How to Clean a Septic Tank Like a Pro

To start, the professional will locate the septic tank. If you’re curious about the location, you can check your local records, typically available through the health department or country registrar. A professional can locate the septic tank by checking near the vent pipes on the roof of the house, which are usually placed near the septic tank, or by following the sewer main line from the house to the septic tank.

Because the septic tank is buried, usually about four inches to four feet underground, a pro will then use a probe to check the soil for the septic tank.

With the tank located, it’s time to grab some shovels and clear out the soil that is covering the tank. The pros need to excavate enough land that they can open up the lid to the septic tank, which usually is about two feet wide. The pro will uncover the inlet side to remove sludge, and they can uncover the outlet side to clean the filter there.

Although the pros can estimate when to pump a septic tank based on the date of the previous service, it’s best to check the actual sludge depth to tell if the septic tank is full of solid waste. Generally, experts recommend that the sludge should take up no more than a third of the tank, or it should be at least six inches from the bottom of the outlet pipe.

To check the sludge depth, pros use a special piece of equipment, often known by the name brand Sludge Judge, that they push down into the septic tank. The equipment collects a sample and uses a ball valve to close and seal in solid waste as the device is pulled up from the liquid. The side of the device has measurements to aid the pro in determining the sludge depth.

On the outlet side of the tank, there may be a baffle filter that will also need to be cleaned and inspected. With their protective gear on, the septic tank specialists use their hands or a rake to pull out the filter. From there, they’ll spray down the filter, making sure to hold it over the inlet side of the septic tank so that dirty runoff water can be filtered and cleaned through the septic system. After cleaning, they will replace the baffle filter.

Now, it’s time to clean the septic tank itself. Professionals use a septic pump, which has a hose that can go down into the inlet side of the tank. The solids go up through the hose and into a storage container on a tanker truck. 

This is one of many reasons why this job is best left to septic system experts. Even renting the equipment for this project gets expensive. Not only that, but some states, counties, and municipalities have strict limitations and rules regarding pumping a septic tank because handling and disposing of sewage is a health and safety issue.

If you have been flushing anything other than waste and toilet paper (like wet wipes or feminine hygiene products) or pouring greasy foods down the kitchen sink, your septic tank may have a clog that even the septic pump hose will struggle to remove. If that’s the case, the pros will need to use a three-prong rake to break up the clog before they can vacuum out the remaining waste.

After cleaning out the sludge, the pros will place the lids back on the inlet and outlet openings and recover the septic with soil. If your septic tank is buried more than a foot deep, the septic tank professional may suggest installing risers, which will make it easier to find and access the septic tank in the future. A septic tank riser is a type of wide pipe, usually made of plastic, concrete, or fiberglass, that fits around the lid of the septic tank, extending from the lid to the grass level of your lawn. That way, pros can open the riser and directly access the septic tank lid.

Homeowners generally won’t need to access the septic tank themselves, and it’s best that they don’t. The septic tank can expose you to raw sewage, untreated wastewater, and sewer gasses, and this exposure can cause illnesses or even be fatal. But marking the location will make your next septic pumping service move even more efficiently.

Finally, the pros will drive the sludge away, taking it to a treatment facility for proper disposal. Disposal of sludge from a septic tank must follow local and state laws and regulations, which is why it’s important for a licensed professional to clean your septic tank—it’s not a DIY job.

Once your septic tank is clean and recovered, you may consider trying some septic tank landscaping ideas to give this part of your yard some more color and visual interest. Just avoid planting anything with deep root systems, as the roots could grow into the septic system pipes and cause damage.