Cleaning Filter Socks

[Neo Jeo]

Afternoon Reefers!

I have about 10 filter socks I’m ready to clean . I’ve heard good things about bleach also bad things. I’ve heard people use peroxide or people just wash them. I’ve heard people don’t use them or buy a new one every time .

This is what I’m thinking :
-Run washed with vinegar prior to washing filter sock
-Wash filter socks in washing machine with vinegar with an added rinse cycle on a sanitary mode .
- Let dry 3 to 4 days

My washing machine has a sanitary cycle which will heat up the water to kill all bacteria and germs is this something I should use or do you think it would ruin my filter sock ?

Any other ideas of how to clean them I’m really torn after all I read . I’m ready to clean them

 

[Florida Sunshine]

Mine go through the washing machine using vinegar instead of soap with an extra rinse cycle. Let them dry for a couple of days and so far I have had no problems.
I too have heard of a lot of people using bleach, but I am just too nervous to do that.

 

[cracker]

I use bleach, I'll run a short cycle 1st just to get any excess laundry detergent that might be there. Turn them inside out & wash with bleach. Then I leave them out to dry in the sun for the day. I'd think left over chemicals like phosphates from the detergent is a greater concern than bacteria . Always done it this way ,never saw any issues.But Hey I could be wrong.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Well my personal experience over twenty years has been cleaning them with bleach in the washer with an extra rinse cycle and then let them dry completely. I also just before use, get them wet with RO/DI water in the sink.

 

[Bob Lauson]

I wash them with a 1/4 cup of bleach and do about 20 at a time. I have been doing this for several years with no issues.

 

[Radman73]

Bleach and extra rinse cycle here too. Just let them dry out. Also, it doesn't take much bleach.

 

[Neo Jeo]

Thanks for all the input.

Seems like bleach is the winner. I will buy some at the $ store that is insented.

I guess I’ll skip the sanitary cycle because bleach kills everything anyways

 

[redfishbluefish]

I think it's important that you mention the type of sock you use.....mesh or felt. I'm going to guess most (if not all) responses so far are felt users. The reason I say that is that, as a mesh user, the only thing I do is run it under the faucet while rubbing fabric to fabric, and it's clean.

Now as far as felt, someone did a study looking at felt under a microscope and found that the only thing bleaching does is to turn all the detritus white....it's still their. The study showed that the only way to truly clean felt is with a power washer. I'll try to find the study and post a link back here if I can find it.

 

[Neo Jeo]

I think it's important that you mention the type of sock you use.....mesh or felt. I'm going to guess most (if not all) responses so far are felt users. The reason I say that is that, as a mesh user, the only thing I do is run it under the faucet while rubbing fabric to fabric, and it's clean.

Now as far as felt, someone did a study looking at felt under a microscope and found that the only thing bleaching does is to turn all the detritus white....it's still their. The study showed that the only way to truly clean felt is with a power washer. I'll try to find the study and post a link back here if I can find it.

Thanks . I’m using felt . Bleach will kill all the crap tho. Washer dose remove “soil” I believe a power washer would be best but it’s just not an option .

 

[redfishbluefish]

I could not find the actual study, but did find someone else who had greater detail about that study:

I wish I could find the Post I read quite a while ago on a different Forum. I will make it short, he worked in a Lab and was curious to see what was being stuck in the floss of the socks via a Microscope. Most turned out to be Algae and tiny crustaceans and poop and food as expected. What he did after was check to see what was being left after cleaning via Washing Machine straight warm water. The silty stuff pretty much was washed away but the Crustaceans and Algae was there. He then added Bleach and they all came out nice and white but when he looked at they with the Microscope the Crustaceans were still there and so was the Algae cells except the where bleach. What he found out was there is no benefit to using the Bleach, in fact it can become a larger work load as you then have to Rinse them many times and then let them sit in Prime or some other Dechlorinating/Chloramine remover to get rid of the Bleach. I believe he found the Pressure washer to be the best and next was just plain Washing Machine but as for the Bleach, No Benefit to using Bleach as it Bleached the color out of the Algae cells and just looked cleaner.

 

[Deezill]

I use Clorox unscented bleach. I let them soak for a few days because if they go dry its over. Once they soak for 2 days I clean them very easy by hand. They come out bright white.

 

[racin2438]

Do you you prewash with garden hose to remove most detritus or just toss in washer

 

[vic5hands]

Bleach soap and extra rinse cycle Then dryer no problems

 

[Pntbll687]

I just use some bleach and then soak the socks in prime after for about a day. Let em dry and they're good to go

 

[Deezill]

Never thought about soaking in prime which kind of makes since because it is a Dechlorinator.

 

[Second Shot]

During warm weather I just spray them out with the hose. Over winter I rinse in sink, bleach in bucket and then soak in prime.

 

[Kevin D]

Mine go through the washing machine on whites, hot water, heavy load, fastest spin and no additives what so ever and they get pretty clean.

 

[HolisticBear]

Washing machine isn't an option for me. So I have two of these Oxo Fliplock containers.

One is bleach where they sit for a few days, then I rinse, let soak in the second of water for a bit, then let dry.

I keep them below the sink, out of sight.

 

[DanConnor]

I just wash a load first with no detergent to clean out machine.
Then turn socks inside out and wash in plain water.
Then re-use.
I don't really get the bleach idea- the bacteria etc in the socks is already in the tank. Just washing them in water gets them clean enough, imo.

 

[mochaclownlover]

I just take mine outside and use the jet setting on the hose to blast them clean, then I rinse with RO. Takes a bit longer, but since I only have two it's not that bad.