Doing laundry...filter socks, there has to be something better.

[Gregcoyote]

Being a floss man for decades, I have just started using 200 micron filter socks to remove some particulates. But they are a PAIN to clean. Mine come out with brown waste engrained in the material and blasting it our with water seems the only way I can get them even partially clean again. I know there are lots of brains out there...what is an easier way to maintain them?

 

[Flreefer]

What I've always done with them, is to soak them in a 10:1 bleach solution for a day or two. Then spray them off inside and out with a hose on a shower setting. I then put them over my outside AC handler and dry them out really well. Although I try to rinse them off really well with water, I've been told that drying them completely, neutralizes any remaining bleach.
I've done it this way for years without any problems.

 

[Benson0219]

I put mine in the washer with no soap. Works great!

 

[paulweck]

i also put them in the wash on hot with no soap. i run them twice once regular and once inside out

 

[somethingsfishy]

I never thought to run it a second time inside out. That's genius.

 

[paulweck]

I know some times I scar myself lol

 

[Gregcoyote]

Okay...to the washing machine I go after my wife goes to bed. If she sees me throwing these socks in she will have a fit. These socks are worse than my regular socks.

 

[indy]

I know some times I scar myself lol

Have you considered therapy?

 

[somethingsfishy]

Man I love autocorrect and misspelled words. Lmao

 

[somethingsfishy]

I find the front load washers suck when cleaning socks. Which brings up the genius idea of inside oh washing.

P.S. You shouldn't scar yourself.

 

[paulweck]

Hahaha I hate auto spell on these darn phones. Anyway u guys know what I ment. Lol

P.s I have contacted a shrink and he told me I'm a lost cause.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I use my shower head. It is on a hose and has a setting where it shoots a narrow stream of higher pressure water. Works well for me. Doesn't get white, but definitely cleans the gunk out. I also only rinse them off once a month or so. They usually start overflowing after a week, but after 2 weeks, stop and start going back through the sock. Then, the bottom is caked with nastiness at the month mark.

 

[Qube]

I go with the washing machine too. I run mine with a half cup of bleach on a medium load. Then I run them on a second rinse after. Come out like new every time.

 

[paulweck]

I've thought about the hole bleach thing but it has always scared me. I didn't think anybody really used bleach

 

[fort384]

I run mine in the dishwasher with no detergent. Seems to get it pretty clean since the water gets so hot.

 

[Flreefer]

Bleach will really break down whatever is trapped inside the cloth, so that it can easily be rinsed out. The owner of one of my fav LFS ( no longer open unfortunately ), told me as long as it is rinsed well, and completely dried, it is fine. The drying is key, according to him. If rinsed and completely dried, the bleach is no longer active, after it has dried.
I used to clean my micron canister filters like this for 5+ years, and have been doing my filter socks the same way for 2, and have seen no issue from it whatsoever.

 

[fort384]

Makes sense to me. I may start doing it that way.

I suppose to be safe you could then soak in a concentrated prime solution to neutralize any chlorine left, but it sounds to me like it is probably unnecessary based on your experience.

 

[Flreefer]

I agree, you can never be too safe. I actually used to do that, after bleaching for a day or two and spraying inside and out I would soak for a day in fresh water and Prime. I had some from some hand-me-down supplies. When I ran out, I started just soaking in fresh water only, and after speaking with my friend, I just started to spray them out really well and dry them.
I've never seen any difference between the methods, but using Prime would add some insurance.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I think I may setup a big floss box. I can throw the floss away when it gets dirty. Scrubbing these socks is for the birds.

 

[Holygral]

Washing machine, soap and bleach, double rinse and air dry, been doing it for years