How We Clean and Reuse Our Wholehouse Water Filter 

Just found your video, even 7 years later, and this is by far the best video I have seen regarding replacing and cleaning a whole house filter. Thank you so much!!!

If you’re NOT a High School science teacher, your local school district is surely missing out! Great explanations, clarity, and attention to detail!

You are one thorough guy if I have ever seen one! And that's in a respectful way. I always say that if it's worth doing it, it's worth doing it well. Thank you for your complete instruction.

This was seriously the best video I could have watched. You sir are a fantastic teacher. I had so many questions about this process as a new home owner and you've answered them and taught me so much more. Please continue this series for other home projects! Thank you so much!

One of the most useful videos if not the most I have watched on that subject... Water from our borehole is full of reduced (ferrous) iron, I leave it to settle and oxidize for a week (--> ferric iron) before pumping it to our tank uphill that feeds the house. I have a 50-micron big blue pleated filter and three 20"x2.5" filters with cartridges: 5-micron, 1-micron and carbon. I also use bleach to get rid of iron bacteria causing the rotten egg issue. Thanks again for that great video and the oxalic acid, I was about to use phosphoric acid but oxalic acid is definitely less dangerous. And what an impressive centrifuge!

Anytime you're dealing with and ACID it's always advisable to use safety glasses to protect your eyes from an acid burn.

What's bob doing honey? Oh he's just out there spin drying his filters again .. 🤣 thanks for sharing!

Hi nice video. Couple of things I see that pipe dope was used to make the connection of the copper pipe to the plastic filter housing. Teflon tape is the correct way to make that connection, pipe dope over time degrades the plastic. Using a big blue or a four by ten inch filter gives you better flow rates and longer filter runs. The filter you have is not rated for the flow rate a home requires. If you are installing a filter where Sun can shine on the filter use an opaque filter sump ( globe ) . Sun light and water grow algae , out doors use a sump that does not allow sunlight to enter . Thirty years treating water worldwide and I appreciate your efforts to help others.

I like this guy.. Good Job Brother peace be with you...

Sir, I am working in plumping section for 36 years in Bahrain practically you are the great thanks a lot superb idea ! ! !

Might be more feasible to switch to a Big Blue filter (4.5" by 20") . Will last significantly longer and are better suited for the whole house. Those 2.5" by 10"s should only be used as point of use (for a single faucet, shower etc) since alot of the cheap ones are rated at 1gpm. If you really want to save money, get rid of that Proprietary R.O system so you can buy standard filters for 1/4 the cost . Informative Video!

Thanks for posting this very comprehensive video. I don't even have a house filter for my water, and I found your video informative and so interesting that I watched the entire video from start to finish. You did a great job using the tools and environment you had on hand, and your idea of conserving and re-using the oxalic acid is a good one! As someone already mentioned in the comments, when working with potentially toxic materials (e.g. bleach, oxalic acid, dirty effluent, etc.) it's always best to wear eye protection. Great job!

Hi , owned and operated water treatment company from 1980 sold it 2007 . Got a US patent for self cleaning reverse osmosis treatment system. Designed built large commercial seawater RO units from Cozumel to Africa. Most enjoyed working with resort hotels , other areas of interest were ro di systems designed for coral reef keepers the entire Typhoon series is my design. I never understood the concern with discolored filters . As long as the filter fabric is free of debris back in it goes. Good video , helpful to many .

Thank you for taking the time to produce this video. In the long run it will help my family financially.

This whole method is all well worth it just for the drying part.

Outstanding video with exceptionally clear explanation. One of the best instructional videos on RU-vid. Very helpful for me with my whole house water filters. I have 5 of them here and this will be most helpful. I have 4 years of experience with mine and developed a few tricks too, but this has really given me a big boost. Thanks for sharing your exceptional wisdom, experience and great teaching with us.

Wow, you are really amazing. Although you started out trying to save money, you made an environmental impact of not throwing all those filters in the trash that the manufacturer wants you to do so you buy more filters. Good job!

Thank you for posting this reduce & reuse film about these types of filters. Am a great believer in simple & appropriate chemical cleaners and keep oxalic acid for other reasons and now I'm off to use it for my water filter. Thank you for taking the time to make this film - the world would be a better place if more of us re-used things like this. Yes - simple to go and buy another filter but what happens to the used one?

