Home milkers-bleach and the septic system.

[miss_thenorth]

Okay, it has been about a month since I got my goat. And one thing I am concerned about is the amount of bleach i am using. Bleach for the teat wash, bleach to sterilize the glass jars that the milk goes into. Bleach to sterilize the milk bucket and the strainer. While I am sure it only amounts to about 2-3 tablespoonsful every milking, times that by two milkings 7 days a week. etc. And all that bleach is going into my septic tank, and I am concerned about that.

Does it concern the rest of you? and if so, what is there to do about it. What are the alternatives to bleach. (and just an aside-- I do not have a dishwasher, so sterilization by that method is not an option at least for me.)

 

[BeccaOH]

Vinegar is an alternative cleaner to bleach, but I'm not sure what too much of it would do to the natural bacteria in a septic either.

Can you just boil some utensils without bleach?

Still it is hard to image you are getting too much bleach built up in the septic considering all the showers, toilet flushes, laundry, etc that adds water to it daily.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Steam and boiling is a much better alternative for the equipment. You can make a teat dip with a drop or so of tea tree oil in water.

 

[savingdogs]

I was worried about the same thing. I went to using an antiseptic baby wipe for washing udders. I don't use teat dip. For the milking equipment, I wash it in the dishwasher after washing normally in the sink. That is clean enough for me. We use the milk for family home use only but we have all been 100 percent healthy, in fact, a bit healthier than normal, since we started having raw goat milk.

I do use bleach for other purposes but usallly throw the water away outside but really wanted to use my sink to wash the milking equipment, not the hose!

 

[nachoqtpie]

savingdogs- is that a baby goat in your avatar???

 

[savingdogs]

Yes! That was Buckley when he was just a week old, he was being bottle fed after scouring and I was smiling because he was turning the corner and getting better after going down quickly. And yes, he is in the house!

 

[nachoqtpie]

HE IS ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!
*sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread....*

 

[savingdogs]

He is a little mutt goat, 3/4 nigerian dwarf, 1/4 nubian. I'd add a better photo of him but that would REALLY be hijacking and I'm truly interested in how to avoid using bleach so much. I actually am one of those people who like to use bleach as a cleaner, but I don't want it in my septic.

I've worked in several veterinary facilities and saw that bleach/water mixture is a cheap fast way to kill germs. I look at it like lye, a dangerous thing but valuable if used correctly.

 

[animalfarm]

I like bleach as well, but a dab will do ya.

I also culture raw milk and/or yogurt once a week and pour that down the drain to counter-act the effects of the bleach. My septic seems to be doing well and it is 30 yrs. old. Its a fine thing to have lots of milk.

 

[savingdogs]

We put brewers yeast down our septic once a month for that same reason. We have a friend who has never pumped her septic after many many years because she always does this. She is the one who warned me not to pour bleach down the drain!

I generally use bleach mixed really weak, 1:30 works great and doesn't smell too strong. I was taught working in veterinary that if you mix it stronger than that, it actually works less well, because it creates a film over the surface at a stronger concentration. So if you are working towards disinfection, one cap for a gallon of water is roughly what you want and is easy to remember.