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How Does use of a home Washing Machine Affect the Septic Tank?
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Can we use a clothes washer or "washing machine" when a home is connected to a private septic system? What steps should be taken to protect the septic system from excessive water use or clothes lint or detergents? How to extend the life of a septic system.

Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical review, content suggestions, critique are welcomed and are listed at "References." This document is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

Homeowner's Guide to WASHING MACHINES Draining into Septic Systems

Does a washing machine overload and harm the septic system?

The volume of water from home washing machine use should not be a problem with a normal septic system in good working order. As we discussed at Dishwashers, in some conditions you should avoid emptying washing machine discharge into the septic system:

• Drainfield capacity limits: If the absorption system (leach field, drainfield) has limited capacity to absorb effluent
• Drainfields near failure: If the absorption system is showing evidence of failure, such as effluent coming to the surface of the property or backing up into the building (nonetheless you need septic field investigation and repair)

Below we discuss steps you can take to minimize the possible effects of extra wastewater loads caused by washing machines, and then we discuss the effects of detergents and soaps when operating a clothes washer connected to a septic systerm or dyrwell.

The following measures may relieve the water volume load on septic fields from the washing machine:

• Use liquid laundry detergent rather than a dry soap powder laundry detergent to reduce septic system clogging. Some experts report septic system clogging in pipes, septic tank, and drain field when large amounts of dry laundry soap powders are used.
• Install a lint filter on the washing machine water drain line to avoid sending lint into the septic tank and fields or install a graywater filter ahead of your drywell if you are using one to receive washing machine discharge waters..
• Install a separate drywell to receive water from the washing machine drain, and perhaps dishwasher and other graywater.
• Spread out use of the washing machine over longer intervals - perhaps washing loads in morning and at night rather than running one laundry load right after another. This "dosing" of the septic system or drywell gives the absorption system time to recover between washes.
• Cleaning out the septic tank more often than the minimum schedule will extend the life of your drainfield. In turn, this will permit the drainfield to better absorb the extra volume of wastewater generated by clothes washing. Similarly, any other measures that protect the drainfield's ability to absorb water, such as avoiding flooding the fields with surface runoff, become more important if a family is using their washing machine alot.

More Reading:

• Drywells Home Buyer's or Owner's Advice
• Septic TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE
• SEPTIC & GREYWATER FILTERS
• TEN STEPS TO KEEP SEPTIC SYSTEMS WORKING

What detergents or soaps should we use in a washing machine connected to a septic tank?

Sometimes we find that dry powder clothes washer soap appears as clots and clogs in the system - usually because the homeowner is pouring in too much detergent and is not following the manufacturer's instructions.

Passing solid clumps of detergent into the septic tank speed clogging of the system and in severe cases can even block a building drain.

To minimize the possible clogging or other effects of laundry soaps on the septic system

• Avoid using more than the necessary amount of powdered laundry or dishwasher detergent. Excessive amounts of powdered laundry detergent often fail to dissolve in the washing machine.
• Liquid laundry detergent: Safer if you are not the one operating the clothes washing machine, use liquid laundry detergent.
• "Budget" powdered laundry detergents contain extra amounts of fillers (in some cases montmorillonite clay) which increase the risk of system clogging.
• High phosphate laundry detergents may be a factor in reducing drainfield life [more data is needed on this point.]

We prefer to use liquid detergents in the recommended amounts or less in clothes washers connected to or draining into any onsite disposal system, septic tank, cesspool, or drywell.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS?
NEVER FLUSH INTO SEPTICS
BETTER NOT TO FLUSH
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS
OTHER CHEMICALS
CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER
CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER
DISHWASHERS vs SEPTICS
DRUGS INTO the SEPTIC TANK?
GARBAGE GRINDERS vs SEPTICS
TOILET TISSUE?
WASHING MACHINES
WATER SOFTENERS

More Information on Septic System Diagnosis, Maintenance, & Repair

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems


• Cesspools Home Buyer's or Owner's Advice
• Drywells Home Buyer's or Owner's Advice
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Septic Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location


• Additives & Chemicals: Septic System Maintenance - Are they even needed? Are they even legal?
• Biomat Formation in the Septic System Drainfield Absorption System - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Buyer's Guide Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems Inspection & Testing - What to Do, Step by Step.
• Cheating on Water Tests - (Chlorine in Wells and Septics) Testing Water for Real Estate Transactions - Water Test Cheating Warnings for Home Buyers and Home Inspectors
• Clogged Drain Diagnosis - is the problem the septic system or the Building drain system?
• What is a Septic System An Engineer's View & Septic System FAQ's
• Contamination in Buildings how to test buildings for bacterial contamination from Sewage and Septic backup, remediation, & references
• Leach Field Inspection ProcedureSeptic Leach Fields - how to inspect and diagnose septic drainfield failures - what causes septic field failure?
• Maintenance: Ten Steps to Keeping a Septic System Working, suggestions from the U.S. EPA, edits and additions by DJF
• Sewage & Septic Backups and what to do about sewage spillage in buildings
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Tank Pumping Frequency Guide for Septic Tanks: When, How, What to Watch For when pumping or cleaning septic tanks
• Water Usage: Capacity: Determining Needed Septic Capacity - Typical residential water usage for people, appliances, and activities.

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