Nothing upsets our stomach worse than the thought of having to drink from an unclean pitcher.
When it comes to drinking water, nobody should compromise with untidiness. Even more so when you’re dealing with products such as a Brita pitcher, it’s not wise to entertain the thought that you can do just fine with a dirty one.
These containers store 100% pure water, safeguarding it from all the bacteria. But, once it becomes an accomplice of our daily lives, it’s bound to get dirty.
What’s even worse is that we’re always ignoring it while ensuring that our refrigerators are still tidy. Ignorance is bliss – it pretty much explains why Brita pitchers are continuously developing mold and mildew.
- The water pitcher with filter holds 10 cups of...
But it’s high time for you not to continue that unhygienic trend anymore and clean your Brita pitcher properly.
So, in case you’re looking for the right way to clean yours, read on!
How should you clean a Brita Pitcher?
Before we go any further, let’s be clear that the following info that we’re about to share is not merely restricted to Brita pitchers. You can clean almost any other type of pitcher by just following these simple steps.
That said, wiping a Brita pitcher clean isn’t rocket science; as a matter of fact, it’s ten times easier than cleaning your refrigerator. Although the most important thing you’d need to complete this task is sheer will and commitment, let’s look at the key ingredients required to complete the job with precision.
- Cleaning sponge
- White vinegar
- A brand-new filter
- Dish soap
- Water
Critical steps for cleaning a Brita pitcher
Although this job isn’t nearly as complicated as people make it to be, it’s better to go by the right steps to ensure proper cleaning. That said, we’ve enlisted the main steps involved in washing your filter precisely, so let’s check it out!
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Make sure to disassemble the utensil
Start by emptying the pitcher and detaching every individual part of the product. However, it might just be the hardest step in the process as disassembling these intricately designed products isn’t as easy as it sounds. It can get a lot trickier when you’re specifically planning to clean the pitcher’s interior. However, variants such as zero water pitchers are very easy to wash, in general.
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Detach the screen
While you’re at it, you have to carefully detach the special tank that’s placed in the Brita filter, as it’s one of its key components. A critical step in maintaining a clean pitcher is replacing the screen from time to time. So, in case you haven’t done that already, make sure to replace it with a brand-new screen for 100% cleanliness.
One of the main reasons why changing the filter screen on a scheduled basis is highly suggested is because otherwise, it aids the development of unhygienic substances and bacteria. However, in case you don’t have a brand-new screen at the moment, you have to clean the filter thoroughly. In this case, rinse it minutely with lukewarm water and dry it in a contamination-free area.
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Wash the pitcher thoroughly
Once you’ve successfully managed to disassemble the pitcher, the essential part arrives. In this step, you mix the dish soap with water to prepare a cleaning solution to wash the separate components. Now, all you have to do is drench the individual parts in the solution for about an hour for the best results.
Once you’re done with this step, slowly take out the disassembled parts one by one, and scrub it till you’re convinced that it’s clean. However, in case you don’t have dish soap, for the time being, you can also use a high-quality detergent solution for deeper cleaning.
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Scrub out the mildew
Quite frankly, this step isn’t mostly necessary because if you’ve cleaned the surface deep enough, there wouldn’t be any chances for the fungus to be left on it. However, in specific cases, you may miss out on a little bit here and there.
In case you notice any new mold after cleaning, take some white vinegar and mix it with a bowl of fresh water. Now, dip the parts into the mixed solution and scrub till the mildew is thoroughly washed off.
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Rinse it and leave to dry
After you’ve made sure that the product is free from any dirt or mold, it’s time to rinse the individual parts thoroughly. For best results, you should soak the different pieces in lukewarm water, that too, separately. And once it’s done, make sure to place the components to dry in an area with optimal airflow.
Before you assemble the entire set back together, it’s vital to ensure that every part is 100% dry. In case you set it back while the components are wet, you’re only creating more room for mildew buildup in the future. That’s why it’s always advised to use a washing towel to be on the safer side.
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Time to prepare the new filter
If you’re using a newer version of Brita filters, you’ll probably be relieved from the hassle of soaking the brand-new screen before using. Nevertheless, while the other parts are left out to dry thoroughly, you should utilize the time to prepare the new filter.
However, building the new screen is very easy, once you’re totally in sync with the instruction manual. But if you’re using an older pitcher, you might just have to do a little extra work.
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Reassemble the pitcher
The final step is, as you’ve guessed, to set the individual parts back together. And before using it normally again, make sure to pour water inside and disperse it subsequently. This helps in draining out any carbon dust that’s been hiding inside the brim of the pitcher. Once it’s done, you have an utterly clean Brita filter.
