cleaning filter bags?

[ReefCresteds]

Hi. I just started using the filter bags on my input lines into my sump. Question on cleaning-do you guys put them in the washing machine to wash them? If so do you use laundry soap or run w/o? How are you guys cleaning these? How often are you replacing them?
Thanks for advice!

[~SIRENA~]

wash without soap. clean them often. i just put one in one friday and woke up today to it overflowing because of all the gunk in it.

[adambaron]

I wash mine once a week WITHOUT any soap or anything. I also run the washing machine a half cycle before to make sure I get any remaining soap or anything out of there. I know some poeple use bleach then run an extra rinse cycle then allow pleanty of time to dry but I don't feel there is a need.

[reefergeorge]

I replace once a week, and clean in wash machine with no soap.

[ReefCresteds]

Great everyone! Thanks for the help!

[ACBlinky]

I used to wash mine by hand (banging them on the inside of a bucket to dislodge dirt) after soaking them in bleach, but I've got a serious shoulder injury so I do things differently now. I keep my dirty filter socks in a bucket with water and some bleach all week, adding a new one each day until there are no more clean ones to put on the tank. Then I wash the dirty socks on the 'whites' cycle with about 1/2c of bleach (no soap). They come out snowy white, smelling fresh and clean, and once they're dry I start the weekly cycle over again :)

[davocean]

Wash w/ a little bleach, change them at least twice a week, once is not enough IMO.

[ingros]

I was once per week with bleach and a small amount of dye and scent-free soap, followed by extra rinse cycle with water only. No problems after 3 years of doing this.

[ReefCresteds]

Great-that was excellent advice from all of you! I really appreciate it! I'll be incorporating this into my cleaning routine :)

[DiggerDave]

I have 6, I change once a week and put the dirty ones in a bucket with water and bleach. after 4 weeks I put them in the washer with nothing and wash 2 times. I have been doing this for over 3 years with no problem at all.

[ReefCresteds]

Sounds good. So it sounds like lots of you use bleach when cleaning them then. so I will try that as well. I assume just a bit of bleach in a bucket of water?