DIY guideLawn and garden

Drain the rainwater tank and scrub it out

Divert the downspout, drain the tank, scrub it from the opening with a long brush, rinse, and refit the screens.

8 steps

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Switch the downspout's diverter, or move the downspout off the tank, so no new water runs in.
Open the bottom tap or the drain, and let it empty onto the garden, away from the house.
Scoop or hose the sludge from the bottom out through the opening, onto a garden bed.
Scrub the walls with a long-handled brush and mild soap, reaching in from the opening.
Never climb inside a tank: the air in it can make you pass out.
Rinse it out with the hose until the water runs clear, and drain it again.
Scrub the inlet and overflow screens, and refit them so leaves and mosquitoes stay out.
Close the tap, put the downspout back, and lock the lid.
A child can drown in a few inches of water: keep the lid locked.
A tank you'd have to climb into to clean is a job for a tank cleaning pro. Ask Handyman for one.

Handyman says: Don't go in. I'll find a tank pro.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.