Refrigerator Water Filter
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- Опубліковано 20 сер 2024
- This video shows how to save hundreds of dollars over the years by easily cleaning and reusing your refrigerator water filters for the cost of a container of distilled white vinegar. The filter in our previous refrigerator, a Samsung, cost approximately 23 dollars and they lasted approximately 10 months to a year. Our new one is this Whirlpool. It’s a great refrigerator with a center drawer. However, its filters cost approximately 50 dollars and they only last four or five months before they need to be replaced.
Consequently, rather than pay $150 dollars replacing these filters, I developed a process to easily and quickly clean them. We don’t have a lot of minerals in our water. If you do, this expense could be even more for you. By the way, you can use this process on most filters to include the inexpensive filters in our Samsung that I mentioned previously.
In my Episode 48 Video, I showed how to unclog your bathroom and shower faucet aerators with White vinegar. Successfully cleaning these aerators gave me the idea to use this approach to clean and reuse, my expensive refrigerator water filter. In other words, if a white vinegar solution efficiently cleans faucet aerators, it will also successfully clean my refrigerator water and ice filter. Consequently, I decided to use this same process and this white cooking vinegar for cleaning my refrigerator water filter rather than buying new ones.
If you don’t have any vinegar, I've included this link:
1 Gallon, 128 Fl Oz:
amzn.to/3BLLZOu
This seems to be the only video on here where someone re uses a filter...i noticed my light on and thought... "Can i just back flush this like almost any other filter?"... I'm happy to see you've done it and had good results... Thank you Sir for taking the time on this video for us... Cheers
eeze5704,
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I sure will subscribe! You’re a breathe of fresh air amongst a sea of UA-camr’s.
Anybody genuine like you deserves my support!
Josh R 👊🏼
@@TheJroddude Thank you so much for your great comments. Glad to hear I am helping you😀.
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Josh, Thank you so much for your fantastic comments.
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Al Bacon
Let's Fix It Right
Good video very useful. I've been doing it for years. Works great.
Devin,
Appreciate you great comment on my refrigerator water filter video!!!!
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Thank you
Viola,
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Great video and great idea. I'm trying it out. I do wonder how many times a person can clean the filter like this before they need to buy a new one.
CW,
Glad you liked my idea video and I appreciate your interest in my channel. Depending on the filter, I'm thinking a filter could last several years.
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@@LetsFixItRight Wow! That's great! Thanks for your video. You are saving me lots of money. I do have one idea. I could not find a long horizontal pan like like yours so I used a tall sports cup. I put the filter in vertically with the vinegar above it. I had to push it down with my hand or a spoon. air bubbled out. Eventually, I could let go and air continued to bubble out on its own. The next day, I shock the filter as much as I could to get out as much of the vinegar that I could and filled the sports cup with water. About 12 hours in the water, I shock the filter to get the water out and put fresh water in the cup and repeated the process. I did this the next day, too. It seems the tall sports cup works, too. Thanks again for sharing with all of us about how to save money.
I wonder if I could do this, then refill it with vinegar, and install it, then flush it through the dispenser to clean the lines
Mskperpen,
You could do this. However, you’ll have a lot of vinegar to flush out. As shown in the video (see 3:47 to 4:41), it took me 5 or 6 large containers of water to flush the vinegar out of the water filter and water lines. It will take you a lot more water to flush all of it out.
Most importantly, I appreciate your interest in my channel and subscribing. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
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I'm a bit confused. The specs on most filters indicate they last for 6-9 months so I'm not sure what simply cleaning calcium from it will do. My issue isn't so much the filter getting clogged by hard water residue/calcium. It's the water line. Other posts advise to simply run vinegar thru the line but do not provide steps to perform. Hoping this is possible instead of having to replace the line/tubing - which I'm not even sure is possible.
Tom,
We have a lot of calcium in our public water system and I’ve extended the life of my filter for over 2 years as opposed to the 6-9 month specification you cited. I started doing this 2 years ago and I suspect that my method could work for 5 years or more. In addition, based on the feedback I’ve received, my method for cleaning and reusing refrigerator water filters with cooking vinegar works great. It’s been very successful.
If replacing your filter or cleaning it does not work, I am not sure cleaning all of the water lines and components in your refrigerator water/ice system will solve your problem (i.e., you could have a kinked line, a bad ice maker, etc.).
Recommend that you contact your refrigerator manufacturer for assistance. They may be able to help. You also may want to check with a local appliance repair company.
