Is Your RO Membrane Dirty? Cleaning Tips to Improve Water Quality Fast

Alright, today I wanna share something about cleaning RO membranes. It’s not something I do every day, but it’s important to keep things running smoothly. So, let’s get into it.

First off, I noticed my water pressure was getting weaker. I also noticed that the water coming out started to taste a little off. Kinda like when you forget to change the filter in your pitcher, but worse. And my water bill, don’t even get me started, it was creeping up. That’s when I knew it was probably time to take a look at my RO system.

I’m no expert, but I figured the membranes were probably all gunked up. After a bit of reading online, I learned that this is called “fouling”. Nasty stuff, apparently. It’s like, all the minerals and junk that the membrane is supposed to filter out just builds up over time and makes it harder for water to pass through.

So, first step, I turned off the water supply. Don’t wanna make a mess, right? I also shut off the valve to the storage tank. Then I disconnected some tubes – gotta be careful with this part. I made sure to have a bucket handy to catch any water that might spill out.

Next, I took out the membrane housings. They’re usually these long, cylindrical things. Inside, you’ll find the actual membranes. They looked kinda gross, to be honest. All slimy and discolored. Definitely needed a good cleaning.

Now, for the cleaning solution. I’ve heard some people use some name brand solutions. And there’s also mention of using something called CIP, which I think stands for “Clean in Place”. But I decided to just use a bit of diluted bleach. Seemed like the simplest option. I mixed a little bit of bleach with a lot of water in a bucket. Super important not to use too much bleach. You don’t want to damage the membranes.

• I carefully put the membranes in the bleach solution.
• Let them soak for about 30 minutes, maybe a little longer.
• Gave them a gentle scrub with a soft brush.

After that, I rinsed the heck out of them. Seriously, rinse, rinse, and rinse some more. You don’t want any bleach residue left on those things. Finally I put everything back together, turned the water back on, and let the system run for a while to flush out any remaining bleach.

And guess what? The water pressure is back to normal! The water tastes better too. It is just crystal clear! And hopefully, my water bill will go back down. It’s a bit of a chore, but it’s definitely worth it to keep your RO system in good shape.

Now, I read somewhere that you should clean your membranes every 3 to 12 months. It really depends on your water quality. I guess if your water is super hard or has a lot of sediment, you might need to clean them more often. But if your water is pretty clean, you can probably get away with doing it less frequently. I’ll probably aim for every 6 months or so, just to be safe.

That’s pretty much it! It’s not rocket science, but it does take a little bit of time and effort. If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, don’t be afraid to call a plumber or a water treatment specialist. They can do it for you, but it’ll probably cost you more. But hey, it’s your call!