I will use it once in a blue moon) - because I think it is a dangerous product and should be used only for "dire" situations.

It is hazardous if you drink it, but that is not what I used it for. I also only used a tiny bit in dish water and clothes. Bleach is what they use for killing many diseases that are easily spread.

Thanks Sandra.

I use bleach occasionally. It's good at killing germs, but it kills indiscriminately -- good bacteria along with the bad. Using it daily may be why your septic system could not operate effectively to break down waste.

Here is a good article that may help:
https://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-s...-the-right-way

One thing that is not mentioned in the article is heat. I use a steam cleaner on our bathrooms and love its ability to both clean and disinfect without chemicals. Steam cleaners are great for hard surfaces.

Why do you need to make sure your dishes are totally clean before putting them in the dishwasher? Older dishwashers do not handle food residues, but they still do an excellent job at cleaning germs off dishes. We have a newer dishwasher and its drying cycle uses such high heat our dishes are actually sterile when they come out. For this reason, dishwashers are often used to sterilize canning jars. Soap and water are excellent for getting rid of germs. I can see rinsing off dishes before putting them into the dishwasher if you have a dishwasher that cannot handle food residues, but otherwise it seems totally unnecessary to use bleach on dishes.

Bleach is horrible for people and the environment. Our bodies have immune systems to keep us healthy. I'm an RN and we were always taught that there is no better way to prevent germs from spreading than good old soap and water. Ask any health care professional and they will tell you the same thing.
If you must use bleach use caution so that you don't inhale it. I honestly can't think of any reason to use it.

I agree with Prism99.

I am not sure why you need to use so much bleach. I used to live in a house that had a septic tank, and the advice was never to use bleach, because it kills the bacteria needed for efficient functioning of the septic tank. Other advice was only to use white toilet tissue without added 'things' such as aloe vera, not to flush baby wipes, face wipes etc; in other words "pee, poo, and paper" aka 3 Ps only. There are toilet cleaners that state 'safe for use in septic tank systems', and that is what I used in the toilet only, but not all the time. The tank (in my instance) looked after itself by following these guidelines.
Steam is excellent for cleaning, and dishwashers get dishes cleaner than washing in the sink.

Are you using a garbage disposal? They aren't good for septic systems.

Also certain TP is not good for system and doesn't break down as easily as others.

No need to use other agents in the septic such as r*ide*x according to our service company.

I read to use only 1 ply toilet tissue. I think it said it breaks down easier. I will do more research on it though. Many in the south have septic tanks, but we don't have the city taxes.

I don't wash my dishes first before putting them in the dishwasher. I am weird I guess, but I actually like washing dishes by hand. I may start using the dishwasher again though since I don't have much energy. I do like the part where the drying cycle has that hot heat, so that is good.

Sometimes I think I have become like this due to having so many overlapping autoimmune disorders.
Thanks

Oh, I see that I misread your original post about the dishwasher; you meant that you wash the dishes by hand before putting them away, not before putting them in the dishwasher. :o

Sorry about your autoimmune issues. All I know is that they are very tricky to deal with.

my Sister said once she never washed her dishes before putting them into the dish washer. I asked her what she thought all those food particles did... disappear? there should be a filter or trap you must clean out if you do that. I always washed mine first. now the house i'm in has an old dish washer and i just wash my dishes by hand now.
septic tanks are tricky. i don't believe bleach is a good idea. i hope you find another alternative.

Were your symptoms worse, the same, or less while you were not using bleach?

My symptoms were the same. Looking back I see that I have had autoimmune issues since at least I was a teenager living in Chicago, but they weren't severe as now or not active. I am 64 now. I probably won't go back to any bleach. When I did use it we are talking about a tiny cap full in a sink of water. From what I have read, I will be changing laundry detergent too. I prefer tide, but will be changing. They say no softeners either.

Bleach is good to kill mold. I empty the bucket on the gravel driveway to kill weeds. Not so good at it. We have a septic tank. We also have waterlines, no well. We have only hand washed dishes. No allergies or autoimmune diseases.

Dish soap and hot water should kill anything on your dishes, if you wash them soon after you eat.

We were told not to use powdered laundry soap. It doesn't always dissolve. Can clog a septic tank. We were also told to flush ground beef to feed bacteria. Rid-X is much cheaper and told by guys in the biz it is the thing to use.

I use dawn and vinegar to hand wash dishes.

I"ve been told the same thing. The best thing for killing germs is soap and water. When I need to kiil germs I use hot water and soap and sometimes Young Living's Thieves cleaner. I don't use any toxic chemicals in my home if I can avoid it. As has been stated, they are very bad for the immune system. Give m

Older dishwashers usually have a grinder (which is why they can be so loud). It grinds any leftover food up just like a disposal would. Then it just simply goes down the drain. Newer (quieter) dishwashers usually have a filter that you have to clean.

