How I Clean Felt Socks

[ams_reef]

I’m been using felt socks for my 43g and the routine I use seems to work well for me. Largely hands off and very effective. I designate a kitchen pot for aquaria (waterlogging driftwood, sanitizing rocks etc.).

Bring new and used socks to a boil (tap water) and boil 5 minutes. Dump water, refill and bring to a boil again for 5 minutes. Rinse with RO/DI water and air dry. Thats it’s. You can even air dry without rinsing so long as you are sure it’s 100% dry, it’ll dry extremely fast since the water remaining on the socks is extremely hot. I’ve even wringed them dry by hand with no ill-effects. The felt material is not compromised at all during the boiling process. The plastic ring does not melt or warp either.

New socks don’t make my skimmer go crazy, old socks get clean hands free. I personally feel that felt socks do a tremendous job so long as they are switched regularly. This method makes switching felt socks less of a chore and you don’t need to wait hours for a washing/drying cycle. There is no risk of introducing any detergents or other chemicals as well since the only medium used is H20.

Hope this helps anyone looking for a simple, fast and safe sock cleaning method.

 

[Wildreefs]

I like the idea, rather than use chemicals such as peroxide (expensive to soak or submerge every time) or bleach which is very hard to get, use extreme heat to burn organics off.

Surprised the plastic ring doesn’t melt tho

 

[35ppt]

When I used socks I just stuck a shovel in the ground in the backyard and hosed them down with a spray nozzle and let dry. They were never perfect white but it doesn't matter IMO.

 

[ams_reef]

Agreed, while the boil method doesn’t yield crisp white socks it does remove the vast majority of trapped solids. After drying they look blotchy gray.

I have never washed felt socks in the washing machine as some do. I would guess that if they are yielding white looking socks it has far more to do with bleach removing colors than it does the actual removal of solids.

 

[robbyg]

When I used socks I just stuck a shovel in the ground in the backyard and hosed them down with a spray nozzle and let dry. They were never perfect white but it doesn't matter IMO.

Yeah I turn my inside out and blast them with a hose.
After that I wash them in the machine with no soap and then a final rinse with the hose and dry them.
BTW Thank God for the Klir DI-4. I am now done with filter socks.

 

[MaccaPopEye]

When I used socks I used to just turn them inside out and throw them in the washing machine when my other half was at work then just air dried them

That's all I ever did and they never came out brilliant bleached white but white enough and clearly clean.

Sneaky edit: no socks is better though