Quicklime use in a cesspool. Cleaning the cesspool
In country houses and cottages equipped autonomous sewerage, cleaning of cesspools is often necessary. The most the right way, of course, is cleaning the drainage pit, performed using the services of qualified specialists.
Today there are many organizations that provide such services, but before contacting such companies, you need to study reviews about the quality of their services.
In the event that an organization actually fulfills its obligations well, an agreement can subsequently be concluded with it for periodic work to pump out cesspools for a long period of time and to correct such emergencies as overflow and other interruptions in the operation of the drainage pit.
Two main ways to clean pits
- Cleaning of cesspools can be done primarily using sewage disposal equipment. This method of cleaning pits is very old, but it is used no less today. This is because very few people who live in private houses (especially in remote villages) have information on how to clean a cesspool using more advanced cleaning methods.
- Another method is based on the use of various biological products, which contain many active bacteria that literally “break down” the entire contents of the drainage pit, making wastewater absolutely harmless to the soil. Wastewater processed in this way is easily absorbed into the soil and has no odor.
It is worth noting that cleaning with vacuum cleaners is necessary in any case, however, when using biological products, its frequency is much lower.
Cleaning with a vacuum cleaner
When you seek the services of experienced specialists, you can be sure that the quality of work will be high. This will require minimal effort on your part:
- The sewer truck will quickly pump out sewage, remove waste from the site and solve the problem of its further disposal.
- In order to successfully pump out a cesspool, it is necessary to ensure unhindered access to the sewer pit for a sewer truck, namely, the cesspool must be located in an open space, and there should be no foreign objects near it. Best option– location of the drainage pit on the street, near the roadway.
- The depth provided should not exceed three meters, since otherwise the special hose cannot reach the bottom of the pit and remove all waste products from it.
Use of biological products
Septic tanks and cesspools can be cleaned using chemical or biological products. To determine the required amount of funds for the drainage pit, you can seek advice from a specialist. To disinfect the contents of the drain pit, there is also an antiseptic for it.
Pro tip: The result of using modern biological or chemical methods is the formation of a safe, odorless liquid in the cesspool instead of waste and fecal matter. The sediment can be pumped out with a conventional pump, and therefore calling sewer trucks is required much less frequently.
Features of the use of biological products
- When drainage pits are cleaned with biological products that process feces, fats, vegetable peelings, paper and other contents of septic tanks and pits accumulated in the pit, the cesspools are disinfected and the volume of waste is significantly reduced.
- For materials used in the construction of drainage pits, biological products are absolutely harmless. They do not have a negative effect on concrete, brick, cinder block and plastic.
- Bacteria do not process inorganic materials, construction and household waste, plastic containers, and plastic bags.
- Many chemicals are harmful to bacteria, and therefore wastewater containing detergents should not be poured into a cesspool. Bacteria will die in an aggressive environment, and cleaning will not be effective.
- Biological products begin to work two hours after entering a liquid medium. They deal with unpleasant odors in four hours.
- Bacteria work effectively only at temperatures of +4-+30 degrees.
- Before cleaning a cesspool using biological products, you must read the instructions. Some drugs are sold immediately in liquid ready-made form, while others are sold in granules, which must first be diluted in water.
Pro tip: Drainage properties can be restored with the help of biological products cesspool, namely, its ability to absorb water. This is especially true after cleaning it with vacuum cleaners, when the drainage of the drainage pit is disrupted.
Drainage properties may deteriorate during the operation of the pit, due to the flooding of the bottom with organic waste, the foundation of an impenetrable fat plug, or the accumulation of waste on the walls.
Self-cleaning of the drain pit
When the costs for the services of sewer specialists are too high, cleaning the drainage pit can be carried out on our own, which requires a container for pumping out waste and a sewage or water pump:
- When in country house They live only in the summer, and there is no large number of household appliances in it; the drainage pit fills up quite slowly, which makes it possible, given its small volume, to carry out cleaning independently.
- For this it is advisable to buy fecal pump, which is a special device for pumping out cesspools.
- Today, there are automatic fecal pumps on sale that are placed directly in the pit, independently filtering and pumping out wastewater when it reaches a certain level.
- You can also use a conventional water pump, but it quickly becomes clogged with silt and other solid waste.
Pro tip: To reduce the likelihood of pump clogging, as well as increase its service life, it is recommended to install a filter on the pump that prevents the penetration of solid particles.
- Before you clean drain hole, it is necessary to prepare a waste container with a volume no less than the volume of the pit.
- The container must have a lid to prevent waste from spreading into the environment.
- After pumping, it is necessary to rinse the drainage pit in order to slow down the appearance of rocky growths on the walls of the pit.
The process is quite complex and not entirely pleasant to perform, so we recommend doing it yourself only if absolutely necessary. If it is possible to call a sewer truck, it is optimal to use its services in combination with the use of biological products.
How to clean a cesspool - options with and without pumping
When building small country or country houses, most homeowners solve the problem of sewage drainage simply - they dig a cesspool into which all the waste of the residents is drained through pipes. But the time “H” comes and the accumulated sewage reminds of itself with a pungent odor. This means it’s time to get down to the not-so-pleasant job of pumping out the contents and removing them. How to clean a cesspool without pumping? Current advances in technology make it possible to do this without spending money on hiring professionals.
