How To Clean A Zero Water Filter | Complete 10 Step Guide

Written by Tim Rhodes Last Updated: Dec 3, 2024

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We live in those times where water is a depleting commodity which many few people can afford and have access to it so knowing how to clean a Zero Water filter is essential in times of need.

In such desperate times clean water sounds to be a luxury.

Many developed countries are facing a shortage of clean water and many countries who even have access to abundant water strive for clean water.

But modern technology has paved a lot of easy path to purifying water.

Whenever you are purchasing a water filter some factors need to be kept in mind.

The first factor which you need to keep in mind is whether you are going to install the water filter either to specified space in the house or the whole house.

Filtered pitchers are one the cheapest and easy to use products that are present on the market and can make drinkable, pure water easily accessible so here is a complete guide on how to clean a Zero Water filter.

What Are Total Dissolved Solids?

Total Dissolved Solids or commonly known as TDS are those non-organic impurities that are found in water and contribute to the polluting taste of water.

Dissolved solids enter our water supply through old piping, run-off from road salts, pesticides, fertilizers, and more.

How To Measure Purity?

The purity is measured by doing a TDS test.

TDS is an abbreviation of Total Dissolved Solids.

TDS means all the solid substances which are present in the water in a dissolved form.

TDS is measured in part per million or ppm.

A TDS score shows the purity of the water.

Many people around the world use a simple pitcher with a carbon filter.

But a normal carbon filter only reduced the water’s TDS up to 90 which means that there are still a lot of harmful particles that are present in your water which can prove to be life-threatening for you.

Types Of Drinking Water

Now we have discussed the TDS score, let’s talk about water itself.

There are different types of drinking water.

People around the globe prefer different types of water.

The preference depends on the TDS score of the tap water.

Tap Water

Europe is one of those continents where the purification of water has a high priority.

The quality of drinking water in Europe is very good but their water does have some harmful particles and chemicals.

The government has installed multiple filtration plants that provide its residents with clean and purified water.

The tap water in Europe is partially filtered which doesn’t ensure the absolute purity of water.

But people in Europe mostly use carbon filters to ensure the purification of water.

Water In Bottles And Cans

The water which is supplied by companies through water bottles and cans are a good alternative, but they still can’t complete purity.

Sometimes the quality of bottled water is worse than tap water.

The reason behind this problem is that sometimes the plastic particles of the bottle or the can add some unpurified plastic particles in the water. 

Filtered Water

Throughout the world, filtered water has preference over bottled water and boiled water.

The reason behind this dilemma is that bottled water might have plastic particles that are harmful to the human body and boiled water can eradicate all necessary substances which are healthy for a human body.

Boiled Water

On the Asian continent, the quality of drinkable water is very poor.

People look for different alternatives to obtain drinkable water.

Most of the low-income boil tap water to purify it.

One of the biggest drawbacks of the boiled water is that it eliminates the substances which are beneficial for a human body.

Sometimes, by boiling the water some of the minerals form a layer at the bottom of the water.

Consumption of such minerals can affect your health.

Types of Filters

After purchasing the best choice available in the market, the last thing which you need to do regularly is cleaning the water filter.

Now let’s move to a detailed guide on how to clean a water filter.

But before moving on how to clean a water filter, let’s discuss the types of water filters.

There are multiple types of water filters.

• Carbon Filters
• Reverse Osmosis
• Alkaline
• UV filters
• Infrared filters

Carbon Filters

Carbon filters are such filters that generally remove large particles like sediment and silt water from the water.

Carbon filters attract and absorb such particles for the purification of water.

These filters make the water clean and improve the taste by reducing the presence of chlorine and other particles.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis filter is a highly efficient filter because it removes all particles which endanger your health in any sort of way.

These filters ensure that the water is clean and odor-free.

Alkaline

Alkaline or water ionizers are extremely efficient when it comes to purifying water.

Water ionizers use a process that is commonly known as electrolysis.

Electrolysis is a process that separates water into two water streams, one is alkaline and the other is acidic when the water hits electric plates.

This makes the water less acidic which is more beneficial for a human body.

UV Filters

UV filters or Ultraviolet filters are such filters that eliminate life-threatening bacteria by using ultraviolet radiation.

Infrared Filters

The main purpose of infrared filters is to soften the tendency of your water.

These filters use heat and electric charges to soften the water.

Companies That Offer Multiple Water Filtering Products:

• PUR
• Brita
• Zero Water

PUR

Pur is one of the leading brands in the world who offer water filtered products and their filtered pitchers are one of the best in the market.

It is easy to use and the products of Pur are rated between 3.5 out of 5.

