Lime-A-Way is a household cleaning product that is specially formulated to deal with calcium, lime, rust, and hard water stains in the bathroom.
It is advertised as a sure way of removing lime scale and calcium deposits.
But the use of lime-A-Way in the bathroom raises an important question for septic system owners: is it safe or will it harm the septic system?
Let’s start by looking at the active ingredients to ascertain its safety for the septic tank.
The Active Ingredients in Lime-A-Way
The main active ingredient in lime-A-Way is hydrochloric acid.
Hydrochloric acid is what dissolves rust, calcium, line, and any other type of hard water stain.
However, the cleaning product also has some other ingredients. Here is a full list of the ingredients:
- Hydrochloric acid: A highly corrosive acid that helps to dissolve and remove rust, calcium, and other hard water deposits.
- PEG-2 hydrogenated tallow amine or PEG-8 hydrogenated tallow amine: This is a surfactant and a thickener that is commonly used in cleaning products and cosmetics. Its function is to improve the performance of the cleaning improve the cleaning performance of the product by allowing it to better penetrate and dissolve hard water stains, lime, calcium, and rust deposits.
- C12-16 alcohols ethoxylated and C10-16 alcohols ethoxylated: This is also a surfactant that helps reduce the surface tension between the stain particles and the cleaning solution. This makes it easier for the stains to come out.
- Acid yellow 23 (uncertified FD&C yellow no.): Acid yellow 23 is an anionic, hydrophilic azo dye with an orange-yellow color and it is used as a colorant.
Lime Away Vs. Health of Your Septic Safe
From the active ingredients listed above, we can infer that lime-A-Way is not ideal for use in septic systems.
As we have established, hydrochloric acid is the main active ingredient in the product.
This is one of the most corrosive acids, so it will spell doom for the useful bacteria in the septic tank.
As if not enough, the other ingredients are also harsh chemicals that are even unsafe around humans.
For instance, the Acid Yellow is not certified by FD&C and the other products may cause skin irritation.
As a rule of thumb, any product that contains such harsh chemicals should be avoided if you own a septic tank because if they can harm you, they will harm microscopic bacteria in your septic.
Lime–A-Way has a pH of 0-4 which makes it very acidic. The acidity in the product is bad for septic systems for two reasons.
Firstly, the acidity is not good for plumbing as it can easily corrode the pipes and other components of the septic system.
Secondly, the acidity will affect the pH balance in the septic tank, which will reduce the efficiency of the system.
For the bacteria to thrive in the septic tank, the pH ought to be maintained between 6.5 -7.5.
Lowering this value will kill the bacteria in the tank which means the solid wastes will not be broken down as they should. This may result in a failed septic system leading to septic backup in your home.
Verdict
Lime-A-Way is bad for your septic system. If you must use it, do so sparingly and only when necessary.
But to be on the safe side, consider using natural alternatives, which are safe for septic systems and are also equally effective.
Also, if you have already been using it unknowingly, there is a good chance your septic tank is in bad shape and you may need to do something about it.
For instance, you may want to think of using septic tank additives to revitalize the system. However, be sure to consult with a septic system professional first.