Preventing Iron Bacteria Growth in Basement Drains: A Simple Guide

Iron bacteria is all around us, but a buildup of the substance is harmful in wells. For basement drains, the issue is not as serious because it is where water is exiting the home; however, it can make future clean-outs difficult because of the slimy residue it creates on the walls of the pipes. It is always easier to prevent this buildup, rather than to remove it. This is done by keeping your basement area clean and killing minute traces of the bacteria.

Things You'll Need

• Chlorine bleach
• Water
• Large containers
• Siphon
• Hose
• Long-handled scrub brush

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Instructions

• 1

  Mix together 1 gallon of chlorine bleach and 50 gallons of water in a large container. Reduce the quantity if you do not have a container that large (an example of a smaller amount would be 1 quart of bleach and 12.5 gallons of water).

• 2

  Put a siphon device in the container and connect it to a hose.

• 3

  Squeeze the siphon pump to start the flow of cleaner. Hold the hose and spray over the entire area to be cleaned. Save some solution for the drain after you clean.

• 4

  Scrub with a long-handled scrub brush toward the drain.

• 5

  Rinse the area with plain water.

• 6

  Pour the rest of the solution down the drain.