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| Caroline Bach / https://www.flickr.com/photos/carolinebach/ |
Your daily shower (or bath) may seem harmless, and many of us even enjoy taking a nice, hot shower. But did you know that the water contains chlorine to kill bacteria and microorganisms? This is great, except for the fact that when you soak your body in warm water, your pores open, making you susceptible to absorbing the chlorine through the largest organ in your body - your skin. In fact, you absorb more chlorine in one minute in the shower than you do by drinking eight glasses of the same water (source).
Chlorine can cause skin and eye irritation, in addition to drying out the hair and scalp. The good news is that you can filter out the chlorine and toxic chemicals with a simple shower or bath filtration system.
There are also various ways you can filter your drinking water to minimize the chlorine and anything else that might be lurking in it. Let's start by going over bath and shower filter ideas, then move on to filtering your drinking water.
Filtering shower and bath water
By filtering your water, you will likely have softer, smoother skin and silkier hair. You won't be absorbing harmful toxins, and certain shower heads might even reduce the amount of water that is wasted.
A cheap option is to get the Sprite SL-CM Slim-Line Universal Shower Filter; you just need to replace the cartridge every six months. This should work with your regular shower head.
To filter bath water, whether you have kids or just enjoy taking a relaxing bath, you might try a bath ball. I've read mixed reviews on a few different brands, but if you do a little more research that I have so far, you might find something worth trying.
Filtering your drinking water
I rarely drink tap water anymore, unless I don't have any other options. We used to use the Brita pitchers with a built-in filtering system, but the house we bought has a refrigerator filtering system, so we no longer need to refill the pitchers every couple days. In addition to these options, you can also buy a filter that connects directly with the faucet, directly filtering your tap water. No matter which option you choose, it is essential to replace the cartridge within the recommended amount of time to make sure you always have clean drinking water.
It is pretty inexpensive to install a faucet filter. Here's a good option.
What is your favorite brand or type of water filter? Have you noticed any benefits since you started filtering the tap water?
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**Disclosure: Although this post may contain affiliate links, all opinions are my own.
Your challenge: This week, consider replacing your shower head with a "greener" option, as well as filtering your drinking water.
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**This post is part of a weekly challenge {Go Green in 2014}, during
which the author has challenged herself - and you - to find 52 ways to
lead a greener life in 2014. You can follow the weekly posts on this page.**
We have well water, and it tastes and smells clean - also no buildup of anything (rust, lime, etc.) so I have assumed it's 'clean' water to use and to drink. I wonder how a person would know for sure? Probably could find some type of testing kit ... would be interesting to know!
ReplyDeleteJoni, I just did a quick search and it looks like you can get water testing kits from stores like Walmart, or you can order them online. They detect traces of bacteria, lead, pesticides and nitrates as well as the pH level. They can also detect chlorine, which you shouldn't have to worry about with well water.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Clean water shouldn't just be limited to the water that we drink. Water used in bathing, cooking and even washing the dishes can also be sources of contamination. Getting a proper filtration system is important, so people can avoid absorbing toxins into their body through other means, besides drinking bad water. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteVerna Griffin @ Axeon Water Technologies