I got a bunch of old filter socks off of a friend. What's the best way to clean them? I thought washer and some bleach?
Felt or mesh- soak them in a bucket with a capful of bleach. When I have enough, Wash them in the washing machine with a cap full of bleach and a double rinse.
I have used the same fine mesh XL-sock for 2+ years on my 100g.
Roughly every 7 days it will clog up with super-fine particles to the point where it makes the water exit over the water line and make noise. I then just turn it inside out and wash it under the sink while "rubbing" it a little to get most of the gunk out.
Bleach doesn't clean, it only makes them whiter. When I used filter socks I did use bleach because it seems they are cleaner when whiter, but they aren't.