Is cleaning filter socks in the washing machine safe?

[mmw64]

You can wash your socks in the washing machine (alone) with a little bleach. Do an extra rinse cycle or two after washing. Hang to air dry for a couple of days and they're good to go.

+1

 

[davocean]

. Rinse off any chaeto, cig butts or other big stuff.

What kinda bad attitude fish are you keeping in that tank man?!

 

[Swr377]

I’ve been washing mine in the washer for YEARS. they get their own wash in bleach and get a 3 rinse cycle and spin. After that I take them out and I’m done.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Been doing it 2 years in machine. Occasionally drop in washing machine cleaner pod to freshen and disinfect unit

 

[tony'stank]

I have been washing my filter socks in my washing machine for years with no harmful effects. I simply use a few once’s of bleach and no detergent. I personally don’t use an extra rinse cycle but it is an option

 

[MJNTWise]

I wash mine in washer 3 times first time with bleach...

 

[ecam]

I keep my dirty ones in a bucket. I then run t the washing machine empty with bleach, then run socks with bleach. One more was with nothing but water, followed by air dry. Probably overkill, but have never had an issue

+1 on this. This is my exact method. Smell the sock once dry to make sure no chlorine smell and your good to go.


I heard you should power wash the felt once in a while to unclog them. Washing machine can’t really get stuff off the pores

 

[garbled]

I do 1 rinse cycle empty to flush out any leftover detergent. One wash cycle with socks with light bleach, and I use the steam cycle on my washer. Then usually 1-2 short rinse cycles.

 

[P-Dub]

Garden hose pressure wash. That's it for the most part. Once every couple of months I place them in the washing machine with a bit of bleach and detergent with a final follow-up rinse on the trusty hose with high-pressure nozzle.

 

[mattgsa]

I have the felt one too, and I wash mine in the washing machine by them selves with just bleach no soap, then rinse again, it has worked great for me.

 

[livingcolors]

I batch wash mine, doing 2-3 sock changes at a time. I store them in a bucket with hydrogen peroxide to soak them, just pour it on them and put em' in the bucket with a lid. Never add bleach. Then, in the washing machine they go. I've never had a problem with that. No soap, just hot water and heavy cycle and a high level. you can always dry them in the sun to help coloring

 

[jd371]

I had been using felt socks since I started my tank 3 years ago. Kept 10 and would swap out a clean one and throw the dirty one in a bucket of water with a little bleach after hosing the crud off with a garden hose. When I got to the last sock they would go from the bucket to the washing machine for two rinse cycles and then hung to dry. Tried going sockless for a little while but the skimmer would get dirty fast and needed cleaning more often than with socks and since it was easier to clean the socks than having to remove the skimmer once a month to clean I went back to socks.
Instead of felt I wanted to try mesh socks and glad I did because I love them better than the felt socks. They clean easier and don't need to be blasted with the garden hose, they can be cleaned under the sink with a scrub brush. They dry very fast and can be used the same day. I usually swap out the filter sock on the 5th day and in the past if I didn't the felts would be overflowing by the next day, not with the mesh and could go a few more days without it overflowing.

 

[BitFix]

I had been using felt socks since I started my tank 3 years ago. Kept 10 and would swap out a clean one and throw the dirty one in a bucket of water with a little bleach after hosing the crud off with a garden hose. When I got to the last sock they would go from the bucket to the washing machine for two rinse cycles and then hung to dry. Tried going sockless for a little while but the skimmer would get dirty fast and needed cleaning more often than with socks and since it was easier to clean the socks than having to remove the skimmer once a month to clean I went back to socks.
Instead of felt I wanted to try mesh socks and glad I did because I love them better than the felt socks. They clean easier and don't need to be blasted with the garden hose, they can be cleaned under the sink with a scrub brush. They dry very fast and can be used the same day. I usually swap out the filter sock on the 5th day and in the past if I didn't the felts would be overflowing by the next day, not with the mesh and could go a few more days without it overflowing.

Have you seen a difference on the amount of dirt that the mesh removes or it not noticable at all?

 

[fishnerd1]

I keep my dirty ones in a bucket. I then run t the washing machine empty with bleach, then run socks with bleach. One more was with nothing but water, followed by air dry. Probably overkill, but have never had an issue

I use the same process. Works great.

 

[dsh92056]

I throw them in the washing machine hot water and a little bleach. Once done I was again in hot water with no bleach. Air dry and then use. no problems what so ever.

 

[sdcosta]

I make sure to run a rinse cycle in the washing machine first and then I throw my socks in on handwash/delicate cycle with a little bit of bleach. I have a front loading washer, not sure if this matters. Then let them air dry. Been doing this for 2 yrs no issues.

 

[twotangs]

I’ve been washing mine in the washer for YEARS. they get their own wash in bleach and get a 3 rinse cycle and spin. After that I take them out and I’m done.

Same here

 

[JDtimk]

I don't use them anymore, but when I did I used to wash them in the washing machine. No soap. No bleach for me, which never seemed to be an issue. Two cycles on heavy wash and I would flip them inside out between the cycles to get both sides better.
Air dry over a few days just because I usually had other clean ones ready to go so I didn't need the wet ones.
I stopped using filter socks when I started feeding heavily for corals twice a day. I think at this point I would have to change out the filter sock every other day or so. I just have a 75 gal tank as a sump with a ton of flow in it and my skimmer and algae scrubber so I don't trap as much food in baffles or anything like that in the sump at least.

 

[chicago]

Wash in machine on hitbwith extra water level and two rinse cycles. With. Bleach. Then another cycle. Total over kill. Then in bucket of some dechlorinatir and water. Hang dry. Total over kill.

 

[RtomKinMad]

I keep my dirty ones in a bucket. I then run t the washing machine empty with bleach, then run socks with bleach. One more was with nothing but water, followed by air dry. Probably overkill, but have never had an issue

We do the exact same thing!