How to Store Used RO Membrane: A Quick and Easy Tutorial

Today, I want to talk about something I recently messed around with – how to store a used RO membrane. You see, I had this old RO membrane from my water filter system lying around, and I didn’t want to just toss it out. I remembered reading somewhere that you gotta keep these things from drying out completely. So, I started digging around and figured out a decent way to store it.

First things first

I pulled the old membrane out of the housing. It was all wet and slimy, as you’d expect. I knew I couldn’t just leave it like that.

Cleaning it up a bit

I rinsed the membrane under some tap water, just to get the loose gunk off. I didn’t use any soap or anything, just a gentle rinse. I also made sure to clean the housing where the membrane sits, you know, to make sure that the place is clean.

Finding a container

Next, I needed something to store it in. I grabbed a plastic container that I could seal it up. I just wanted to make sure that the container is clean, right? It’s got to be airtight to keep the moisture in and prevent it from drying out.

The preserving solution

Now, this is where it gets a little tricky. Some folks use a special preservative solution, like sodium bisulfite, but I didn’t have any of that on hand. I heard tap water is fine, so I just fill the container with tap water and immerse the RO membrane in the water. It’s better than nothing, right?

Sealing it up

With the membrane in the solution, I put the lid on the container and made sure it was sealed tight. I even wrapped some plastic wrap around the lid for extra protection. Just want to make it extra sure, you know?

Storing it away

Finally, I found a cool, dark place in my storage room to keep the container. I read that you shouldn’t expose these things to direct sunlight, so I made sure it was tucked away nicely. And that’s basically it! I also made sure that I use the RO system every 10 days to 2 weeks. It is said that this can keep the membrane fresh.

It’s not a perfect system, but it’s better than just letting the membrane dry out and potentially get damaged. I figured I’d share this little experiment in case anyone else is wondering what to do with their old RO membranes. It is always better than throwing it away, isn’t it? Plus, I might try to use the old membrane again one day. I read that some people use old RO membranes as filters in some other water treatment stages. That’s a good way to recycle it, you know. Anyway, hope this helps someone out there!