Although you might have thought about the damage that can occur to your septic system by flushing the wrong things down the toilet or pouring grease down your kitchen sink, you might not think much about how your laundry habits might affect your septic tank. However, things like washing clothes all day long rather than breaking up your loads throughout the week can cause an overload on your septic system. Other things can cause problems as well, such as the products that you use when you do your laundry. These are a few products that you should avoid if you want to prevent damage.

"Pods"

When laundry pods first hit the market, many people thought they were miracle products. Many of them include the detergent and the fabric softener all in one plastic capsule, and the detergent is pre-measured. This can seem like a lifesaver in the laundry room because you don't have to worry about measuring, pouring or spilling detergent everywhere.

However, laundry pods are not all that they are cracked up to be. Along with being dangerous -- since many kids find them appealing because of their bright colors and small sizes -- they can also be bad for your septic system. Sometimes the coating on the outside of the pod does not dissolve all the way -- which you might have noticed when doing your own laundry -- which can lead to clumps and clogs.

Powdered Detergent

Although you might have been using powdered laundry detergent for years now, you should know that liquid detergent is a better choice. Powdered detergent can clump up without dissolving, such as if you use too much or if your laundry detergent gets caught up in some of your clothing. Then, the clumps can get caught in your lines. With liquid detergent, there is less of a chance of there being an issue.

Taking good care of your septic system is about more than just being careful about what you flush down the toilet. You also have to think about the other parts of your home that have an effect on your septic system, such as your laundry room. You should be careful when washing clothes to ensure that you don't clog up your septic system or cause problems with your septic tank, so make sure that you avoid these laundry products. Also, be sure to take other precautions as well, such as shaking off sand and dirt before washing very dirty clothes and spacing out your loads rather than doing them all in a row.

If your septic tank is having trouble or needs to be pumped, contact a company such as Country Pump Out septic tanks.