If you have a water filter at home, you’d probably agree that it’s been a great investment. Water filters give many households access to clean water at low costs. They blend into the background and have become a part of many homes, and people sometimes forget that they need to be cleaned and taken care of.
But like every other appliance, water filters need regular cleaning and proper maintenance. If they aren’t maintained, they start to degrade and eventually break down, taking the quality of your home water down with them–and you don’t want that! Follow on for How to Clean Your Home Water Filter!
How to Clean Your Water Filter at Home
Your cleaning or maintenance schedule largely depends on the type of water filter you use at home. Many homes have a reverse osmosis system, and it is the most common residential type of water filter. As complex as the name sounds, it isn’t difficult to clean a reverse osmosis water filter.
RO filters have two tiers or levels. The first level (RO membrane filter) usually does most of the work. The second level is the prefilter, which is made up of, or uses activated carbon.
Steps on How You Can Clean Your RO Water Filter
- The first and most important step is to prepare your filter for the process. Turn off the water supply to the filtration system and wash your hands thoroughly. You can also wear rubber gloves as a precaution. After that, drain the water from the filtration system and the storage tank.
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The next step is to open the case and remove the prefilter and the reverse osmosis membrane.
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For the third step, you need a cleaning chemical. Most RO systems come with a manual detailing which kind of chemicals you can use. After rinsing the prefilter housing with the cleaning chemical, open the diverter valve and let the liquid drain out. Next, rinse thoroughly to remove any build-up or deposits (if your prefilter is in bad condition, you’ll have to change it).
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The RO membrane also needs to be cleaned. Prepare your cleaning solution (according to what the manual says) and soak the membrane in it, closely following the instructions.
After soaking, rinse the membrane thoroughly to avoid leaving any cleaning chemicals behind. After wiping the system dry, you can now reassemble the parts and reboot the system to keep enjoying your water filter.
If you need further details on cleaning your reverse osmosis water filtration systems, you can find them at best-osmosis-systems.com.
Steps on How You can Clean Your Carbon Filter
Another type of water filter you can clean is an activated carbon or charcoal filter. The cleaning process has four steps.
- Fill a bucket with clean water, and then add two cups of muriatic acid into it. You’ll need a plastic spoon or similar to stir the mixture.
- Rinse the filter thoroughly to remove any debris, and then soak it inside the mixture for at least five days at room temperature.
- After the fifth day, you can remove the filter and soak it in clean water for a few minutes.
- Rinse the filter once more and reinstall it.
Simple Steps
Depending on the type of water filtration system you use, you can clean your water filter following the simple steps described. Your water filters will last longer with proper cleaning, giving your household continued access to clean water.
Do you use a water filter? If so what type? How do you clean it? Let us know in the comments below, and join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram!
