Q&A of the Week: How's SeptiCleanse septic system treatment working out for you?

Updated on August 12th, 2021

By: Steve Maxwell

Q: I’m writing to ask for the follow-up to a Toronto Star column you wrote a number of years ago regarding a septic system product called SeptiCleanse. Does this product continue to work well for you? I’ve got a septic system that’s getting sluggish and I’m worried.

A: The short answer is no, SeptiCleanse was a complete waste of money for me. I recommend against it. Even the money-back guarantee didn’t work. I spent more than $400 US on the product, and they sent me three heavy-duty treatments one after the other when previous ones didn’t work. I asked for a refund, as I was led to believe I was entitled to, but SeptiCleanse refused.

In the end, I did fix my hopelessly clogged septic system myself, and it’s been working perfectly since 2014. The method I used involved jetting out the leaching pipes with high pressure water, then treating the soil around the cleaned leaching pipes with a product that improves percolation. I had to dig down to the ends of the leaching pipes to do this, and I made the ends of these pipes easily accessible for future cleaning and maintenance. My leaching pipes are now fully maintainable, so the system should last in definitely.

Click here for Septic System Part 1 to learn more about why septic systems stop working and how this knowledge can save you a ton of money, avoid a messed up yard, and sidestep regulatory hassles.