Cleaning the Sawyer Inline Filter

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The Sawyer website recommends "sanitizing" the filter before storing it —

"Q. If I backwash it, will the bacteria in the city water grow in the filter?

"A. We recommend sanitizing the filter before storing it. If you backwash the filter and then use it, bacteria from the city water will not grow."

But then, the website also recommends "sanitizing" it after every outing, too.

"Q. How often should I clean the filter?

"A. For longer filter life, you should backwash and sanitize the filter after every outing."

The FAQ has other suggestions for additional scenarios per link below:

http://www.sawyer.com/waterFAQ.html

From the one page sheet that came with my filter:

"Sanitizing the filter:
Back wash the filter as described in "Back Washing the Filter". Prior to long term storage, or after extended use, the inline filter should be sanitized by adding 10 drops of chlorine bleach to one quart of clean water, then passing through the filter unit by squeezing on the bladder. Wait 60 minutes then drain the water from the filter and hoses."

After sanitizing as above, I shook the filter several times over the course of a day to try and remove excess water.

"After sanitizing as above, I shook the filter several times over the course of a day to try and remove excess water."

The filter is made from a number thin hollow tubes. The hollow core of the tube it too small for shaking to remove the water from the hollow core. Shaking however will remove some of the water on the outside of the tubes.

The best way to dry a filter is heat. on a warm day park your care in the sun with the windows all the way up. Inside temperatures can easily exceed 100 degrees F. That will dry the filter out in the inside of the hollow tubes and on the outside in a day or two without doing any damage. The only way for heat to damage the filter is if it gets hot enough to melt plastic which is well beyond what the sun can do.

Backflusing shout be done as often as needed to keep a fast flow of water through the filter. It should be sanitized after extended use to keep it clean.

The instructions for the Sawyer Squeeze–essentially the same filter–say that before extended storage you should first backwash, then squeeze in a bleach solution (10 drops chlorine bleach to 1 quart water), close the push-pull outlet cap (for the Inline filter, you could plug the ends, although you may as well treat the connecting tubing while you're at it), let it stand for an hour, then drain the bleach solution and allow all components to air-dry.

At this time of year in most of the US, warm sunny days are not too likely, but a couple of weeks in the open in a heated room with good air circulation should do the job. Or you can get a dryer for aquarium tubing.

Try this on the Inline Filter to remove excess water and speed up drying:

Simple….suck on the output end of the filter, like a straw, to use the suction to pull out as much water remaining in the hollow tubes of the filter.

Shake the filter to remove water that has been drawn out of the hollow tubes and has collected on the output portion of the filter.

This should help speed up the process of drying out the filter "naturally" in warm temperatures.

This is what I have been doing for years with my older "black" inline filter.

Fortunately for me, the older filters were not sealed and it was possible to break the filter down into three parts to air dry easier.

Later models were likely sealed to prevent people from poking around into the hollow tubes and damaging them….plus, it made it possible to damage the o-rings inside by being able take the filter apart. Damage to the orings would then allow dirty and clean water to mix.

Hope this helps.

-Tony

I would imagine a blow drier might help as well.

Excellent advise, all. I don't think I've been let down yet here. Many thanks.