Hate cleaning filter socks!

I like running filter socks but I don't much like cleaning them. I understand some people run them through the washing machine but I have reserves about soap or fabric softener residue being left behind (I've torn a washer apart and seen what doesn't rinse out) and if my Wife caught me doing it there would probably be an intervention for my addiction....so I went looking for a cheap washer to dedicate to filter socks and found something...
Today the FedEx man delivered my brand new mini washer!! I threw 4 dirties in it and they came out looking great!...and only 68 clams on amazon.

 

Wow that is really cool

 

Only $68 that's a steal and looks like it will work great for a dedicated washer for socks. To bad I don't use filter socks anymore....... How do you fill and empty it with water?

 

It's pretty much no frills, kinda like the old ringer washers. You have to dump water in with a hose or bucket, it holds about 5 gallons, and then there is a hose that hangs on the side, when you unhook and lower the hose the water drains out. It has a mechanical timer you can set up to 15 minutes. All it does is agitate to clean the contents, won't spin or anything else.

--- Auto-Merged, Jan 7, 2016 ---

Beats cleaning by hand!!!

 

thats neat.i use 300 micron mesh bags and they rinse clean in the in the sink.

 

I like it. put one in my cart on amazon for next time I get a itch to order something!

 

That is a sweet find! and for only $68.00

 

You could start up a DSM-area sock laundering service, ha!

 

Thanx for the post I was thinking of a way to incorporate filter socks into my system I think I will try the 300 micron mesh bags Gust suggested. I'll need ones with draw strings. I suppose you can find anything on the internet.

 

my mesh bags have the 4" plastic rings,but they sell the draw string ones on ebay

 

I like using the felt ones as they trap a lot more stuff but are harder to clean.

--- Auto-Merged, Jan 8, 2016 ---

BRS has a good selection of plastic ring and draw string, felt and mesh.

 

I usually run a load of bleach clothes twice through the washer, then two empty bleach rinse cycles first. Then I wash my filter socks inside out with bleach, right way with bleach, then a rinse cycle with 2 extra rinses. I air dry them overnight and soak my socks in a bath of RO/DI with sodium hydroxide before putting them back in the tank.

Before I did the sodium hydroxide bath my skimmer would go crazy when I added the socks, now it's not fazed at all. Sodium hydroxide is used to neutralize bleach, not sure if it "neutralizes" any of the laundry detergent chemicals or not...

 

I wondered about bleach and thought there would probably be some benefits to using it but wasn't sure about how to make sure none made it back to the tank. Thanks.

 

If you rinse well and make sure to let them fully dry all the bleach will be gone.

 

Yup as Bill said if you let them dry the chlorine will evaporate. I normally clean mine with bleach then rinse them out well. After 24 hours to dry I will use them in my tanks.

 

Thanks guys, up until now I was scared to use anything but tap water. Good to know others have used it without issues and with success. Socks are cheap enough I keep plenty of spares around so it is 2-3 days to a week before any I clean get put back in the system.
How strong of mix / bleach to water ratio do you typically use?

 

Well I just tried washing all of mine this last week in the washing machine. Cleans then way better than by hand and its a lot less of a pain. I probably did A cup of bleach in the washing machine. I'll scale back from there and see what still gets them clean.