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Recycling Washing Machine (Grey) Water

BenDoverBenDover Posts: 488
in Problem solving

My water butts are already empty with the lack of rain.  Thinking of hooking up my washing machine outlet to the water butts so I can recycle the grey water.  Do I really (really) need to change my laundry washing liquid (I use Arial tabs) to something more ‘eco’ friendly and can I use water from the whole wash to water garden (did read somewhere to only use the rinse cycle water - that would be a faff to manage the outlet pipe for that). I don’t grow fruit and  veg so that’s not an issue, but do use the water from the water butts for my container plants including bamboo and olive tree.

Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    It's not a good idea to store grey water like that. The bacteria (faecal etc) build up in the containers. Much better to have the water go straight on to the garden - if you can swing it - from bath, washing machine, dishwasher or whatever. You can arrange proper grey water systems, but using water butts is not the way to go.

    I have a hose and siphon that go from my bath straight on to the beds. The hose nozzle hangs always outside my bathroom window. It works really well.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Fire said:
    It's not a good idea to store grey water like that. The bacteria (faecal etc) build up in the containers. Much better to have the water go straight on to the garden - if you can swing it - from bath, washing machine, dishwasher or whatever. You can arrange proper grey water systems, but using water butts is not the way to go.


    I agree ... we tried that with bath/shower water once elsewhere ... not a good idea sprout

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BenDoverBenDover Posts: 488
    OK - I understand, so if I just got a big bucket that would take a washing machine load of water and use that immediately I'd be OK and then I can just rinse out bucket as and when.  And assume all OK for using the water for containers?  Main concern there is if the contents (nefarious or otherwise) from the wash are going to build up in the container, or would it break down as quickly as putting it straight on the garden.  Note your comment about using dishwater water but I read that should never use that because the chemicals in dishwasher tabs are too harsh.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited June 2018
    As far as I understand it, regular grey water from washing machines, washing up water etc is fine. Yes, probably best to use Ecover or the like. Re dishwashers, you are probably right, because of salt. One might want to use the water from the bath on roses, flower beds etc rather than veg beds. I have not used the water on veg beds so have not closely investigated. But that's not a problem for you. Buckets are fine, but getting pipes / hoses to run into your garden is easier, if you have the right set up.
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