I have washed dishes for decades, and do not use bleach. The cottage is on septic and we do not use bleach when washing up, bleach kills the healthy bacteria that break down the solids in the septic tank.

Why are you so concerned about the cleanliness of your dishes? Plain soap and water are more than adequate to keep them clean.

We have been on a septic tank for 45 years. Never had an issue with bleach, I only use it with white clothes once a month or so. If germs are an issue, my grandma always boiled a t-kettle of water and poured the boiling water over the dishes, needless to say they dry in an instant. Of course not as much plastic ware them.

We have a septic system and I never want to replace it! So I do use bleach in white clothes, use the dishwasher, just rinse the dishes. Those little pods make the dishes sparkle! The bleach solution we used in the hospital was a 10% solution, I use that in a spray bottle and apply topically to the item I want to disinfect. We have not had a problem with our septic, is 25 years old. I have a low water washing machine, don't love it but I like to conserve the amount of h2o that we use. Dishwashers usually have some type of sani cycle, so bleach really doesn't need to be used with day to day dishes. I think we all have to do what makes us comfortable, I know those systems cost a fortune, so I am pretty careful with mine.

Just a small side note...we had a septic tank issue last year and had to have it pumped out. Found out that the baby wipes and personal bathroom wipes (you know what I mean) do not break down as toilet tissue does. Never ever flush those wipes if you have a septic tank because they last for years and years!!

I'd hate to think of the damage to your body by smelling bleach everyday. Bleach is caustic, melts your skin, that is the slimy feeling you get with bleach, your skin is melting.
If it isn't safe for a septic then it sure isn't safe for your body.
Simple solution, use disposables.

We have our septic pumped every five years. Our homeowner policy requires it in case there is a problem we have proof it isn't owner's negligence. Check you policy. We didn't know this the first time we had a problem. Thank goodness it wasn't a costly one. Not many know about owner's negligence on any claim until it's too late.

Just a thought, you might want to check the back of the Dawn bottle. It says "Do not mix with bleach."

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Cashsmom- I use essential oils and natural products for all my cleaning. When I started to read what goes into all those products we buy I did an about face. Thieves oil is wonderful but you can make your own a lot cheaper with the essential oils that are in it. There's loads of info on the internet for safe products for home use- also bath and body. Once I started I haven't looked back.

June, when I was in nursing school I learned that when we wash our hands it is the friction and amount of time we spend washing that counts. The soap makes it slippery for the germs and rinsing gets them off. I know what you are saying, I have PMR, it is an autoimmune disorder and I am on high doses of prednisone. I have to be careful as my immune system is suppressed. I use the lysol wipes alot on everything. If I travel on a plane I wipe down everything with the wipes. I use them on my counter tops and in my kitchen. Yesterday we had a repairman come and fix a window and he was sick. Said he caught it from his wife. Who walked in behind him??? His wife holding a tissue to her nose. I opened all our windows, and after they left had to disinfect the windows they worked on. Try using hot water, Dawn, and a good scrubber for your dishes. This is long but I just want you to know I understand where you are coming from.

Goggle how to care for septic system, I think you will be surprised at what you read. The Dawn bottle says not to add bleach, but I am like you always add a little bit. I really think we are a bit healthier because of the bleach. Have no idea why bottle says not to add.

Here is a cleaning concoction I use: 2 ounces Dawn, 4 ounces Lemon juice, 8 ounces white vinegar, 10 ounces water.
I use this to clean the inside of the oven, microwave, and toaster oven. Put into a spray bottle, shake well. Works wonderful, very pleased with the end results.
Lysol also has a Laundry sanitizing solution/liquid that can be added to the Softener compartment. NOT a Bleach. Can be found a Walmart for approx. $4-5 bucks.

Vinegar is a good cleaner and disinfectant.

Thank you Sandra, and thanks to everyone for your suggestions/comments.

Bleach is also a corrosive. Corrodes pipes and eats the enamel off porcelains sinks. I have a septic and never use bleach in sink or laundry. I use Rid-X once a month down a different toilet each month and use non-bleach toilet cleaner. No solids down garbage disposal and thoroughly rinse dishes before placing in dishwasher. My septic guy said I have the cleanest tank he's ever seen, if you can believe that. Yuck... I have it pumped every 5 years. Good suggestions here and on Internet for proper care of septic systems. Good luck!

I use vinegar as a softener in my washer. It disinfects & softens clothes. That's white vinegar. When I first got married we visited my DH sister. She told me about it & it's also easier on the septic.