Unlike a septic tank, a cesspool is a primitive storage facility without any signs of sewage treatment. And all its contents are stored there in full until the moment of pumping out. And it’s not just stored: the explosive mixture of feces, food waste and detergents is a potential threat to human health if it gets into the soil. This is why timely cleaning of toilets and cesspools is so important: overfilling them leads to environmental contamination.
In addition, a drainage pit filled to the brim emits a very unpleasant odor, which can negate the delights of living in nature.
Advice: To avoid force majeure, care should be taken to clean the cesspool at the dacha when it is two-thirds full.
Cleaning the drain pit can be done in three ways:
- pumping out the contents with its subsequent removal;
- treatment with special chemicals;
- with the help of bacteria.
Do you know that there can be a country toilet without a cesspool? Details in a separate article.
A relatively inexpensive alternative to a cesspool can be a Mole septic tank. A wide range of models will allow you to choose the right drain cleaner.
This method is classified as traditional and is the first one that comes to mind when answering the question of how to clean a cesspool in a private house. The operation can be entrusted to an organization that has sewage disposal equipment. A machine equipped with a pump and a container for collecting sewage quickly copes with the task. And for an additional fee you can order washing of the internal surfaces of the drainage pit.
However, pumping out cesspools is justified only if the cesspool has a significant volume, and the owner has taken care of organizing an access road to it. It is not economically justifiable to clean small collections of sewage (for example, in a country house) using expensive equipment. Here the owner can easily cope with the work himself, armed with necessary equipment for pumping out cesspools:
Important: Do-it-yourself work on cleaning a cesspool should be carried out wearing special clothing and wearing respiratory protection (a respirator or gas mask). Clothing must be rubberized, shoes must be rubber, hands must be protected with durable waterproof gloves.
The pump for pumping out cesspools is selected according to its performance depending on the volume of the cesspool. It is better to buy a plastic container with thick walls, equipped with a neck for pumping liquid and a lower drain hole for emptying it.
Gilex pump for pumping out wastewater
Anyone who has encountered mechanical cleaning of a toilet or cesspool knows that this is an unpleasant task. It is not surprising that the owners of private houses are interested in the question of how to clean cesspools without pumping.
You can declare “biological war” on sewage. It is carried out using special bacteria that can decompose organic compounds. As a result of their work, the contents of the pit are transformed into a substance harmless to human health and life. The volume of fecal matter is reduced by at least half. They turn into a cloudy liquid without an unpleasant odor. After this treatment, it can be used to water the beds.
Another way to remove the smell from a cesspool and clean it is to use the biological product Doctor Robik
Before you clean the drain pit without pumping, you need to know that biological products used to clean cesspools and septic tanks do not tolerate household chemicals. If chemical detergents and washing powders are used in the house, biological wastewater treatment will have to be abandoned.
Chemicals for cleaning cesspools and toilets have been used for a long time. The most accessible of them has always been formaldehyde. However, in Lately it has practically disappeared from the public market due to its carcinogenicity and high toxicity. In addition to formaldehyde, the following are used for chemical wastewater treatment:
- nitrate oxidizers: they contain surfactants that are able to break down organic matter. They are not afraid of detergents falling into drain holes;
- ammonium compounds (quaternary): They do their job well, but from the point of view of their impact on the environment they have not been studied at all. In addition, these drugs do not work well in wastewater containing household chemicals;
- bleaching powder: like formaldehyde, it is rarely used nowadays due to its harmful effects on living organisms.
If you use ammonium to clean a cesspool, do not pour the resulting liquid onto the soil. It’s better to call specialists with a sewer truck: they will pump it out and take it to the appropriate place.
Russian drug for septic tanks and cesspools
One of the most unpleasant aspects of local sewerage is its ability to spread a specific smell around. Pumping out feces does not help from it either: after visiting the site of a sewer truck, the “aroma” can last for several days.
How to remove odor from a cesspool? Using the same biological products. They are supplied to retail chains in the form of powder, liquid or tablets.
Liquid formulations have a high concentration, which has a significant impact on the homeowner’s wallet: a small amount of concentrate can cope with a fairly large volume of waste.
Powders, unlike liquid products, require preliminary “revitalization”. They require water to activate. The powder, diluted according to the manufacturer's instructions, is ready to combat sewage odors.
Summer residents liked it most drugs available in tablet form. They are convenient to use - the tablet does not need to be dissolved in water. It is enough to throw it into a cesspool.
What are live bacteria for sewage and how they work we described in a separate article.
You can read about the features of organizing drainage pits in a private house here. The choice of materials and construction site.
At the stage of building a bathhouse, it is important to properly drain the water from it. This is our separate article.
When choosing how to clean and how to remove the smell from a cesspool, you need to consider the following points:
- the use of chemicals harms the metal components of the local sewer system;
- The presence of a dishwasher and washing machine in the house requires the use of detergents that make the use of bacteria that clean drains useless. They will quickly die from contact with household chemicals. As a result, you will waste money and not clean the drain hole.
From this point of view, the most universal method is still the mechanical method of removing sewage, but the use of special preparations will significantly reduce the number of calls for sewage trucks.
Speaking about how much it costs to pump out septic tanks and cesspools - the price here can be in the range of 700-900 rubles per 1 cubic meter and also depends on the volume of the required machine.
How to pump out a cesspool using a pump is shown in the video.