Otherwise, I appreciate your interest in my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
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Hey. Informative video. I am unclear - did you also soak the filter in water for 2 days before reinserting it back into the fridge?
After soaking the filter in White Cook Vinegar, I did soak the filter in water for a couple of days. However, I also had to take 9 or 10 glasses of water from the water dispenser to eliminate the vinegar taste.
Otherwise, I appreciate your interest in my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
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Al Bacon
Let’s Fix It Right
, 16JUNE24, before this, I was having to replace my water filter every 3 months or so, today I tried this method on an LG Filter soaked in vinegar for 24 Hrs, so far so good, "light" did not come on once installed again, I ran water thru the line for about a gallon next time will try 1/2 gallon , and no taste of vinegar. Am very please, will wait a few days and see and give an up date. Thank You.
@user-fq4ij8ez7w
Appreciate your comments and information!
Glad to hear my video helped!
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Great video, I'm going to give it a try! What do you think for a maximum amount of times to clean a filter ?
Adam,
Glad that you liked this video. After reinstalling the cleaned filter, you will notice that the water is sort of milky per the video. So, I flushed my refrigerator system out by dispensing approximately ten glasses of water. With the last few glasses of flushed water, I noticed that the milkiness was gone. Tasted the water and it was perfect.
I appreciate you taking time to ask this valuable question and welcome your interest in my “Let’s Fix It Right” channel.
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ABHI P,
This is a very good question. As shown in my video, I had to flush the vinegar out with 5 or 6 large glasses of water (4:00 to 4:30). Consequently, I'm guessing that you may have to discard up to 10 trays of ice to clear out your frig. This may be too much of an inconvenience for you. You may want to buy a new filter instead of flushing your system out with cooking vinegar.
Otherwise, I appreciate your interest in my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
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Have you tested the water with a new filter and then with the reused filter to make sure it's working?
Rattlehead M,
This is a good question. Thanks for asking it. Yes, I have done this and I have found that a reused filter using my cleaning process in this video is just as good as a new one.
Otherwise, I appreciate your interest in my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
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thanks buddy
Alex,
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Can you explain how the vinegar cleans the deposits caught up in the charcoal filter?
Nathan:
As I mentioned in the beginning of the film, the white vinegar dissolves the minerals that are caught by filter in the water within your refrigerator water line.
I appreciate your interest in the film and my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
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Vinegar is a weak acid and will dissolve any hard precipitation from calcium and magnesium . ( white residue you see in showers) however. These filters consist of three kinds of filtration media, one of which is activated carbon to remove odour and smell from water ( mainly chlorine). Vinegar won't regenerate activated carbon. Also, if there is a rubber gasket or sealant on the filter, vinegar will make them brittle and start leaking
Imvupeople - disagree with your statement that vinegar will not regenerate activated carbon.
In fact the Gold industries Elution principle Acid Wash of their activated carbon relies on this principle to remove inorganics and is outright proven.
I would add that while I do believe you can remove some inorganics (Magnesium’s / Calcium) because the acid is weak it may not be extremely effective. Regardless I will try it.
Perhaps you are talking about organics build up (Benzenes etc) which I do not see being able to be removed without thermal regeneration. Which is impractical with the plastic housing.
Lead contaminants and other heavy metals removal - I am unsure how this will impact performance.
Please name the other 2 types of filtration media also?
Looks good
Adam,
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@@LetsFixItRight they don't listen to a word I say lol but I can defo sub
Adam,
I hear ya! Sounds good. Welcome aboard!
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Could I use a solution of 'sterident' (used for cleaning / soaking stained teeth?
Jan,
I have never used “strident”. Please keep in mind that you may not get all of it flushed out of your refrigerator water system. If you are comfortable with using it and potentially consuming some “strident” in your ice cubes and water, I’m guessing that it may be OK. But I’m concerned that it could make you sick if you consume some of it.
Consequently, I still recommend white cooking vinegars, which people routinely consume. If somebody doesn’t do good job of flushing the vinegar from the filter, they will taste it. But, it won’t make them sick if they consume a small amount. In addition, cooking vinegar is not expensive and available in most grocery stores.
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I moved into a townhome and landlord sent us a new filter and we let the water flow out for 3 mins like it said but it still smells. I think its the slot to insert filter that needs to be cleaned. What do you suggest?
Nina,
I recommend that you clean the slot. In addition, I would drain 9 or 10 glasses of water from the water dispenser as I show in my video. This will help flush out the contaminated water in your cold water / ice system. In addition, I recommend that you dispense all of the existing ice cubes in your refrigerator ice maker. They are most likely contaminated also.
