Filtering Laundry Lint

One of the biggest problems that you will have with your laundry appliances is filtering out laundry lint. Even though your washer and dryer have ways of filtering lint, you still need to keep a close eye on your laundry appliances to make sure that these fibers aren't building up in your septic system's drain field and preventing liquid from being absorbed into the soil.

If your dryer already has a lint trap, you won't have as much to worry about. Find where the lint trap is located on your dryer, and clean it out every time you dry a load of laundry. If you don't have a reliable lint trap, it's easy to install one. The best option for most washers and dryers is an enclosed mesh filter that will catch over 90 percent of your laundry lint. It can be expensive to purchase one, but it will add years to the life of your drain field.

To install the filter, you first need to locate your washer and dryer's discharge pipe. Slip the filter where it needs to go according to its instructions, and lock the discharge hoses to the filter container. Empty the reusable filter bag when it is half-full to make sure that it is always working properly. Replacing the filter itself can get expensive, so invest in a high-quality filter to ensure that it won't need to be replaced for some time.

As with most appliance accessories, some filters may work better with your washing and drying machines than others. If you're unsure what filters will work best for your laundry appliances, check with the manufacturer to decide the best course of action.