First, don’t panic. You don’t need a hazmat suit. You just need a pair of gloves (chlorine+skin=ouch) and a little patience.
Here’s the super-simple method: 1. Figure out your well depth and water volume. Most tablets come with a dosage chart. If you’re lazy (like me), use the “round peel” method—two tablets per 100 gallons of water for a basic shock treatment.
2. Drop the tablets directly into the well casing. Yep, just pop the well cap and let them fall. They’ll sink to the bottom, fizz a little, and start killing things. Fun fact: If you drop one on your driveway, it will make a white stain that haunts your weekend. Don’t ask me how I know.
Wait, Do I Need to Run the Faucets?
Oh, absolutely. After dropping the tablets, run every outside and indoor faucet until you smell chlorine. This spreads the love (and the sanitizer) through your entire pipe system.
Let the water sit for 6-12 hours. This is the “shock and awe” phase. No drinking, no cooking, no watering your prize petunias—just let the chlorine do its thing.
After that, flush the system by running water until the chlorine smell fades. Pro tip: Don’t flush into your septic tank for too long, or you’ll kill the good bacteria there. Drain outside if you can.