Pur’s products are one of the highly recommended products in the market.

Pur ensures purification of drinking water and a crisp taste.

Pur admits that their products can remove more than 95% of mercury, 96% chlorine, 83% Zinc, 98% cyst, 91% atrazine, 92% cadmium, and some other substances which are present in your water and can prove to be life-threatening.

Pur uses a filter that is based on Maxion technology which uses coconut shells and carbon to purify the water.

Pur claims that their filter can last up to two months or 35 gallons of water.

Pur’s product also has a led indicator that notifies you regarding the filter’s life.

The led indicator has three types of notification.

If the indicator is green, it means that the filter is working fine and no changes are required, if the indicator is yellow then it means that the filter needs to be changed and if the indicator turns red then it means that the filter is not working.

Pur’s 11 cup pitcher is one of their best-selling products.

It is compact and it is easy to use.

Its compact size makes it easier for you to store your purified water in refrigerators.

Pur’s products are overall good products but their only drawback is that their filter purifies the water at a very slow speed.

Brita

Brita is one of the best brands in the world which are known for the quality of its products in the water filter industry.

They have a vast variety of products which include filtered pitchers, filtered water bottles, and filter systems which are specially developed so that people around the world can have purified water.

Brita claims that their products remove almost 97.6% of the contaminants in the water which can prove to be harmful to the human body.

Brita ensures that its product removes chemicals, dirt, and heavy metals and eliminates bad smells and bad taste which are present in unpurified water.

Brita uses carbon filters which are improved through ion exchange resin which ensure the removal of water hardening materials which can prove to be life-threatening.

One of the biggest advantages of purchasing Brita products is that they filter water at a very high speed.

Effectiveness Of Brita Filters

Brita highly effective when it comes to purifying water.

Its efficiency and effectiveness in terms of purifying are backed by NSF certification.

The NSF certification clearly states that Brita filters can remove any type of chemicals, matter, and metals including lead and mercury.

Features

Their products are designed in such a way that the pouring of water becomes easy.

The Brita filter eliminates the taste of chlorine and its odor.

Brita filters also eliminate impurities like copper, mercury, and cadmium.

A led indicator is present on the water filter.

The led indicator has three types of notification.

If the indicator is green, it means that the filter is working fine and no changes are required, if the indicator is yellow then it means that the filter needs to be changed and if the indicator turns red then it means that the filter is not working.

A Brita filter lasts for 2 months or 40 gallons.

Brita ensures its users that their products eliminate all harmful contaminants from their water, but the Brita filter only reduces a small proportion of fluoride.

The reason behind this is that Brita believes that fluoride is essential for the human body and fluoride makes teeth strong and prevents any dental problems.

But on the other hand, doctors believe that high fluoride levels in water can result in multiple diseases including debilitating bone disease, kidney issues, cognitive impairment, hyperthyroidism, osteoporosis, cancer, and even depression.

Cons

One of the biggest problems of the Brita filters is that these filters are unable to completely remove fluoride from tap water.

Many users don’t consider it as one of the cons of the product but most people prefer such filtered pitchers which can remove fluoride too.

Another con of the filters is its life.

Brita claims that their filters last either for 2 months or about 40 gallons.

Considering this, the replacement of the filters looks to be very expensive which can make the users look for cheaper alternatives.

One of the biggest flaws of the Brita filtered pitchers is the design.

The flawed design increases the chance of spilling of water.

However, the body of the pitcher seems to be quite good but its weight makes the pitcher imbalanced making the pitcher to spill water

Is Brita Healthy?

Now the million-dollar question, are the filtered Pitchers of Brita healthy?

The answer is yes, Brita filtered pitchers are certified by NSF which claims that the Brita filtered pitchers are healthy.

Zero Water

Zero Water is a company which was established in 1990 and their products in the market are water bottles, water coolers and water pitchers which are used to dispense and clean hard particles which are present in water and can prove to be life-threatening.

When Zero Water first launched their products, they were only entertaining commercial clients but now zero water has expanded their clientele to individuals.

Zero Water claims to eradicate 99.6% of all solid contaminants from normal water.

Zero water offers multiple water filtered jugs.

The range of the jugs starts from 6cups to 40cups.

But 10cup filtration jugs are Zero water’s best seller.