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How to clean a cesspool: comparative review 3 most effective ways
Typically, cleaning cesspools is not a pleasant task. Some summer residents cope with this task on their own, others hire sanitation specialists. Modern means expand the capabilities of owners of this type treatment facilities, making their operation and cleaning less unpleasant and safer. To solve the question of how to clean a cesspool, you need to find out its type, since this simple device can be very different. After this, you can select the appropriate cleaning method.
First of all, you need to find out a number of important factors such as:
- Does the cesspool have a bottom or is it a leaky structure?
- What is the total volume of the pit?
- Are there access roads for vacuum trucks?
- What type of waste is in the pit?
These and other questions will help you choose a strategy for further action. You can try to clean a small container yourself. But you need to be extremely careful. So, after cleaning a cesspool without a bottom, it may be necessary to restore the drainage system. And if you decide to use biological cleaning agents, you should consider chemical composition drains, etc.
Note. Sometimes cleaning cesspools is not necessary, for example, if we are talking about a small container located under a country toilet. You can simply bury such a hole, after adding a means to accelerate the formation of compost. After some time, you can plant a fruit tree near the compost pit, which will bear fruit well. And the toilet is moved to a new place with a new cesspool.
Most often, the following is used to clean wastewater containers:
- mechanical methods;
- chemical methods;
- biological methods.
When choosing a suitable method, you should take into account its availability, cost and environmental safety.
The simplest, but not the most pleasant way to clean septic tanks and cesspools is mechanical. For this purpose, a special machine called a sludge sucker is used. The work of a modern sludge sucker is clearly presented in the following video:
Modern technology allows you to get rid of sewage, almost without feeling any discomfort from the characteristic odor of feces. Previously, this moment could ruin the mood not only of the owners of a private house, but also of their closest neighbors.
If you decide to choose this cleaning method, then you should take care of two main points:
- provide access roads for equipment;
- take into account the length of the suction hose, which is usually about three meters.
If the depth of the cesspool exceeds this figure, you will have to find additional features to clean it.
Note! If the volume of the cesspool is made a multiple of the volume of the sewage truck, you can save a little, since payment is made for the service, and not for the specific volume of waste removed.
Some owners of small dachas have figured out how to clean out a cesspool without hiring hired equipment. To do this, you can use a special fecal pump. Automatic models of such pumps are used constantly; they turn on and off when the amount of waste reaches a certain level.
Sometimes cleaning is carried out using a conventional water pump in combination with a special filter. However, it should be remembered that equipment not intended for such procedures will break down quite quickly.
It is important to know! Over a long period of operation, dense sediment accumulates on the walls of treatment facilities, which must be removed using special chemicals or biological products.
Chemicals have been used as cleaning agents for cesspools for quite a long time. Among the popular drugs of this type are:
- formaldehyde;
- bleach;
- ammonium compounds;
- nitrogen fertilizers.
It should be immediately recalled that all these substances are quite aggressive. On the one hand, they cope with any waste and household chemicals. On the other hand, you should not use them in systems with metal pipes, since they also successfully corrode metal.
The least expensive chemicals are formaldehyde and bleach. These substances, especially formaldehyde, are extremely dangerous to human health, so at present they are practically not used for waste disposal.
Ammonium compounds are much safer, but they are sensitive to household chemicals, the presence of which in Wastewater ah may cause a decrease in the effectiveness stated by the manufacturer. With the help of ammonium compounds you can quickly get rid of unpleasant odors and speed up the decomposition of wastewater.
Nitrogen fertilizers, also called nitrate oxidizers, are quite expensive, but are considered the safest among chemicals used for wastewater treatment. It should be remembered that their impact on the environment has not been well studied.
Environmentalists are not enthusiastic about the use of such dangerous and aggressive chemicals in households. They are being replaced by new generation substances - biological drugs.
Biological products that are used to clean septic tanks and cesspools are becoming increasingly widespread. They are a set of aerobic or anaerobic bacteria that process wastewater. The processes occurring in this case are completely safe, both for human health and for the environment, since similar reactions occur in the soil where these microorganisms live.
More suitable for cesspools are sets of anaerobic bacteria that do not require oxygen to carry out their work. Aerobic bacteria are more often used in septic tanks or two-chamber cesspools. With their help, post-treatment of wastewater that has already been treated with anaerobic microorganisms is carried out.
It is necessary to specially inject air into the part of the treatment plant where aerobic preparations are used. This two-stage purification allows the water to be used for technical needs, for example, for watering plants. If the wastewater has been treated only with anaerobic preparations, it should be ensured that it slowly enters the soil through the drainage system. Bacteria in the soil will do the final cleaning. Purified water is pumped out of a sealed cesspool using a conventional water pump.
The procedure for using biological products is very simple. Usually the powder or liquid is diluted in a certain amount of water and poured through the cesspool hatch. Sometimes you can simply pour the drug into the toilet and flush it several times.
Most bacteria are very sensitive to aggressive household chemicals, such as products containing chlorine. However, recently more resistant sets of bacteria have appeared on the market, which are more expensive than conventional drugs. It is necessary to either stop using aggressive chemicals or plan additional expenses for the most effective biological products.
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What to do if the cesspool silts up?