Being this is a prefilter and being he is bound and determined, this is probably a good practice. There will be some loss with every application but that is up to each individual. It's probably more dependent on how many filters you can buy at one time. The sooner we can come up with a flushable media the better. We are doing more damage then good without the flush option. He is on the right track here and that is most important.

I just used this process on my rust bacteria gummed up spin down and spun water filters.... worked FANTASTICLY! It's wonderful to be able to service and reuse these filters rather than discarding them after every use. This is absolutely a useful and informative video. Thank you so much for posting this video.

OK , just clean the filter and container and rinse out of the system so that you do not have to purge and redirect the acid and chlorine! heaven help us.Thank you for your detailed explanation,very thorough

A great well explained tutorial. you are my kind of value conscious person. Thanks a lot,

Maybe at the end soak it in water and baking soda just to make sure it neutralizes any acid residue left just as a precaution

I enjoy this amount of obsessiveness very, very much. I have been looking for a way to reuse our sediment filter and I think you’ve given it to me. Thanks for the video.

Have you tested to efficacy of your filter after the acid bath? Doesn't the acid degrade the 1 micron filtration by eating at the porousness of the filter? Or is the substrate impervious to the acid like the plastic jug you store it in? Capturing the number of uses is important, but at what number of reuses does the process render the pre-filter worthy of replacement? I understand it's just a pre-filter and it obviously still does a great job at collecting the mineral particulate and other unwanted debris, however, for the time and thought you've devoted to this, wouldn't a lab test be fascinating? If your friends accuse you of being too nerdy, please refer them to me because I'd be testing that with my electron microscope.

Wow...a mountain of information on how to save money and a little work out at the end! Thanks for the video. I'll definitely give this a try when I have my home filters put up.

Hey. I know its an old video. But when you interrupt copper lines like that, you are supposed to use copper wire as a jumper so it remains grounded.

Nicely done! Gotta love chemistry! Looked to me like you got sufficient cleaning just from the mechanical method of spraying off the filter. Though not as clean as yours, it's sufficiently clean without messing with chemicals. I'd use a larger filter for whole house.

Very informative video. Thanks! I am wondering why you don't add a little baking soda to your final filter dunk/rinse, as you mention before that it neutralizes the acid before dumping the used oxalic down the drain.

Thank you for sharing info with us! Is worth to mention the effort you have put in. every detail (beside making the video) in improving your results. I have some comments/questions: don't know what is the direction of the water in your system, but what I know is that if you want to rinse the filter, you have to reverse the flow, to avoid pushing the clogs going thru the pores. I see some filters' water flow goes from outside to inside... which would be detrimental if you put water pressure to the pores putting from outside to inside. (This comments goes is some way along with what just Nathan said, the filter may be still useful, but you can not longer count on it as if is new). Have you tried cleaning with vinegar?? (acetic acid would be more friendly than oxalic). The same anergy you spend cleaning the filter should be applied to wash the acid/residues. this is a very important step. and depending on your free time (or how much $ you can do on that time, recycling the filter may not be so convenient... considering safety issues). to be done, I like what you do, specially because goes against consumism, is important to be prepared in case any day you can not longer affor to buy everything you were use to.

Great video! Thank you so much!! You've answered EVERY question I had!! And then some! 🙋🏼‍♀️👍 I used to use similar filters in our intex pool yrs ago, and I used, cleaned, and reused one filter all summer long. People used to shake their head, but my water numbers were always perfect! I 😉👌

You are the first person to "EXPLAIN" everything so PERFECT ! You never missed a thing ! Thank You So Much ..

Thank you for sharing your cleaning process, and the dry spin cycle was excellent! Thumb up.

I didn't have 23 minutes so I played you on 2x speed. You still sounded perfectly normal and the explanation was clear. I am very curious about Oxalic acid (C2H2O4) - I don't have a water filter system yet and just doing research. I am so glad I came across your video. I agree with Diane Harrell below, if you're not a teacher, your school system is missing out. Well done, sir.

I found it hilarious when he started spinning it. If I were his neighbor I would assume he's a cowboy enthusiast.