Features:

• This filtration jug makes sure that you have pure and clean water in your fridge
• The included, free water quality meter lets you test your water so you never have to wonder about its quality
• It is different from all the water filters which are available in the market
• It uses a 5 stage filtration process to provide you with clean, healthy, purified, and tasteful water
• It filters water through ion exchange technology instead of using carbon filters, to purify tap water
• Zero water filters are certified by NSF which claims that Zero Water filters can almost eliminate all heavy metals making tap water pure by 99.6%
• It removes more impurities from your water with Zero Water’s unique, 5 stage filter system
• With a variety of options, you can have cleaner water anywhere, from pitchers, bottle filtration systems, or portable on-the-go cup filters
• Zero Water filters are the only pour-through filters NSF Certified to remove chromium & lead
• Our pitchers, tumblers, & dispensers remove virtually all solids for the purest tasting water
• It is a 5-stage filter which is more comprehensive than conventional 2 stage filters

Speed Of The Water Filtration Process Of Zero Water Filters

The speed of the filtration process of zero water filters is comparatively slow when it is compared to the traditional water filtering pitchers.

The reason behind the slow speed of filtration is that the Zero water filters work on a 5-stage process whereas the traditional water filtering pitchers work on a 2-stage process.

Does Zero Water Reduce The pH Of The Water?

Once the filter reaches its end, you may experience an acidic taste in the water.

Once the digital meter’s LED indicator lights up, you should stop the use of the expired filter and replace it with a new one.

Zero water filters have a filter’s end of life indication whereas standard filters do not have such indicators.

Continuing the use of the expired filter will only further damage the ion beads and a reduction in pH level may occur.

The reduction in pH is not life-threatening but there is a chance under extreme filter exhaustion, the pH levels may be reduced to a point where you will experience a taste difference in the water, occurring at a meter reading below 1 or 2.

How To Clean The Zero Water Filter:

• The first step of cleaning a zero water filter is to add water into the filtered pitcher and record the time which the filter took to purify water
• However, zero water filtration speed is slow, but a dirty filter can take hours to filter water
• The next step is to check whether the water filter is clogged through the air making the filtration process slow
• Unscrew the filter and again attached it where it was attached
• Now if the problem is still there then move to the next step, if not then your problem will be resolved
• The next step is to poke multiple holes on the front of the filter either with a needle or with a pair of tweezers
• These holes should be poked with extreme care
• Make sure that you don’t poke the holes too deep
• Poking holes too deep can destroy the filter or in the puncturing of the layers
• If you puncture the screen of the filter then the filter will stop filtering water
• After poking holes in the filter, use tap water on the filter to check whether the filter has been cleaned or if the obstruction is still in the place which is reducing the speed of the filtration process
• If the problem persists then move to the next step
• The next step is to measure the TDS level of the unfiltered water
• Tap water can contain from 25 to 500mg per liter of water
• Zero Water filters are supposed to bring the TDS level down to zero
• The higher the TDS concentration before filtering, the harder the filter is working
• If the TDS levels are down to zero then it means that the filter is no longer fit to use
• Replacing the filter will be easy instead of cleaning it

Process Of Zero Water Filter

• The water passes through the coarse filter screen which filters out all the small particles and sediments which are harmful and can prove to be life-threatening for a human body
• Next, the water passes from a foam distributor which evenly distributes the water for more efficient use of the filter medium
• This enhances the ability of the water filter to remove contaminants
• In the next step, the multi-layer activated carbon and oxidation reduction alloy comes into the process
• This multi-layer filters out different types of harmful matter and filters out the organic substances
• This multilayer also reduces and even removes traces of chlorine and heavy metals, and prevents the potential forming of mold
• In the next step, the water is passed through the dual comprehensive ion exchange resin
• This negative and positive ion exchange resin strips foreign ions from the water molecules and returns them to a pure state
• And in the last step, Layers of ultra-fine screening and non-woven membranes eradicates all the ultra-fine particles to create the purest water experience

Final Thoughts

Clean water is necessary for healthy survival in this world but the current quality of the water in the world is deteriorating.

Companies who offer water filtering products have taken it upon themselves to provide the people with pure and clean water.

Pur, Brita, and Zero water are the three big names that offer water filtering products.

Each company’s product has its pros and cons.

But the best of all the companies is Zero Water.

Zero water has proved that they can provide the filtered pitchers which can eliminate the contaminants which are found in the water up to 99.6%, making the water pure and drinkable.

So, if you want to have clean and pure water, zero water filtered pitchers are the best option, and knowing how to clean a Zero Water filter will make your life easier.

References:

• https://www.softwaterfiltration.com/water-filters/
• https://www.myhomeappliances.com/pur-vs-brita-vs-zero-water-vs-mavea/
• https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/realview-zerowater-83796
• https://www.consumerreports.org/water-filter-pitchers/brita-stream-rapids-vs-zerowater-ready-pour-water-filter-pitcher-face-off/
• https://zerowater.com/products-tumblers
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935117303419