One of the most common problems among owners of sewerage tanks is their siltation. If you know what to do if the cesspool has silted up, then eliminating this problem will not be difficult. Biological, chemical and mechanical means can be used as methods to combat this nuisance.
The most striking sign of siltation at the bottom of the cesspool is a decrease in the volume of the tank. Subsequently, the rate of filling of the waste tank increases, and the need for frequent pumping arises. The second “symptom” is the accumulation of fatty deposits on the walls. They also reduce the volume of runoff and interfere with the normal settling of waste.
Silting of the waste tank
Other signs of siltation:
- Presence of a strong, unpleasant odor. Naturally, a certain stench will emanate from the cesspool, but if it manifests itself particularly clearly, then the sludge deposits urgently need to be eliminated. Such a stench signals slow decay processes;
- A layer of silt is visible from the inspection hatch. This is a clear sign indicating the need for immediate cleaning of the pit.
Sludge in a cesspool
It is also called the goldsmith method. To perform this type of sludge removal, it is necessary to prepare fecal or drainage pump, a brush for cleaning the hole, a reservoir for pumping out liquid (you can dig an additional pit) and a hose of the required length (for immersing the pump).
Step-by-step instructions on what to do if a sealed cesspool or septic tank has silted up:
- A fecal or drainage pump is lowered into the tank containing waste. Pay attention to the type of device you are using. Depending on the type of equipment chosen, immersion can be made to the bottom of the pit or to the upper wastewater line. For best result For pumping, we recommend buying a fecal pump with a grinder;
- A hose is pulled from the cesspool to the drain (additional pit) tank;
- When the pit is completely cleared of liquid waste, the process of mechanical cleaning of the bottom and walls of silt and fatty deposits begins. Depending on the level of siltation, brushes with metal tips, buckets, or hired workers are used for this;
Cleaning sludge with buckets
If you don’t want to clean the sludge in the pit yourself, use the services of a vacuum cleaner. Most professional machines are equipped with suction pumps. This is a device designed to remove silt deposits.
You can watch the video below to see how the pit is pumped out using a sludge sucker:
Advantages of mechanical cleaning:
- You can do it yourself;
- Suitable for cleaning concrete, metal and stone structures;
- Affordable and highly effective.
- Will not help get rid of unpleasant odor;
- Manual cleaning is not acceptable for plastic and open cesspools;
- There is no long-term effect.
It is a universal way to get rid of sludge. Unlike mechanical, it is carried out exclusively independently, and, moreover, completely eliminates the problem of stench. To get rid of sludge using this method, compounds of nitrates, ammonium, acids or formaldehyde are used (rarely, because it is highly toxic).
Ammonium for cesspool
Step-by-step instructions on how to clean a cesspool with chemicals:
- The desired type of chemical compounds is selected. Experts recommend using nitrate cleaners - they are the safest for the environment and can be used in open structures;
- Measured required quantity facilities. Do not exceed the permissible concentration - this can poison the soil or harm workers during subsequent wastewater treatment;
- The compound is poured into the container, after which the pit is closed. For some time, active processes of liquefaction of sludge and solid particles (paper, soap residue, grease) will take place there. On average, it takes from 3 to 6 hours to completely dissolve waste (for a volume of up to 2 cubic meters);
- Liquid waste is pumped out using a drainage or sewage pump into a separate container or pit. If you plan to use another cleaning option in the future, the pit is washed with clean water.
This method is good for those who do not want to use vacuum cleaners. It is quite economical and easy to implement.
Advantages of chemical pit cleaning from sludge:
- Chemicals can be used even in winter. Even though the top of the drain will be frozen, the acids will still be able to dissolve it. For example, biological drugs do not work in such conditions;
- The unpleasant odor is immediately eliminated. In addition, it is neutralized by long time even in the absence of chemical compounds;
- This is a very cheap way to get rid of sludge. For example, 1 liter of Brilliance reagent costs up to $7; to clean 1 cubic meter of feces, this liquid requires 300 ml.
- Cannot be used in plastic barrels and open septic tanks;
- Has cumulative effects. The more cleanings, the longer the problem of silting is absent;
- It is not advisable to use bioactivators for a long time after chemical reagents. Chemistry neutralizes bacteria, so if you decide to switch to bacterial cleaning, you will need to rinse the pit thoroughly.
The most effective and safe way to get rid of sludge in a cesspool is to clean the drain with bacterial preparations. Their operating principle is very similar to chemical reagents, but they do not harm the environment and the waste material.
Liquid concentrate Doctor Robik
As bacteria, you can use anaerobic microorganisms (they live without oxygen) and aerobic microorganisms (fresh air is necessary for normal life). During their life cycle, they process sludge, solid fecal deposits and fats.
Step-by-step instructions for biological cleaning of a pit from sludge:
- The necessary bacteria are selected. It is recommended to use anaerobic for septic tanks and sealed containers, and aerobic for open drains. In addition, there are different shapes bacterial agents. Concentrated powders, granules, tablets and solutions. The easiest to use are powdered products;
- The required amount of bioactivator is poured into the pit. The cleaning process lasts from 3 to 10 days;
- After the period of bacteria action ends, liquid waste is pumped out of the pit. It is noteworthy that these wastewater do not require special disposal. They can be used as fertilizers or water for watering fields, vegetable gardens or orchards;
- The container is washed with clean water. If further continuous use of bacteria is planned, then a new portion of microorganisms can be immediately placed in the tank.
