How does the LifeStraw Home Filtration Work?

The system uses a two-stage process to clean your water:

1. Membrane microfilter

This filter uses hollow fiber membrane technology with microscopic pores that are just 0.2 microns wide. When water flows through it, contaminants like bacteria, parasites, microplastics, and dirt are physically blocked because they’re larger than the pore size. Only clean water passes through to the bottom of the pitcher or dispenser.

This filter removes:

• 99.999999% of bacteria (such as E. coli and Salmonella)
• 99.999% of parasites (like Giardia and Cryptosporidium)
• 99.999% of microplastics

2. Activated carbon + ion exchange filter

This filter focuses on chemicals and heavy metals. The activated carbon absorbs contaminants like PFAS, chlorine, and pesticides, while the ion exchange resin traps heavy metals such as lead by exchanging them for harmless ions. Our fiber-based design maximizes contact and improves performance over traditional granulated carbon.

Together, these filters remove over 30 contaminants while allowing beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium to remain in the water.

In short: water flows from the top reservoir, through both filters, and collects in the bottom as clean, great-tasting water.