DO try to stick to the same brands of cleaning products. Your unit will become quite tolerant to the brands you use.
DO use liquids instead of powders e.g. washing and dishwasher. Liquids are kinder to the bacteria in the unit.
DO spread out your washing through the week. Don’t have a ‘washing day’
Consider using the 'ALMAT' range of laundry and dishwasher detergents from ALDI. They contain no Phosphates and are environmentally friendly.
DO consider washing with ‘Ecoballs’ * They work very well and contain no detergent or phosphates, great for your sewage unit (and for allergies)
DO take out a maintenance contract. Only let experts look after your unit!
DO try to use paper towels instead of cloths. By using paper towels to wipe down surfaces with anti-bacterials, the paper can go in the bin and NOT down the drains
* Ecoballs are available from ecozone.co.uk
DON’T throw any medicines down the sink/loo. Antibiotics will kill your unit.
DON'T use hand wash dispensers. Nearly all of them are antibacterial and will kill your plant. Use ordinary soap instead.
DON'T use toilet freshener blocks as they are antibacterial.
DON'T use ANY 'Drain-Cleaner' products
DON'T pour any chemicals down the drains
DON'T pour any milk down the drains - it will strip oxygen out of the biozone in the plant
DON’T empty large amounts of detergents and bleach down the sink/loo. If you have a ‘spring clean’, pour the buckets down your outside drains, as these are not connected to the unit.
DON’T allow anti-bacterial substances, ( DETTOX, etc) to enter the unit. These will KILL the unit. Apply the products with kitchen towels and throw them in a bin.
DON’T pour sterilizing fluids, MILTON, etc. down the sink. These will KILL the unit.
DO NOT pour milk, gravy or beer down the sink. The BOD is too high and the bacteria will suffer.
DON’T put sanitary items, nappy liners, baby wipes, cotton wool, etc. down the toilet. Cotton wool ‘shreds’ when wet, is very slow to degrade and blocks everything.
DON’T empty cooking oil down the sink! The oil will coat and smother the friendly bacteria in your unit and block any pumps etc. you may have.
DON’T allow a ‘HOT TUB’ or ‘SPA’ to discharge into this unit! The volumes are too great and will flush untreated sewage through your unit. If chlorination is used, this will also KILL the bacteria in the unit
DON’T empty home-brew residues down the sink! Yeasts will take over your unit!
DON’T install a waste disposal unit. The unit would need to be three times the size to digest the additional organic waste produced.
DON’T connect a water softener outlet to the foul drains. The amount of salts involved will kill ALL the bacteria in the unit.
DON'T connect any surface water or roof drains to the foul system. The flows will be too great in wet weather.
DON’T ALLOW ANY UNQUALIFIED PERSON TO TAMPER WITH THE UNIT - Some of the worst performing units we have seen have been 'cleaned' by their owners