Otherwise, I appreciate you taking time to make this valuable comment and welcome your interest in my “Let’s Fix It Right” channel.
In addition, please check out several of my channel’s other useful videos that will facilitate your DIY efforts around the house. I also retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great episodes to assist you.
With that said, can you please subscribe to my channel, tell your family, friends, and co-workers about it, and send them this a link to my channel’s helpful videos:
ua-cam.com/users/LetsFixItRight
Lastly, your thoughts and opinions are very important to the Let’s Fix It Right Community! If you have additional recommendations about my channel and videos, can you please provide them to me?
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Let’s Fix It Right
@@LetsFixItRight How do I clean the slot? Sorry didn't see it in video.
Your right. I didn't show that in the video. I recommend using an old toothbrush and the white cooking vinegar that I show in the video.
Can I do this if the fridge is making water but no ice?
Amber,
My approach should work on most refrigerators with and without ice makers.
Otherwise, I appreciate your interest in my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
Can you please subscribe and tell your friends and family about my channel also?
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Al Bacon
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Hi! I was wondering why you disapprove of the more concentrated cleaning vinegars?
Anyway, thank you for this. It was badly needed, in my case; a problem with silicate dust from concrete ceilings and columns has endangered some of my appliances and electronics... 😓
Ro-Stef Lahens,
I recommend cooking vinegars of concentrated cleaning vinegars for cleaning a refrigerator water filter because I am concerned that somebody may not do a good job of flushing the vinegar from the filter. I’m concerned that somebody could get sick from a filter with a lot of cleaning vinegar in it as opposed to a cooking vinegar, which people routinely consume.
Otherwise, you could use concentrated cleaning vinegars for cleaning the exterior portions of your refrigerator and appliances.
Please accept my apology for taking 10 days to respond to you. My wife and I have been out of town on vacation and we recently returned.
Otherwise, I appreciate your interest in my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
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My question is how do you know the filter actually needs to be cleaned/changed? I'm quite certain its a timing issue.......got a fridge hooked it up.....and 6 months to the day filter lite came on....hit the reset and again 6 months later ...to the day ...filter lite back on. change filter and ....6 months later lite back on....no loss in pressure no cloudy or "distaste" water ...so I'd like to know....at $50 + a pop does it "need" to be changed?
I'm going to cut one open and look. What did you do for 3 days of "quick" cleaning?
J Gianetta,
All of your questions are very good. Not sure what type of frig you have. My frig seems to properly respond to dirty / clogged filters. I assume that my frig measures a pressure differential, which causes the light to come on when it reaches a specific value that represents a clogged filter.
Our public water has a lot of minerals in it, so I have to clean my frig filter every 4 months and my faucet aerators and cartridges (Episodes 47 and 48) approximately every 6 to 8 months.
I’m guessing that you may live in an area with low mineral content in your water. In addition, I like your idea of cutting one of your old filters in half and evaluating its content. For a quick 3-day cleaning, I still recommend using white cooking vinegar.
Otherwise, I appreciate your interest in my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
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I'm posotive that my roomates never changed this out, the ice cubes taste how the dog smells and after the dishwasher a distinct dog smell on the dishes. Is it possible that the dogs hair has gotten in both the fridge and the dishwasher trap?
Recommend that you replace the filter.
Will this work with an older Kenmore with filter at the bottom of the refrigerator and with what appears to be sealed tubes?
Cort,
If you can remove and replace this filter, I think my cleaning process will most likely work. If not, I do not think it will work.
Otherwise, I appreciate your interest in my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
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Al Bacon
Let’s Fix It Right
How can you use this process with filters that have the two prongs?
Gloria,
Can you please email me a picture of this double pronged filter at abacon73@aol.com?
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Let's Fix It Right
Could I Use apple cider vinegar?
SS Mann,
Considering that white cooking vinegar works well as shown in my video, I'm guessing that apple cider vinegar will work also. However, please watch my entire video to include the section near the end where I flush all of the vinegar from the refrigerator water tank and lines. Recommend that you do the same and clean out all of the apple cider vinegar taste.
Otherwise, I'm glad to hear that my video helped and I appreciate your interest in my channel. I retired recently and have plans for another 200 to 300 great videos.
Can you please subscribe and tell your friends and family about my channel also? This a link to my channel: www.youtube.com/@LetsFixItRight
Regards,
Al Bacon
Let’s Fix It Right