I used to run them through the washer, but now I use bleach. I soak them overnight in a bucket of water with about a cup or so of bleach and then blast them with a hose. It seems to get them cleaner than the washer and doesn't beat them up as much.
Best method of cleaning off a filter sock?
- Thread starter House 64
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No way! I run four 7" socks and clean them once a week. It would cost over $1000/year if I was just tossing them in the trash...
I can see how soaking them in bleach would appear to make them clean by turning them white again but the particles of dirt of junk will still be impregnated in the fibers. Then if you spray them off using the garden hose, most particles will be washed out but I can't imagine it's "like new". Do you guys that use the washing machines flip the sock inside out first?
Bleach dissolves the organics, which is by far the bulk of what the socks filter out. Whatever doesn't get dissolved is loosened up and blasts out easily. They really do come out like new - try it if you're skeptical and see for yourself.
When I do use the washer I flip them inside-out and wash them out a bit to get rid of the loose crud. Then it is into the washer with a little bleach. I have found it helps to throw in a few old towels with the socks to help agitate them. I have both polyester and polypropylene socks - the polyester ones come out of the wash nice and clean, but the polypropylene ones don't come clean without a soak in bleach.
Hah....once a week is awesome! I change my filter socks out daily. I have a heavy bio load and use the 100 micron socks. I can change mine out in less than a minute so its easy.
I run em through the wash....hard plastic ring and all. One cycle....turn em inside out....another cycle...turn back from inside out to normal...and one more cycle...a few spins and they are new again.
I have had mine over a year and wash em once a week once I have a few dirty ones. And they are still holding up just fine.
I run em through the wash....hard plastic ring and all. One cycle....turn em inside out....another cycle...turn back from inside out to normal...and one more cycle...a few spins and they are new again.
I have had mine over a year and wash em once a week once I have a few dirty ones. And they are still holding up just fine.
Dan, I'll try the bleach next go around.
With that said... Thanks everyone for their input. I tried the washer today.... I threw three filter socks in with some towels to help with the agitation. No bleach (because I didn't have any left) and washed it twice, came out pretty clean but you could see the wear already. Seems like it's a waste of a lot of water though.
With that said... Thanks everyone for their input. I tried the washer today.... I threw three filter socks in with some towels to help with the agitation. No bleach (because I didn't have any left) and washed it twice, came out pretty clean but you could see the wear already. Seems like it's a waste of a lot of water though.
I have a utility sink that has amazing water pressure w/ a 3 foot hose attached to the nozzle. I just blast the heck out of them using that hose. It takes about 2 minutes for me to clean a sock and get it back on the sump.
Mike
Mike
I switch mine out with a clean one and blast the dirty one off with the garden hose and then throw it in the washing machine with some bleach. As good as new.
Turn them inside out and use some bleach in the wash. Wash them in cold water so they don't shrink and use the second rinse cycle to make sure the bleach is all out. Been doing it for a couple years with no problems and they are being used on a stingray tank. Keep a few pairs on hand so you can switch them out when washing. When they wear out buy new ones! That will be $100 please!! LOL
