If you’re going to use sulphuric acid, dilute it first. Concentrated sulphuric acid reacts violently with water and can quickly bring the entire contents of your septic system to a boil, which is extremely dangerous. Take care, begin with a small amount of acid to observe the reaction, and wear protective goggles and gloves. If you become stained, simply wash with water.
What about hydrochloric acid?
If you’re suggesting flushing hydrochloric acid purchased from a laboratory or a hardware store down your drain.
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When used properly, the sulfuric acid sold for drain purposes is fine; however, this is because it is buffered. By adding another, weaker acid, a buffering effect occurs, ensuring that the solution remains effective while not dissolving your pipes.
If you pour pool muriatic acid down your drain, your pipes will most likely rust within a month and will need to be replaced.
ALSO SEE: Can You Swim in a Pool with Algae?
How to Clean a Cess Pool
- Excavate the cesspool. Remove all soil from the top of the cesspool using a shovel while wearing goggles, gloves, and protective clothing, or contract an excavation crew to do so.
- Engage the services of a professional pumping crew to empty or drain the cesspool. Proceed only after the cesspool has been pumped.
- Allow sufficient time for the cesspool to refill. If the cesspool is clogged, refilling may take as little as seven days. If it drains slowly, it may take up to ten days to refill.
- Put on protective goggles, gloves, and clothing. Remove the top of the cesspool and fill it with caustic soda. Utilize a 1-to-10 ratio of caustic soda to the capacity of the cesspool. Grease clogs in the cesspool’s exiting pipes and lines will be broken down by the chemical. Allow 24 hours for the chemical to take effect.
- While wearing goggles, gloves, and protective clothing, pour 98 percent sulfuric acid into the cesspool. Utilize a 1-to-10 ratio of sulfuric acid to the capacity of the cesspool. Sulfuric acid is used to dissolve organic matter. Allow 24 hours for it to work.
- Put on protective goggles, gloves, and clothing. Replace the top of the cesspool and bury it in the removed soil.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SEPTIC TANK AND A CESSPOOL?
A septic tank is a chamber that collects and filters all waste water from a home. The tank collects the water and allows the heavier solids to settle to the bottom, resulting in the formation of “sludge.”
Scum is formed when lighter solids such as soap, grease, and oil rise to the top. Natural bacterial action aids in the breakdown of solids.
The tank’s design prevents the solids from evaporating with the residual liquid, dubbed “greywater,” into the cesspool drainage area, where they leech into the soil.
Cesspools (or leaching pools) are pits that have been surrounded by concrete, brick, or cement block walls. Wastewater enters the cesspool and drains into the soil via perforated walls.
Cesspools that serve solely as “overflow” pits for septic tanks are significantly more efficient than older systems due to the amount of solid material they receive.
However, in the absence of a septic tank to collect solid waste, the cesspool will require significantly more maintenance.
When the drainage area surrounding the leaching pool becomes saturated, additional pools may be dug to accommodate the volume.