Some useful tips for a deeper cleaning
Let’s not pretend that Brita pitchers aren’t full of curves and hedges; it can get a little challenging to reach every single corner for a thorough cleaning. However, if you use a toothbrush, it can be a bit easy to clean the hard-to-reach areas with precision.
Also, we recommend that you preclude the usage of bleach while cleaning your Brita Pitcher. What usually happens is that most of the users quickly tend to resort to bleaching when they notice a gradual buildup of greenish mold at the brim of the utensil. However, many fail to understand that using bleach also comes with a plethora of adverse effects.
If you’re observing mold at the bottom, it’s best to replace the filter itself. The best way to approach such instances is by throwing away the mold-covered screen. In general, it’s always advised to keep replacing the Brita filter every two months, or after an average usage of 40 gallons.
What are mildews and molds?
Although most of us often observe these greenish particles being developed around the brim of our utensils, not many of us can elaborate on what these are. Nonetheless, these are the most stubborn bacteria that always manage to grow around us. As unwanted as these ubiquitous germs are, it becomes even tougher to eradicate these from our homes forever.
You can call them apex species, provided how comfortably these bacteria can survive and reproduce in any environment. It’s effortless for them to continue growing in conducive areas, making it harder to eradicate them permanently. However, if these bacteria aren’t gotten rid of immediately, they can severely damage the host property’s longevity.
Apart from being the slimy, disgusting particles that they are, molds and mildews can also be a severe threat to the structural well-being of the host it infests upon. That said, let’s take a more in-depth look at the vital difference between molds and mildews.
What is the main difference between molds and mildews?
Molds are classified as the fungi that comprise multiplied similar nuclei. These bacteria are commonly found in greenish and blackish colors. However, on the other hand, mildews are nothing but a specific sub-species of molds.
Now, the main reason why molds are a severe threat is that these are known to plunge into the surfaces of the things that they decide to grow on deeply.
In comparison, mildews are a little less threatening as these only survive and reproduce in flat areas and can be eradicated very easily. Compared to the former, mildew is far less dangerous to the well-being of the host material, and that’s because cleaning it isn’t as difficult.
That said, the most common places where you’d often find molds are cracks, old walls, and surprisingly, food. However, mildews are mostly found in damp areas such as plastic, organic materials, paper, and so on.
Common mold types
To be frank, it’s nearly impossible to identify every kind of mold because the ones that grow indoors have surpassed 10,000 variants already. However, some of the most common types of mold have been enlisted below.
- Alternaria
The molds are commonly found growing under kitchen/bathroom sinks, showers, walls, or similar dampened areas. Staying in contact with these fungi can lead to detrimental situations such as asthma.
- Aspergillus
These are the most popular category of molds, and most likely, the ones that you often notice in your Brita pitchers. These bacteria are commonly found in greenish, greyish or blackish colors, and can impose detrimental health hazards such as lung inflammation.
- Cladosporium
This type of fungi is commonly found to be growing in colder temperatures. You’ll mostly notice them growing in fabrics, and it can also cause numerous mild respiratory issues.
- Penicillium
Last but not least, this type of fungi is mostly found growing in materials that have been in higher contact with water. These can cause severe allergic reactions, when in contact with a human body for a long time.
Common mildew types
Mildew is a plant-related ailment that damages the trees and is classified into two major types.
- Powdery mildew
These types of fungi are commonly found in white patches, and mainly harm the flourishing crops.
- Downy mildew
Widely found in agro products, these fungi are initially found to be yellow and subsequently change into brown.
How to preclude the infestation of mold and mildew
The best way to prevent your house or even utensils like Brita filters from being infected by mold and mildew is by maintaining optimal cleanliness and hygiene. To be more precise, if you’re looking forward to eliminating the development of these harmful bacteria permanently, it’s imperative to maintain a suitably clean and moisture-free residence.
If you want to take it a notch higher, then continue by ensuring that the room temperature of your home doesn’t exceed 40-50 degrees, which can also help lower its chances. The heating/cooling systems must go through scheduled evaluations so that the air circulation inside you is never compromised.
If you happen to come across any mildew-infested plant in your residence, pluck them out to restrict any sort of spreading. Last but not least, white vinegar is an excellent option for cleaning the stubborn mold/mildew growing in your utensils. Just a little bit of it can take on the most stubborn molds with ease.
Final Words
It’s a universal fact that prevention is better than cure, and that’s why we should maintain proper hygiene by keeping our utensils clean. And when it comes to the ones, like Brita Pitchers, that store our drinking water, we shouldn’t act lazy.
That said, we hope that our informational guide to cleaning a Brita Pitcher has helped you learn more about washing these complex-designed water containers.
On that note, we’ll be returning soon with more informational guides, so stay tuned.
See ya!
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