Cleaning and maintaining a water filter in 5 steps

The rhythm

A stainless steel gravity filter lasts for decades; the maintenance is light but needs a rhythm. Weekly: nothing. Monthly: rinse the chambers. Every 3 to 6 months: the big service (see below), a quarter of an hour's work.

The big service in 5 steps

1. Drain the system and take the chambers apart.
2. Wash both chambers and the small parts with warm water and a mild washing-up liquid; no abrasives on stainless steel, no dishwasher. Always rinse thoroughly.
3. Cleaning the filter elements: A. Black carbon elements (Black Berkey or BOROUX Foundation): rinse under a cold tap and lightly scour with a scouring sponge. Then prime again (saturate with water), see also the manual. B. White ceramic elements (Coldstream FTO PLUS): scrub the outer wall clean under running cold water with a soft brush or scouring sponge until the light colour returns (this may also be done monthly if you wish).
4. Limescale in the chambers? A splash of white vinegar in warm water dissolves it; leave it to stand for a while and then rinse thoroughly.
5. Check the rubbers and the tap for wear, put everything back together hand-tight (so do not overdo the tightening) and fill the upper chamber again.

The parts that wear out

It is not the stainless steel but the small parts that determine the service life: the tap, the rubber rings and the blocking plugs. They cost from a few euros to a few tens of euros and are available separately from Alternatievemiddelen.nl. Of course the filters also have to be replaced at some point. If you are leaving on holiday and taking the water filter with you or transporting it, secure the filters in the upper chamber well or take them out for the journey. This prevents damage and therefore disappointment during the trip.