Doctor Robic (ROEBIC) and SANEX have gained great popularity among homeowners. They are safe for the environment and differ from their analogues in their affordable price.
Before and after bioactivator
Advantages of the biological sludge treatment method:
- Safety;
- Can be used to eliminate the problem of siltation in open pits;
- Eliminates not only deposits, but also unpleasant odors;
- Liquid wastewater after bacterial exposure does not need to be disposed of in special ways.
- Cannot be used in the cold season;
- Very long cleaning period;
- Bacteria are much more expensive than chemicals.
Check out articles on similar topics.
You don’t even have to think about how to clean a cesspool: there is an old-fashioned way - to bury the container of sewage along with its contents, and move the plank structure of strategic importance to another place. You can plant over buried “treasures” fruit trees and in a couple of decades become a great farmer. The method is simple to the point of genius, but it is not at all suitable if our strategic object is in the house, and there is only a hole on the street - we will have to clean it.
- Mechanical.
- Chemical.
- Biological.
Mechanical cleaning will require specialized equipment, and chemical cleaning will require aggressive compounds. Biological treatment is the most natural and simple, but it also has its drawbacks.
Mechanical cleaning
The method is simple. The sludge sucker arrives, simply pumps out the contents of the pit and takes it away from the territory.
The main disadvantage of the method can be considered the “aroma”, which sometimes spreads far beyond the site. However, this is not so: the main inconveniences are the need to construct an access road and the limited length of the hose. Previously, the standard was 3 m, but now they are exploring 15-meter depths using 50-meter hoses. If you cannot drive close to the hole (there is another 50 m from the last meter of the path), you will have to think about other cleaning methods. Need I say that calling a modern suction pump with a 50-meter hose is much more expensive than calling an antediluvian tank with a short proboscis?
For your information. You can save on the cost of the service. Sometimes they charge money specifically for cleaning, and not for the volume of wastewater. If this volume is equal to the capacity of the tank, the sludge pump can be called less frequently. But we need to find such ingenuous sewer trucks.
However, in any case, payment for the service must be included in the budget as a permanent expense item.
You can clean the toilet cesspool manually using a fecal pump. This is also mechanical cleaning in essence.
If there is automation, the device turns itself on and off when needed, but the hired suction pump takes everything away, but it is not clear where the sewage pump will discharge the wastewater automatically.
Particularly risky citizens do not think too much - they use a regular pump, equipped with a filter. But there is a nuance here - equipment used for other purposes does not want to work for a long time and breaks down with enviable regularity.
Important! You cannot do without chemical or biological cleaning at all: over time, deposits appear on the walls - they need to be removed.
Chemical cleaning
The method cannot be called new - chemicals have been used for a long time, and there are favorites among them. How popular cleaning products are used:
- ammonium compounds,
- nitrogen compounds (nitrate oxidizers),
- bleach.
The main disadvantage of this method is the increased aggressiveness of the substances. With equal joy and ease, they destroy not only complex wastewater mixed with household chemicals, but also metal pipes.
Disadvantages of chemicals
Of the above, bleach and formaldehyde are frankly cheap, but they are just as frankly dangerous to human health. Recently, these funds are practically not used. Ammonium compounds are much safer, but they are not suitable for wastewater containing household chemicals (washing powders, detergents, cleaning products), since the effectiveness of the drugs is sharply reduced. In addition, nitrate oxidizers are expensive.
Environmentalists attack chemical cleaning because the impact of ammonium compounds on the environment has not been thoroughly studied, and the formerly popular formaldehyde and bleach are definitely harmful. Soon chemistry will be completely replaced by biological products, to which we are moving without paying close attention to chemistry.
Biological products
The method is based on a natural mechanism - a septic tank or cesspool is cleaned by aerobic and/or anaerobic bacteria that process wastewater in the process of life. Here, environmentalists are triumphant, since the same processing occurs in the soil - it is absolutely safe for living organisms and the environment.
To clean a cesspool, anaerobic bacteria that do not require oxygen are often used. Aerobic ones are suitable for post-treatment in two-chamber (or more) systems where air is forced in (especially for microorganisms). After two-level purification, the recycled water can be safely used for irrigation.
Bacteria decompose wastewater into components (at the same time disinfecting them) - water, sediment, carbon dioxide. The sediment is useful in the garden as fertilizer. Water that has undergone only one stage of purification is released into the drainage field, where soil bacteria complete the process.
The use of biological products is extremely simple - the liquid or powder is dissolved in a certain amount of water (according to the instructions) and the solution is sent either to a cesspool or to a septic tank chamber. You can even, without further ado, pour the solution into the toilet, from where it will reach its intended destination.
Disadvantages of biological products
There are some drawbacks in the case of safe hard workers, miracle bacteria - they are afraid of household chemicals and work actively in a certain temperature range. If a septic tank or pit is cleaned with biological products, there should be no impurities of washing powders and detergents in the drains, which is very inconvenient in houses for year-round use. There are two exits:
- use expensive, more resistant bacteria;
- periodically resort to the services of vacuum cleaners for mechanical cleaning.
We do not consider non-use of detergents. Using gentle detergents will cost more than using bacteria that are resistant to them.
