The first thing I will say (and hope Vince doesn’t read this): If you are on a septic tank, you may want to think twice about using these things. When researching whether they were safe to use on a septic tank, I also read that fabric softeners aren’t good for septic tanks. Heck . . toilet paper probably isn’t good for septic tanks!
We had a septic tank in Kentucky for nine years. I used Downy in probably every single load of clothes I washed there and we never had a problem – which is definitely not a guarantee that you won’t have problems if you use it.
Dryer sheets are probably safer but I’ve never liked using those. I forget to put them in and then they end up inside my underwear or inside Vince’s shirts. I keep them around for when static electricity becomes a problem because I haven’t used Downy in a long time. I don’t even know why I quit using it . . probably that stinking front load washer.
Anyway . . these smell good pellets . . I love these so much.
They feel waxy and I just can’t imagine that they’re good for a septic tank. We have one here and we have one in MO. I only use them when I wash sheets. I actually like the Great Value ones best but it could be because they’re lavender scented and I love lavender.
The house in MO has a garbage disposal, which Vince has always said NO! NOT on a septic tank so I figured I’d compromise, even though he doesn’t even know I’m doing it, and not use the garbage disposal so I can keep using the scent booster.
Yesterday I washed the sheets on our bed and they smelled so good, I washed the quilt too. Oops .. that’s twice as much scent booster in the septic tank! This is another reason I wish we could have our washing machine water going out into the yard, but we can’t.
One problem: I have an amazing washer (NOT front load) in MO and when I washed the sheets, the washer washed them and rinsed them so well that I couldn’t smell anything! Nicole told me that the brand I have there (I didn’t even know what brand I had) is one she doesn’t like and she feels it doesn’t leave much scent. She basically has the same washer I have but it’s a different brand and she doesn’t have an agitator and I do and she said she could hardly smell anything when she used the same brand I have in MO so when I’m there and wash the sheets again, I’ll try either Downy Unstoppables or Great Value Ultimate Fresh.
Nicole told me that she always liked spending the night at my house because my sheets always smell good. Chad doesn’t like scents so he probably hates spending the night at my house. Vince never notices or if he does, he doesn’t say anything. But, if I clog up the septic tank lines, you can bet he’ll say something!
Diann says
Put the contents of one package of powdered yeast in any ONE toilet in your house and flush. Do this once a month.you won’t have any problem with your septic tank We lived twenty years in a house with septic and no problems and used fabric softener every wash load.
Dottie Newkirk says
I wonder if it depends on size of family for the septic system??
Before we moved back to Texas, we were on a septic system for 20 years and didn’t have any problems. I didn’t use the garbage disposal for disposing of anything, just threw stuff out (compost or trash) and garbage disposal was used just to “clear” any residual stuff that may have been on plates.
Used fabric softener all those years and when we left, had the septic pumped (required when changing ownership of house) and not much of anything in there.
Maybe we were just lucky.
Marsha says
I like using two wool balls in dryer
montanaclarks says
I don’t use anything scented not even my dryer sheets–I’m highly sensitive to smells as is Michael. I use my garbage disposal in Arizona–just for small scraps that might be left on plates on in dishes–nothing big at all.
Elle says
I started using organic detergent about 20 years ago. No fabric softener needed-I rarely have static. (Ecos if anyone wants to know). I prefer fresh to a scent. We’re all different!
In our first house we had a septic tank. Back then, I used the garbage disposal and fabric softener. When we sold, the tank had to be pumped….there wasn’t much. I suspect it is like any other topic. There are stories on both ends of the spectrum?
Sara Fridley says
We had a septic tank for 10 years that we lived on my husband’s family farm. Had numerous problems with it over the years. I did switch to fabric softener sheets in the dryer and never switched back to liquid. You just have to figure out what products work best in your septic system, and it will be fine.
Karen Hartley says
I’ve been on septic systems for 40 years. Had a garbage disposal for the last 20 that is used for everything. Never had any problems. I don’t use fabric softener of any type as I can’t take the scents. My laundry detergent is also unscented.
pat in SC says
I use wool balls and sometimes put essential oils on the balls. It really works for static, I often forget the oils. The only problem that I have is that I “lose” a ball or two. I will find it in a pocket or leg of pants or corner of a fitted sheet. I have 6 and use them all at the same time. I have had them about 5 years.
JustGail says
I don’t use those beads because of the scent, I never gave whether they are septic safe a thought. The scent is usually plenty powerful on its own to my nose, and then people put on often conflicting perfumes or colognes and it gives me a headache. Dryer sheets and liquid softener are used rarely, and we try to keep the dryer filter scrubbed of the residue softeners on it. We’ve had a garbage disposal for years and it is lightly used, as most fruit and vegetable scraps go to compost, meat scraps to the outside cats. But maybe it’s because we get the septic tank pumped every 5-ish years?
Mary M says
I was told to never use dryer sheets (in my 3year old dryer) as the residue they leave mess up the sensors in the dryer. I don’t use fabric softener either but do use vinegar in the softener dispenser. My clothes, sheets and towels are very soft and do not smell of vinegar. Much cheaper and we are fine without added scent.
Nelle Coursey says
I stopped using downy or any other fabric softener a long time ago. I use white vinegar in my wash and then dry them so they come out smelling fresh like outside fresh. I don’t think the vinegar would hurt your septic tank? Not sure though.
Susan Nixon says
We lived on a septic for more than ten years in Phoenix, and we always used softener and we always used the garbage disposal. We never had a single problem. I think it more than likely depends on the size of your septic field. Ours was big!
Judy Laquidara says
We’ve always pumped our septic tank every 5 or 6 years just as a precaution but we’ve never had problems. Most plumbers recommend against using a garbage disposal on a septic tank and I understand the possible ramifications of using a garbage disposal, I won’t use it much. Every night, I do turn it on to get anything ground up that had gone down the drain but I don’t on purpose put anything in there. Septic tanks nowadays are sized according to how many bedrooms, and sometimes bathrooms a house has. Since we buy houses already built, we take what we get as far as the size of the septic tank.
Teri says
My daughter learned a lesson using dryer sheets….her dryer caught on fire.because of the residue left on the lint trap…she was lucky she and her kids and animals were ok…and she saved her house by throwing water on the flames….the firemen told her it was because of the dryer sheets….you can’t see the residue you have to wash the lint trap with soap and water…
Judy Laquidara says
I’ve heard that can happen and I do wash my filter with soap and water and scrub it with a soft toothbrush but I also use a little brush after each use to make sure the lint is out of all the holes in the screen. You may remember that I showed a little tiny brush a month or so ago that I use to get the lint out of all the nooks and crannies of the filter and the housing where it sits.