LMAO! You got to hang in there guys until he shows you his centrifugal extractor!

Hey thanks for the acid idea.. My spinout filter's casing was so stained, I could not see the filter anymore.. I did not buy that particular acid though. I used bottled lemon juice and vinegar. I also scrubbed it with a old toothbrush.. All is clear now.. Thanks to this vid

As expensive as filters are getting these days and with this horrible economy, this information is invaluable!!!

I appreciate all the detail put into the information. I use a similar process to wash my pool filters. I clean the filter box and replace with my back up clean filters so I can take my time cleaning the the dirty ones. Using acid to clean four big pool filters which requires filling a clean trash can with solution could be difficult to dispose of outside. Nice to have a man around to do that stuff!

Thank you very much for sharing this information! I have very high iron here in southeastern Ontario, and I have to change my filter once a week. I have using the solid foam type up till now. Cleaning my filter will save me around $300 a year and will save on landfill too!

Just clean filter with a garden hose sprayer removing all dirt and sediments, then add in a pitcher or (anything similar) 2-4 table spoon of baking soda, 1/2 - 1 cup of white vinegar and 1/4 or so cup of liquid bleach, put the filter in the liquid solution and let it soak in for about 30-1 hr. rinse again inside and out with garden hose. Should look good as new and no need to dry and wait just reinstall and flush the water softener for a couple minutes and voila!

Great Video! Thank you. I may not spend the time cleaning the filters, but I do want to clean the three sumps on my GE system and the Oxalic Acid looks like the trick. The replacement sumps for the GE System cost about $65 and as much a the whole filter housing. Thanks for saving the money.

We went out and bought this while watching your video a year ago, and today i found the oxalic acid on the floor in a sealed bag as we forgot about it. IM now back to clean my filter with your strategy. 1:28 is where he starts

Your best bet to ensure that the O-ring gets an optimal seal and lifespan is by using a small amount of silicone or Teflon based lubricant (never use Vaseline)!

The filter should be cleaned from the inside out with hose first. Great video sir

Very informative. I think I would put the globe in the dishwasher and just replace the filter for $6

Thank you for doing this video, I'm new to well water and although I think it's much better for us than city water, ours has a lot of iron just like yours. I thought your video was so informative that I wanted to try it and bought the oxalic acid. Today I mixed my solution and used an old 1/2 cup I had to measure, but since it sounded like I needed just under a 1/2 cup i really wasn't exact when I did it. The previous home owned used bleach and when we tried that, they didn't come out looking clean. Mine came out looking great but I'm wondering if i need to make sure I rinse mine better, or take any other precautions, because i wasn't precise with my measurements? When I read some of ther other comments I got worried that I might make my family sick. Thank you again for taking the time to make this video! I don't like buying things and just throwing them away if they can be reused with a little effort on my part.

Thanks for your in-depth explanation. You have some very useful tips and easy to follow instructions. Very appreciated

Well I thought he did a good job on this video. Right down to the vinegar to neutralize the acid. I would put vinegar through the filter before using it. But Bravo to you. I think you did a great job. Even down to the rope through the filter and spinning it to get rid of excess liquid. Somehow I think some here sell the filters :) But always do your research before using chemicals. Just to be on the safe side. I'm always looking for a cheaper way of doing things. Thank You for this video!!

Well thank you for the very thorough and detailed process. Glad to see they can indeed be cleaned up like new and moreso the filter housings can be kept clean clean , without any creep factor of old caked on rust stains. I have acquired a rural property and my well water looks very similar to yours... hence my search for how to clean filters. I have a container of bar keeps friend, so I get to try out the process without ordering anything. BTW, that ball cap has more personality than any I have...mine usually fall apart before they get so experienced. Perhaps i'm just not busy enough :)

"..ya got a minute or two to get it off of you." lol..Great info and a laugh along the way. Not a good indicator of the time involved IF it was daylight when you started. Thanks.

Excellent video with a clear, well presented, explanation. Thank you.

I really appreciate you and your knowledge. The tips are really useful. They have come in very handy. Very kind of you. A true gentleman. Thank you

Learned a lot.... I use the same type of filters... thanks a bunch!

