How to clean old filter socks?

[Mussin]

I got a bunch of old filter socks off of a friend.  What's the best way to clean them?  I thought washer and some bleach?

[Clown79]

Some wash them in the washer, I've soaked them in peroxide and water, then rinse well and air dry.

[I'm Batman]

Would washing them in the washer or dishwasher contaminate them with left behind soap residue?

[mcarroll]

I think it would contaminate the washing machine or dishwasher.  Gross!

 

I like Clowns ideas.  Or what I did was a soak in a 1:10 bleach:water solution followed (when clean) by a thorough rinsing and air drying until there's no smell of chlorine.  Might take as little as an hour or less in the soak.

[Kayman]

I usually run the washing machine on a rinse cycle before tossing mine in. After that I wash them with bleach and then run an extra rinse or two before letting them air dry.

[mcarroll]

CONS to using a washing machine or dishwasher:

• wasted wear and tear on the machine (which is expensive to repair or replace)
• added wear and tear on the filter socks
• wasted electricity
• wasted water
• conceptually (at least) a little gross 😉

 

PROS to just soaking:

• as fast or faster than a machine wash
• minimal wear and tear on socks
• no power
• minimal water usage
• only as gross as the filter socks themselves. 😆

 

A one hour soak (more or less) in a 1:10 ratio bleach-to-water solution should be all it takes, followed by a rinse or two to remove most of the bleach-water and then air-drying until there's no smell left.   

 

If you had A LOT to clean, I'd use a half-gallon of bleach in 5 gallons of water.  Depending on the level of foulness and if you have a good lid (mandatory), you can reuse the bleach water for multiple cleaning treatments if you want.  Scale the quantities down or up as needed if you have less or more to clean.

[DSA65PRO]

I hand clean mine, to get the majority of stuff off them. Clean the detergent cup to get any fabric softener off it. Run a long Soak Cycle, low speed spin, with Tide and Beach via the detergent cups. The socks that have the plastic rings on them, I put them in a mesh lingerie bag, before tossing them in the washer. From there they get a through rinsing using my RO/DI Reject water. I wash my uniforms in the next load, to keep the Wife happy. I actually think the hand cleaning is harder on them, than the washing machine. Dishwasher, never, LOL. Me and the Aquariums would be out in the garden shed!