Antibacterial Soap

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2 Buckeyes

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May 10, 2015
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Hello all, I recently read in a post that using antibacterial soap can harm your gray water holding tank. Any truth to this? We are newbies and picking up our toy hauler in about a week and don't want to start off on the wrong foot.
 
I do not know that it harms the tank, but bacterial action in the tank will begain to break down solids and actually works to control odor, This is normal (And gray tanks get very stinky)  When you pour anti-bacterials down them this does not happen,.
And if your RV park has it's own septic system,, Don't help them none either.

I would avoid them,, For starters they are more Gimick than effective.  But they do kill beneficial bacteria.
 
John, Thanks for the reply. Hadn't even thought about the impact on the good bacteria, my main concern was doing any harm to the tanks. Couldn't think of a good reason why it would but then there is sooo much we have to learn about the RV lifestyle. Unfortunately, due to a medical condition, my DW has to use antibacterial soap several times a day so we may just have to deal with the smelly consequences.  :(

 
ALL soaps are anti-bacterial, so "anti-bacterial" on the label is mostly marketing hype anyway.  And soaps of all kinds have been flowing through septic systems for decades without destroying them. Your RV system, especially the gray water, doesn't rely much on bacterial action anyway (it's a holding tank, not a septic).

So the short answer is, "No Worries".
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
ALL soaps are anti-bacterial, so "anti-bacterial" on the label is mostly marketing hype anyway.  And soaps of all kinds have been flowing through septic systems for decades without destroying them. Your RV system, especially the gray water, doesn't rely much on bacterial action anyway (it's a holding tank, not a septic).

So the short answer is, "No Worries".
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Thank you for this, people make too much out of the anti bacterial soap hype and worry too much about what possible effects things may have.      ;)
 
I must disagree - somewhat.

My niece moved back home with her mother a few years ago. 2 kids.  She was a germ freak.  Anti bacterial soap, laundry detergent, dish soap, etc. etc.  The septic, which had run flawlessly for 20 years, needed drained twice in 6 months while she was living there.  It has not been emptied since she moved.

The church next door to her has a daycare.  Lots of antibacterial hand washing.  Septic is drained every 2 months, scheduled in advance.

Will a little soap hurt a gray tank?  Probably not.  Would it hurt a black tank?  YES, but the plumbing should not send any there.
 
We have used a septic tank in our home for over 40 years.  All the liquid from our house runs into the single septic tank.  My wife has used all kinds of soap and also uses Clorox occasionally when she does the laundry.  We've used Scott's 1000 single ply TP for many years to insure it would dissolve very well.  We had a friend who recommended not using the very thick TP such as Charmin a long time ago.  Never had a problem with the system.  I don't think the soap makes any difference.  I'm sure that large amounts of Clorox would cause a problem, but not a load or two of laundry per week.

Never had any grey or black tank problems with any of our TT's and we've had 5 of them over the last 31 years.
 
Big Larry, you are correct. 

OCCASIONAL use of bleach or anti bacterial soap is not a problem.  My point was OVER USE is a big deal.
 
Greetings,

Wondering if this could turn into a debate like the best toilet paper or some of the others. Some soap isn't anti-bacterial as much as it simply reduces surface tension allowing microbs to go down the sink. We have a septic (plan to put a lift in so I can dump tanks) and use anti-bacterial soap but very conservatively. Use of some of these soaps could create superbugs and may cause more problems than we already have with germs. Human body has lots of bacterial and germs. Can't wash that away nor do we want to. Best!
 
camperAL said:
Greetings,

Wondering if this could turn into a debate like the best toilet paper or some of the others. Some soap isn't anti-bacterial as much as it simply reduces surface tension allowing microbs to go down the sink. We have a septic (plan to put a lift in so I can dump tanks) and use anti-bacterial soap but very conservatively. Use of some of these soaps could create superbugs and may cause more problems than we already have with germs. Human body has lots of bacterial and germs. Can't wash that away nor do we want to. Best!
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camper Al is correct.  Minnesota has banned some of the anti-bacterial soaps to protect our water supplies and lakes.  Over use of soap will affect the septic systems as it can kill microbes that break down the sewage.  We are seeing some microbes become resistant to these chemicals from overuse and needing higher doses and stronger antibiotics to control them.  Mayo Clinic has put out warnings on the use of anti-bacterial soaps.
 
2 Buckeyes said:
Hello all, I recently read in a post that using antibacterial soap can harm your gray water holding tank. Any truth to this? We are newbies and picking up our toy hauler in about a week and don't want to start off on the wrong foot.
Click to expand...
You could put turpentine down there and it is not going to harm anything because this is a holding tank and not in any way a septic tank. We are not discussing septic tanks here as far as I can see from the OP question. 
 
That holding tank eventually goes into a septic tank
 
We have used all brands of soap, detergents, Clorox, and I don't know what else my wife uses in the laundry and kitchen, since 1960.

I just put in about a half cup of RidEx about once each month into a toilet and our septic tanks (we have one on each ranch) have always worked fine without every needing pump-out.
 
BigLarry said:
We have used a septic tank in our home for over 40 years.  All the liquid from our house runs into the single septic tank.  My wife has used all kinds of soap and also uses Clorox occasionally when she does the laundry.  We've used Scott's 1000 single ply TP for many years to insure it would dissolve very well.  We had a friend who recommended not using the very thick TP such as Charmin a long time ago.  Never had a problem with the system.  I don't think the soap makes any difference.  I'm sure that large amounts of Clorox would cause a problem, but not a load or two of laundry per week.

Never had any grey or black tank problems with any of our TT's and we've had 5 of them over the last 31 years.
Click to expand...


Same here.
I built my house in 1994, raised two daughters in it. Septic system (300' lateral lines) and water well. We've done lots of laundry, run lots of water, never gave any of it any thought. The septic tank has never been opened up. We even have a garbage disposal in the kitchen sink.
 
The Theory:  Bacterial action in the holding tanks helps to break down the "Stuff" that needs breaking down. actually may help control odors.

THeory 2: Anti-bacterial soap .. Kills off those bacteria and .. Well.. increases odors.

Fact: I do not know if those theories are 100% true

I do know that if you dump frequently Bacterial action won't amount to much.  When wife was alive I dumped 2x a week. now once every 1-2 weeks. (usually) or when I run out of fresh water.

So the bacterial action had more timer to act now.

But frankly I still don't know how much benefit I get from it.

Some products like RId-X for RV have a LOT of bacteria...
 
My sister lived next door to a day care that used LOTS of antibacterial soap.  Septic was pumped out monthly.

Her septic was fine - until daughter and new baby moved in.  Daughter used antibacterial everything - bar soap, bath soap, laundry detergent.  Septic problems started a month later and continued until her daughter got her own place.

SOME  antibacterial soap is fine, but too much destroys the good bacteria required for a healthy septic system.
 
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