How to clean RO filter membrane like a pro? Check these instructions!

Alright, so the other day, I noticed my water was tasting kinda funky. You know, not fresh like it usually does. I figured it had to be something up with my RO system, since that’s what I use to filter my drinking water. The first thing that came to my mind was the membrane. I mean, that’s the heart of the whole operation, right?

So, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. First thing I did was shut off the water supply. No one wants a flooded kitchen, am I right? Then, I grabbed my tools, mainly just a wrench, and carefully took apart the system to get to the membrane housing.

Getting to the Dirty Work

Once I got the housing open, I pulled out the old membrane. Man, it was gunked up! Looked pretty nasty with all sorts of build-up on it. That’s when I knew a good cleaning was overdue.

Now, I’ve heard you can use some pretty harsh chemicals to clean these things, like bleach or even acid. But I’m not a big fan of putting that stuff near my drinking water. So, I went with a simpler approach – good old hydrogen peroxide. I mixed up a solution, not too strong, just enough to do the job without being overkill.

Soaking and Scrubbing

• I dunked the membrane in the hydrogen peroxide solution and let it soak for a while. I think it was about an hour or so. Just enough time to let the solution do its thing and loosen up all that gunk.
• After the soak, I took a soft brush and gently scrubbed the membrane. I made sure to get into all the nooks and crannies, but without being too rough. You don’t want to damage the thing, right?
• Once I was satisfied with the scrubbing, I rinsed the membrane thoroughly with clean water. I wanted to make sure all the hydrogen peroxide and loosened-up gunk were completely washed away.

Putting it all Back Together

With the membrane nice and clean, I put everything back together, making sure all the connections were tight and secure. Then, I turned the water supply back on and let the system run for a bit to flush out any remaining air or cleaning solution.

And you know what? It worked like a charm! The water tasted fresh and clean again, just like it should. It’s amazing what a little elbow grease and some simple cleaning can do. So, if your water’s tasting off, don’t forget to give that RO membrane a good cleaning. It might just save you a headache and some money in the long run!