I know what you mean about all the toxic chemicals in stuff. I have some health problems and sensitivities so I try to keep toxins in my home to a minimum.

I've looked up recipes for Thieves oil. There are a bunch of them and I'm never sure which ones are really good ones and comparable to Young Living's recipe (everyone seems to claim there's is the real recipe). I like Young Living's essential oils for many reasons and by the time I buy all the oils and take the time to mix them up and everything, I'm not really saving enough to make it worthwhile. Also, Young Living makes cleaners with Thieves in them that are excellent so I just buy the products already made and use them. It simplifies my life.

Don't use bleach in your laundry unless your whites are all 100% cotton. Bleach yellows anything that has polyester in it. And most whites do anymore. I don't even have bleach in the house. You can accidentally mix it with a cleaner or other compound and the fumes could kill you. That's probably why Dawn says don't mix with bleach. Many of our problems today are cause by being 'over' clean. Bodies simply do not have a chance to build up an immune system. I grew up on a farm, with an outhouse. Hot water came from a teakettle on a stove, or in the woodstove kettle for using in the washing machine. My grandmother's all lived into their mid 90's. My mother turns 95 in two weeks. Please put the bleach away. My husband uses ACV for killing weeks, he refuses to use killer Round Up. Yes, the white vinegar in a final wash water softens clothes. And I made two balls out of wool yarn for in the dryer. So we always have soft towels. The rest I dry on the line. Another thing bad for those with immune system problems, all the fragrance scents out there. And plug ins are the worst, they wax your walls and furniture. I cannot stand to be in a home that uses them, can't breathe.

I agree completely with about soap and water but today's "soap" products are not the same as old fashioned soap. The new products aren't made with lye the way soap is. Body wash is not soap, although I'm not sure exactly what it is. I think the lye is what makes soap antibacterial. I don't know what is in hand sanitizers but they must have something that kills bacteria as we are warned not to use too much as you can lose your natural protection from germs.

I find it interesting to see the modern attitude toward bleach. I'm 76 and grew up with bleach being used in all white laundry and for cleaning up anything where you particularly wanted to kill germs. There are common sense precautions to using bleach and I have never heard of an incident caused by bleach(other then ruining clothes if you splash any directly on cloth). I can't imagine not using bleach to sanitize white clothes, diapers, etc.

Are the natural products you use anti-bacterial?

I have to wonder where some people get these ideas....????..... I have a septic system, have had for 40 years, and I use bleach with whites, once a week or so. We have always had a garbage disposal, too, NO PROBLEMS. My parents did the same and so do my brothers, who live on this same farm, no problems. We have ours pumped out every three years, as recommended, but I know my parents did not do that.

I was told by a plumber that a garbage disposal is a GOOD thing for septic tanks because it adds bacteria to the tank, which helps it "work". Makes sense to me.

I know people who did not have a garbage disposal because they "heard" that it was bad for their septic tank. My family has a combined 100 plus years experience that says otherwise.

In place of bleach how about Borax? It whitens the whites and I think it makes the entire laundry cleaner.
It is a natural product--when you read on the side of the box it tells what it really is. They mine it out of Death Valley and is a very old product. My Mom used it in her laundry.
You an also use in the kitchen, bathroom counters ect, ect.
I love it!
Mariah

There are quite a few differences among septic systems. For example, different states have different building codes. These regulations have varied greatly over time, so that older systems may be quite different from newer systems. Also, regulations regarding systems can vary with the age of the system; newer systems typically have to meet much more stringent environmental codes than older systems. I know that our newer system had to be installed with a filter, whereas older systems in our area are not required to retrofit filters. Systems also vary depending on the type of land and soil in a specific area, and on size. A large tank used by a few people is going to react differently than a small tank used by the maximum number of people. Probably the best sources of information are local operators.

Here is a website with general tips about caring for a septic system:
https://www.houselogic.com/organize-...septic-system/

Septic systems also vary in terms of lifespan, depending in part on materials used for the installation, in part on maintenance, and in part on other variables. Older septic systems with concrete tanks can last much longer than newer septic systems with steel tanks. This makes it hard to generalize. Here is a website with information about septic system life expectancy:
https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_System_Life.php

I was told not to use bleach of one has a septic tank. It kills the good germs so that the solid waste can't break down. So I never use bleach that will go into my septic nor do I use it in my commodes (although I would like to).

No, it's not. Bleach does not kill mold. Bleach actually causes mold spores to explode into the air. It looks like it's gone because the bleach removes all the color but the mold is still there unless heat is involved afterward. Vinegar or borax will kill mold.

Cari