As for the temperature, in a normal environment for bacteria it is not lower than +4 and not higher than +30 degrees. In case of violation temperature regime the normal work of bacteria stops, the cleaning efficiency disappears.
How to clean a hole manually without pumping
For some there is nothing better own hands. And with these hands, citizens save money. In principle, you can save on anything - including cleaning the cesspool. You can do a lot on your own - even move a couple of mountains. A bucket, a shovel, enviable patience, a gas mask instead of a nose, and go ahead - to conquer the peak of the “Clean Cesspool”. True, such savings force us to tinker with our own... drains.
Cleaning a cesspool without pumping
The set of cleaning measures is simple:
- a rope is tied to the bucket;
- with this bucket they scoop out the precious contents until the pit is empty;
- tie (and more tightly) a rope to a person;
- arm a man with a shovel;
- they lower this person to the bottom of the pit along with a shovel and bucket;
- the person at the bottom loads the bucket and “whistles up”;
- at the top they pull the bucket by the rope and lift it up;
- when the contents are finished, they lift the person up.
Where is the scooped-out material sent? Who goes where. There is also a benefit - you can make compost (not only savings, but also benefits).
If bacteria have processed the drains, you will only have to clean the sludge - this is not so terrible, but still unsightly and inconvenient.
When the hole is narrow...
The best way to clean a cesspool
What are we doing?
- An absolutely hassle-free, safe method of cleaning a cesspool either stumbles over household chemicals or turns into an expensive one.
- Sludge suckers pump out everything at once, without looking at any chemistry, but they cause a lot of unpleasant moments not only for the owners of the pit, but also for their neighbors.
- It’s better not to think about chemical cleaning at all - it’s dangerous. A possible exception is the unexplored purification with nitrate oxidizers.
It turns out the best way There is no such thing as cleaning - everything is individual. If they live in a private house all year round, actively use detergents, but at the same time want to save on sewage disposal, it is preferable to pay for the pumping service. Under the same conditions, but without saving, the option is clear - biological products that are resistant to aggressive influences. Also, biological treatment is optimal if detergents do not go into the sewer system, that is, they do not use a washing machine or dishwasher. Enthusiasts can periodically clean out the toilet cesspool by hand, but is it worth the time?
The lack of usual amenities in a country house or country house causes some difficulties. You will encounter many questions in the process of arranging and using a cesspool. Of course, there are several ways to clean a cesspool, but most likely, you need effective and effective ways. These are the ones we will look at in the article.
Many dachas use a local sewer system equipped with a cesspool, which must be cleaned periodically. Let's figure out how to clean a cesspool in a private house. There are several common cleaning methods:
- Using a pump or other available tool;
- Use of chemical or biological products;
- Ordering a sewer truck.
DIY cleaning
One of the most popular local sewage systems today is a cesspool, which is actively used in summer cottages, private houses and cottages. Unlike other similar systems, it does not require large operating costs.
The main problem after putting a cesspool into operation is choosing the most appropriate option for cleaning it. Cleaning with a conventional pump or other available means has several features:
- The appearance of an unpleasant odor;
- The need to purchase a special fecal pump or filters for a regular pump so that it does not become clogged;
- The process takes a lot of time and effort;
- The need to remove waste from the site.
Using a regular bucket and shovel will make the cleanup process even more difficult and unpleasant. In addition, you will need a large, sealed container to accommodate subsequent wastewater disposal.
Therefore, if you actively use a cesspool, it is best to purchase a special automatic pump that will pump out wastewater as the pit fills.
Cleaning with a suction pump
One way or another, you have to periodically pump out toilets and cesspools, but, as we already understood, if you do it yourself, it will be quite unpleasant and difficult:
- Contacting a specialized company is the best way out of the situation. You can always order cesspool maintenance, high-quality cleaning and sewage pumping services.
- Modern methods, devices and equipment have become much more convenient and simpler, so it will not be difficult to choose a cesspool cleaner. Today, “dirty” work has begun to be performed with the help of special devices, work complexes and instruments, so manual labor is almost excluded here.
- There are a large number of drugs that can speed up the decomposition process of waste, eliminating possible odors, because microbes are processed.
Features of cleaning a pit using a sewer machine:
- Use a directory or the Internet to find an organization that disposes of household liquid waste. Order a sludge pump - this is a special machine that pumps out liquid waste.
- Sludge sucking machines are needed for vacuum cleaning of wells, cesspools, sewer and storm water networks from sludge and its transportation to the unloading site.
- The sludge sucking machines include Vacuum pump with drive, tank, hydraulic, electric, pneumatic systems, suction boom and additional equipment.
- Management is carried out with remote control suction boom control. Unloading of sludge occurs when tanks are tipped over.
Note! In order for the cesspool to be cleaned using a sewer truck, it is necessary to ensure that the suction pump can reach a distance of no more than 4 meters. In addition, the depth of the pit should not exceed 3 meters.
If you use a cesspool only in summer period and the water consumption is small, then you will have to call the vacuum cleaners about once a month. However, if you live in the house permanently and actively use the shower, washing machine, dishwasher and other water-consuming appliances, you will have to order a suction pump three to four times a month.
Of course, this service is not very cheap, but such cleaning of cesspools is very effective and allows you to solve many problems, including the problem of waste disposal.
Use of biological products
An excellent solution for cleaning pits is the use of chemicals and biological products. To disinfect the contents, there is also an antiseptic for cesspools.