I have the same system and watching you press the red button on top, which released the air, may have saved my basement. My system has been leaking over the past few months. Today I saw this video and released that air pressure and I will watch that area for leaks. Will provide update. Thanks.

Hey buddy nice video! One thing that works really good also is IronOut! I do the same thing and it turns it all completely clear. Nice work!

Great video. I'll give it a try. I've found using Molykote around the threads of the canister when putting it back on helps with leaks and helps when you need to release the canister to change the filter. I can change the filter around 10 times before I need to add another dose of it around the threads. I use such a small amount, one tube will last many years. My filters are much less expensive. I have to change them about every week, depending on how much company we get, and they used to be $3/filter. They are now over $4/filter. I get them from Menards for that price vs $10-$15 on Amazon. So, one filter is no big deal but multiply that by 30 or so filters a year and it adds up.

Your are a natural teacher. Great job.

Thumbs up for knowing to use isolation valves for ease of service.

You're absolutely a wonderful instructor, I really do enjoys every step of your explanation. What am saying here is; After taking down the filter what if I use the normal odorless dish washing soap like gently wash every bit/part of the filter before applying the oxalic acid and chlorine process... Would that be okay if No why...???

These examples are useful for anyone that has a whole house water filter. My filter is an over the sink model. There's nothing attached to the system. There also no handle to grip in order to loosen it. What a challenge.

Hello everyone and the autor of the video, Very informative and practical information. Thank you, but Attention!!, Attention !!!. As a beekeper of 30 or so years we use OA to kill warroa parasites on bees by Oxalic acid.. Vapors of the acid is very destructive to human lungs. Watch any movies about beehives vapouration and every beekeper is using gogles and gloves with paint or better mask. These is nesecery PPE (personal protective equipment) when using any acid. These acid is colorless,tasteless and that's why very dangerous. Please protect you health . Use you brain .

Unbelievable, I own & use a slush machine that uses Polycarbonate/Lexan Barrels. Over the years making Margaritas the lime ingredient turns the bowls a greenish color, yuck. You just showed me how to clean the bowl stains. My GBG slush machine is a vertical barrel machine which is now obsolete. (No more barrels available) I can't wait to order the Acid to completely restore all of my stock barrels back to their original blueish color. Thank you sir, Best regards..

Very clever! I may use your ideas to treat my hot tub filters. The price are becoming more reasonable on the house water filters if you buy in bulk on Amazon so I might not do it for my well water...But the hot tub filters can be VERY expensive to buy. Thanks!

Please put an air gap device on your utility sink faucet. Your hose from faucet is laying in sink, no air gap. Air gaps prevent back-flow of undesirable things getting into your water well. The can be purchased at hardware stores or plumbing supplies. Great video, very well done!

If NOTHING ELSE, this guy was entertaining to watch!

Thanks for sharing from Barbados in the caribbean.continue to be safe.

this si a great video to show how to demo something very simple into something very complicated

Excellent experiment. I was thinking about the same but was not sure whether its possible. Now i am going to try this tomorrow. Thank you for sharing.

Iron Bacteria does not come from your well, it's bad surface water entering your well from the top. Creates rust from the well metal sleeve, or pipe. Coliforms are also not from your well water, it's contaminated surface water entering the top of the well pipe. So what level is your well pipe end, if it's burried, that is the problem. Building codes, ask for the end of the casing to extend above ground level. The well pipes must be sealed. Regular maintenance recomends Shocking your well every 5 years, to keep it bacteria free, is the best way. Why pump water full of bacteria, and kill it with filters. Go at the source. Then you will only need a water softner.

I'm thinking a tablespoon of baking soda during the rinse will neutralize any acidity.

You’re suggestion on using bleach to clean the hot and cold pipes was something I never thought of. I’m pretty sensitive to bleach so I was wondering if a baking soda/vinegar combination on the filter chamber would suffice. Perhaps even doing this regularly prior to reinstalling the filter as a method to remove debris from the pipes and the hot water heater. Thanks.

Truly a great video. Such useful information. Thank you!

