So you want to know how do I clean my water tank without removing water? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
I am going to tell you how I clean my water tanks and the main component is using muscle power. The water tanks, I clean are ones for drinking and gardening uses. So I have only used this method for cleaning water tanks for household use.
Fill A Bucket Is The First Step
So how do I clean my water tank? It’s pretty simple, really.
The way that I clean my water tanks, is pretty simple. So to start you are going to need a bucket. I prefer to fill it with hot water, as an extra layer of attack at getting rid of any germs. A little heat goes a far way.
So I then add about four tablespoons of non-scented bleach. You can use scented bleach, it really will be a personal decision on that front. I would do your research on different types of bleach products that you can buy online.
Now, you have a warm bucket with bleach in it. Give it a good mix and add one or two tablespoons of baking soda. I have found that this helps to neutralize some of the taste of bleach. Now I have myself a mixture ready to clean my water tank.
Window Cleaning Pole
When it comes time to clean your water tank, you need the right tools.
You’re going to need a window cleaning pole with a scrubber cloth. A DocaPole or something along those lines will work well. Just make sure you have the cloth and not a squeegee. A squeegee isn’t going to help you get off any grim of your water tank.
Then plunge your cloth attached to your pole in the mixture. I then will wring out the cloth and start cleaning.
I typically recommend doing this when the tank is half full or less. It can be a lot harder to get a full clean when most of the walls are underwater. So the less water in the tank the better when you clean it.
Get To Scrubbing!
Now, it’s time to put in the muscle. You’re going to use the pole, cloth, and mixture to scrub the sides of the walls. Once you’ve gone over one section, I’ll take the pole out.
Then rinse it off with clean water and wring it out. I’ll then put it back in the bucket with the mixture. Wring it out again. Then do another section with the cloth.
The main thing is that you don’t want to be adding back any of that grim you’re cleaning out of your tank. So doing this after every section is a good practice, it ensures you get a good clean!
Start With Walls First
I typically start with the walls and then move to the bottom.
I focus on one section of a wall at a time, then move on to another section.
Once I am finished getting any residue/algae on the walls, I move to the bottom.
The bottom of the tank is where you should dedicate a separate amount of time to. The bottom is where everything collects, so you want to take your time with it.
I will clean one part of the bottom, then rinse it out with water. Following the same method that we did with the walls. Scrubbing, rinsing, mixture, wringing out, repeat!
Alternative Methods
There are a few alternative methods you can use to clean a water tank without removing the water. I have not used them, so I can not speak to how effective they are.
But they all require some elbow grease.
Algae Scraper
These are great in conjunction with the window cleaning poles/cloth. They are great at getting algae away. I find it’s always better to have more than one tool, especially when it comes to important things. Such as keeping your water tank clean.
You should definitely have one of these, in addition to what we mentioned.
One Method I Have Heard About
I have not tried it but you use baking soda and vinegar with a little dish soap. You make a past which you use to scrub the grime and algae away. Personally I do not know if this could cause damage to the lining.
I have used vinegar and baking soda in a rainwater barrel and it worked great. I still prefer using bleach, as it kills more bacteria.
The picture below is off a window cleaning pole with a squeegee. You want one with a cloth.
The Easiest Way Is When You Remove The Water
There are a few ways to clean your water tank, but the easiest way is when you remove the water.
It will all depend on the size of your tank and if you can transport water to another tank. I have cleaned a water tank that was a primary one for drinking water, at a friend’s property. We used a water pump and this way we didn’t lose the rainwater collected.
This way we could get really into the cleaning/bottom of the tank without having water in it. This way you can use dish soap or bleach. Then let it sit at the bottom for a few hours. Pour it out. You still need to scrub but it’s a different way to go about it.
Scrub Scrub Scrub!
Then rinse the bottom of the tank a few times before you put water back in it.
Any way you go about it, scrubbing is a core part of getting your tank clean!
So now you know how I clean my water tank without removing water. There are many ways to do it, and if you have another way I would like to know how. Hope this helped!
Stay safe out there!