Note! The result of the use of modern chemical and biological products is that instead of fecal matter and waste, a liquid is formed in the cesspool, which is odorless and safe. The sediment can be pumped out with a conventional pump, so calling a sewer truck will be required much less often.
Features of the use of biological products:
- Biological products process accumulated fats, feces, paper, vegetable peelings and other contents. At the same time, the volume of waste is significantly reduced and cesspools are disinfected.
- For materials that were used in the construction process, biological products, unlike chemicals, are completely safe. They do not have a negative effect on metal, cinder block, brick, concrete and plastic.
- However, bacteria do not process inorganic materials, household or construction waste, or plastic containers, such as plastic bags and bottles.
- Many chemicals are harmful to bacteria, so wastewater containing washing powders and detergents should not be poured into a cesspool. In an aggressive environment, bacteria will die, so cleaning will be ineffective.
- Biological products begin to work two hours after entering a liquid medium. In four hours they effectively cope with unpleasant odors.
- Bacteria can work effectively only at temperatures from +4 to +30 degrees.
- Before using the drug, be sure to read the instructions. Some drugs are sold immediately in ready-made liquid form, while others are sold in the form of granules, which must first be diluted in water.
- With the help of biological products, you can clean and restore the drainage properties of the pit, that is, its ability to absorb water. This is especially true after pumping with sewage trucks, when the drainage of the cesspool is disrupted.
Also, the drainage properties may deteriorate during the use of the pit, as a result of the bottom being filled with organic waste, the build-up of waste on the walls or the base of a fatty impenetrable plug. When using a bioactivator, drainage will be restored, the bottom and walls of the sewer pit or septic tank will return to their original state, and the incoming water will be absorbed into the soil again.
Note! Sometimes an unpleasant and specific odor appears after cleaning with a suction pump. And this smell does not disappear immediately, but sometimes persists for about two weeks. Biological products that effectively combat unpleasant odors will also help you solve this problem.
When using biological products for cesspools and local treatment facilities, the consumer must be confident in their effectiveness not only in terms of cleaning and combating unpleasant odors, but also in the environmental safety of the drugs used.
Biological products used for cleaning are the result of long-term scientific research in the field of biotechnology. They consist of microorganisms and bacteria, which through their vital activity do not cause any harm to the environment.
Use of chemicals
However, biological products have one important drawback: they cannot work in winter. Of course for summer cottage this will not be a problem, but if you decide to install a cesspool in a country house where you like to relax in the winter, then in the cold season you will have the problem of treating wastewater. In this case, it is best to clean the hole using chemicals:
- Chemical preparations are not afraid of low temperatures, sudden temperature changes, and are also resistant to household products and aggressive environments.
- Chemicals effectively decompose different kinds waste and combat the appearance of unpleasant odors.
- But not all wastewater treatment chemicals are considered safe for the environment.
Note! Formaldehyde, which has remained the most popular cleaning agent over the past decades, is very toxic and harmful, and the effects of ammonium compounds are still not fully understood and should be used very carefully.
Therefore, if you want to clean a cesspool, it is recommended to use nitrate oxidizers, which are the safest. We hope the article answered your question about how to clean a cesspool, and now operating the sewer system will not cause you any inconvenience or problems.
If the usual amenities are missing at a dacha or in a country house, then some difficulties arise associated with comfortable living. To avoid such inconveniences, you need to make a functional sewer system. Most often, a cesspool is dug for these purposes, but there are other options that will cost more.
Many summer residents have often encountered the problem of old cesspools, so they know firsthand what troubles the downtime of such a sewerage structure brings.
There are several effective methods that will answer how to clean a cesspool in a private house:
- you can use a pump or other available device;
- use drugs of chemical or biological origin;
- use the services of a sewer truck.
Do-it-yourself cleaning of old cesspools
Perhaps the most popular local sewage system is a conventional cesspool. It can often be found in dachas or plots country houses. Compared to alternative systems, this option does not require large costs. The main problem lies in another feature altogether, namely the choice effective method cleaning it.
Cleaning using a pump or other device has some features, namely:
- there is often a bad smell;
- you have to buy a fecal pump or special filters that are inserted into a simple pump to eliminate the risk of equipment clogging;
- to clean the pit using this method you do not need to spend a lot of time and effort;
- Pumped out contaminants and waste must be transported off-site.
Of course, you can use a simple bucket and shovel, but such actions are considered very difficult and unpleasant.
It is better to purchase an airtight container in advance large sizes for subsequent removal of wastewater.
If the cesspool is actively used on the farm, it is recommended to purchase an automatic pump to pump out the water filling the cesspool.
Self-cleaning of cesspools with a pump
Cleaning a cesspool using a suction pump
In any case, when constructing a cesspool, it is regularly cleaned, that is, pumped out. You can do this yourself, but it’s not particularly pleasant or easy, so the question of how to clean a cesspool without pumping becomes less relevant. It is best to contact a company that specializes in such actions. Thus, you can be sure that the structure will be thoroughly cleaned and free of contaminants.
With the help of modern methods, equipment and devices, it has become more convenient and easier to maintain cesspools. It is not necessary to do all the dirty work yourself, as there are special devices, complexes and instruments that reduce manual labor.
There is a wide variety of drugs that cause waste to decompose much faster. It also eliminates unpleasant odors due to the processing of microbes.