I like the video. I use a product called WHITEOX on my driveway and sidewalks to remove rust stains left by my shallow well irrigation system. The active ingredient in WHITEOX is Oxalic acid. It took me a few years of trial and error but I'm proud to say I have the brightest driveway in my neighborhood! This is a sediment filter system so, I think you might be effectively removing the stains (left by oxidized Iron) but do the particles remain embedded in the filter. I guess you would have to monitor any changes in cleaning periodicity. I have a tandem filter setup so I will experiment with mine. Oxalic acid can ruin the o-ring too. I have replaced a few in my pump sprayer after using whiteox and not properly cleaning my equipment. Oxalic acid is awesome! Thanks for the video and being willing to share.

Thank you so much! I appreciate your thoroughness. Great job!

Thanks so much. If we ever have a WHWF, we would do the same thing!!

You are so sweet to show this step by step video! Thank you so much!

I am so excited that I came across this video!!! Thank you for sharing your process.

Excellent - the best video for filter maintenance I've seen! Well done!

Thank you for the precise details on cleaning water filters.

I use a string wound whole house filter, and I have kept my old used filters with the idea of cleaning them in the future. I wonder if this same method would work, or if the oxalic acid would eat away at the string?

Wow, so detailed and that drying technique at the end is ingenious.

New sub here. We live in the Texas countryside on a well. Lots of sandy sediment. I have a big problem with the sediment filter we have plugging up. I am searching for whole house filter options again. Oh, we have been buying purified water from a local provider but the price is no $8/5 gallon jug (used to be $5). So I am motivated to purify my own water for coffee and drinking water. Thanks for your video.

Thanks! Just bought my first house with a well and had to put in a whole new softener/filter system. I have hardly ran 500gallon through and the sediment filter looks full. With chunks in the housing. The house was not used for 18 months so hoping the more I use the well that will get a little better but I was worried about the cost of filters. I had oxalic acid for cleaning other things so I’m going to give this a shot. Had you ever thought about going to a 20” filter so it lasts longer between changes? I would think the pleated ones would work the best for this vs the rope that could hold a lot more internally.

Great detailed video. I give you 10 out of 10 for video detail. I am like you. I have done similar things. You tried to help us by making this video. I am gonna help u. To ease your process. You need a self rinsing sediment prefilter. I made a whole house self cleaning water filter system video a while ago. I will post a link in next comment. That will make your life whole lot easier. You can keep using your method but with prefilter. You wont have to use it as often as you do now. Thanks my brother for all the good works.

Great vid! Not even relevant to me but I was mystified by your step by step intricately caretaking procedures. YOU'RE HIRED sir.

Thanks a lot and God bless you richly for your help and service.

Excellent, very well done, instructional video!

Viewers: Please note that the faucet HAS the vacuum break device required by plumbing codes to protect the water supply! Otherwise that hose could syphon back into the plumbing.

Hey, in your filter rinsing process, maybe try incorporating a painters brush and roller spinner.

i agree with previous comments , thats not a whole house filter, that is a point of use. 1 micron might be a good starting filter, then using a 0.25 micron filter at your sink could work

Think this would work with carbon versions of these filters?

I wish they had a better system to seal the filter holder than an "O Ring". Great vid. Very informative.

Thanks Excellent demonstration

This is very helpfull for me, thank you

nice thanksfor staying on the subject and not telling me about your life ( I sure it is a good one ) just have seen looked for information and got someones life story so a big THANKS FOR THE VIDEO, God Bless and be Safe

Tip; as you clean with the acid in the middle of the soaking, take the filter out and turn the filter upsidedown and put it back inside the globe. This will get both ends evenly. Otherwise, the top of the filter is lacking compare to the other end of filter

Great vid, you have a new subscriber. I have a prefilter on softener and 3 stage whole home filter manifold I built in, so my costs are RIDICULOUS

Thanks for your video. I have 3 - 20" Big Blue filters. I have 20 & 5 micron filters and the 3rd one is a granular activated charcoal filter. Do you have a method to clean and reuse CAG filters?

Are you not concerned about putting chlorine through your water heater? Chlorine increases the rate carbon steel rusts at significantly. Also, while I think your directions are quite good, I would use a silicon based lube for the o-rings then you don't have to tighten them near as tight and they are unlikely to leak and the o-ring will last longer.