If the work is carried out by specialists, then you can be confident about the result, since only proven materials, the latest technologies and modern equipment are used.
Sludge cleaner for cleaning a septic tank
Cleaning a cesspool using a sewer machine
Today it is not difficult to find an organization that deals with the disposal of liquid household waste. A service such as ordering a suction pump is suitable for those who do not want to spend their efforts on cleaning the cesspool. A special machine will quickly and easily pump out any volume of liquid waste.
Using a sludge sucker, vacuum cleaning of wells, sewer pits, and stormwater systems is carried out. As a result, all waste, sludge and other contaminants are transported to their destination.
Such machines consist of:
- a vacuum pump equipped with a drive;
- tanks;
- hydraulic system;
- electrical system;
- pneumatic system;
- suction boom.
The machine can be controlled using a remote control. The sludge is unloaded after the tank is tipped over.
The disadvantages of this method of cleaning cesspools include the fact that over time the earth begins to poorly absorb water, so it has to be pumped out more often.
Important! If you plan to pump out waste using a sewer truck, then you need to provide access to it. A distance of four meters is sufficient, while the depth of the structure should be no more than three meters.
If the structure is to be used exclusively in the summer, with little water consumption, the cesspool should be cleaned of sludge using a sewer truck once a month. If a family permanently lives in the house and actively uses the shower, washing machine, dishwasher and other appliances, then you will have to call a special machine at least 3-4 times a month.
Naturally, this service is not cheap, but this method of cleaning pits is quite effective. Thus, it becomes possible to quickly solve the problem associated with waste disposal.
Using a vacuum truck when cleaning a pit
Use of biologically based drugs
To clean cesspools, you can also use chemical or biological preparations, but before purchasing them you need to consult with a specialist about the required volume of the product for a particular pit.
To disinfect the contents of a cesspool, you can use a special antiseptic.
Important! As a result of the use of chemicals and biological agents, fecal matter and other waste are converted into liquid. It is odorless and does not pose any danger. In any case, a sediment forms, which must be pumped out with a sewer truck.
Like any other drugs, biological products should be used taking into account certain features:
- Such drugs are able to effectively process fats, solid waste, feces and vegetable waste. When using special compounds, the volume of waste is significantly reduced and cleaning pits are disinfected;
- Compared to chemicals, biological products are practically not dangerous for the materials used to build a cesspool. This way, plastic, metal, brick, cinder block and concrete are not damaged;
- as a rule, such bacteria are not intended for processing materials of inorganic origin, as well as household and construction waste, plastic, polyethylene and bottles;
- preparations of biological origin are afraid of contact with chemicals. For this reason, it is prohibited to pour water containing, for example, washing powder or detergent into the cesspool. As a rule, the bacteria used are not able to act in an aggressive environment, so the risk of their death is high;
- preparations of biological origin activate their activity two hours after they are poured into liquid. After four hours, the unpleasant odor disappears;
- the optimal temperature for bacteria to work effectively can range from +4 to +30 degrees;
- Before using the biological product, it is recommended to read the instructions. Some substances are sold in liquid form, and some drugs are sold in the form of granules; they need to be diluted in water immediately before infusion;
- using preparations of biological origin, it becomes possible to restore the drainage of the cesspool, in other words, it is possible to improve it throughput. There is often a need to use the drug after pumping out waste using sewage machines, when drainage is disrupted.
Sometimes drainage functions deteriorate during the operation of the cesspool. This often occurs due to the accumulation of organic waste at the bottom of the pit, as well as due to the build-up of waste on the walls of the structure or the appearance of a fat plug. Using biological products, you can quickly and effectively restore drainage and return the bottom and walls of the sewer septic tank to their original state.
Important! There are cases when, after using the suction pump, the unpleasant odor still remains and persists for two weeks. To solve such an unpleasant problem, you can use a biological product.
Before you clean the cesspool with your own hands and use special preparations, you need to make sure that these products will not only help effectively eliminate the unpleasant odor, but will also not harm the environment. The composition of such biological products includes microorganisms and bacteria that do not have a dangerous effect on the environment.
Biological product for cleaning cesspools
Chemical preparations for cleaning cesspools
Despite many advantages, biological products have an important drawback: they do not function in winter. Of course, this feature is not important for country houses, which do not provide for year-round stay, but for country houses where people live permanently, this problem is relevant.
In such cases, a suitable option would be to use chemicals, which also have their own advantages:
- chemical agents are not dangerous low temperatures and their sharp changes. Also, these drugs are resistant to the influence of household detergents and aggressive environments;
- chemicals promote the decomposition of various types of waste and do an excellent job of eliminating unpleasant odors;
- Despite some benefits, chemicals are considered hazardous to the environment.
Chemical cleaning of cesspool
Previously, formaldehydes were used to clean cesspools; despite their effectiveness, they are quite toxic and harmful. As for ammonium compounds, their effect has not been fully studied, so products with this composition should be used with extreme caution.
According to experts, it is more advisable to clean cesspools using nitrate oxidizers, since they are less hazardous to the environment. The composition of such products is similar to fertilizers; they are not capable of harming humans and plants.
Which method of cleaning a cesspool to choose will depend on the specific case. When choosing a particular product, it is important to consider not only its effectiveness, but also its level of safety.