We all know the importance of drinking clean pure water but how many of you know that bathing in chlorine water can actually be WORSE than drinking it?
If you plan to, or have already taken action to effectively filter your drinking water from chlorine and other hazardous chemicals, I commend you for a very smart, healthy decision. It's an excellent start to protect yourself and your family by providing clean drinking water… as well as safe water for cooking and washing produce.
However, there's a much greater source of water toxin exposure that you face every day… which could be as much as 10-20 times greater than the water you drink.
The issue with chlorine is not just way it smells or dries out your hair or skin,, but what it produces in your water supply when it combines with organic matter. When chlorine interacts with this organic matter, disinfection byproducts (DBPs) form.
And these DBPs are far more toxic than the chlorine itself. In fact, DBPs are responsible for the vast majority of the toxic effects of chlorinated water.
As it turns out, estimates range as high as 10,000 times… the toxicity of DBPs compared to the actual chlorine. So, that's why I feel closer attention needs to be paid to the DBPs found in your water.
Why are DBPs so dangerous? Some of the most common disinfection byproducts that form from the reaction of chlorine and organic matter are trihalomethanes (THMs). THMs are classified as Cancer Group B carcinogens… meaning they've been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.
I'll have more details on THMs coming up and how to avoid them, but first you should understand…
Why Filtering Your Drinking Water is NOT Enough
For many years, researchers believed ‘exposure’ to disinfection byproducts came only when chlorine was swallowed. But studies now show how drinking the water is not the only risk. And is likely not even the most severe.
Here's some startling information about the dangers of chlorine exposure beyond your drinking water…
- On average, you drink about 1-2 gallons of water per day… but you expose yourself to 25 gallons of water when you shower.
- As concluded by the American Journal of Public Health… up to two-thirds of harmful chlorine exposure can be due to skin absorption and inhalation while showering.
- The steam inhaled during a shower can contain up to 20 times the concentration of chlorine (and other synthetic chemicals) as tap water.
- You can easily absorb as many toxins in 1 shower as you would drinking tap water for an entire week.
- Studies show that after a 10-minute shower in chlorinated water, your blood levels of THMs (common disinfection byproduct – DBP) can potentially increase by as much as a staggering 700%.
The bottom line… chlorine and its byproducts are the unseen danger lurking in almost every shower. And your health risks can far exceed those of simply drinking tap water.
Now you know why I'm making it clear that filtering only your drinking water is not enough. That hot steamy shower you love so much and find soothing and relaxing, well, it's potentially filled with vaporized gasses that could harm you and your family.
So, what can you do to avoid all this? I'll get to that coming up, but first let me get into a few more details on why chlorine, DBPs, and other chemicals found in your shower can get into your system so easily.
How Contaminants Invade Your Body When You Shower
You've just learned, and maybe for the first time, how your exposure to chlorine and its associated DBPs can be very high when you shower.
But why doesn't the chlorinated water just bounce off your body and go down the drain?
The problem is… a hot steamy shower…
- Triggers your skin pores to open, which in turn…
- Spikes a high absorption rate of chlorine and other chemicals directly into your system and…
- Helps create a ‘free pass’ of foreign chemicals into your body fluids and bloodstream – unlike drinking tap water where your digestive processes at least get a chance to filter out some of the harmful contaminants.
The other issue most people don't think about in that hot, steamy shower they enjoy so much… is inhalation.
Your shower is a hotbed for dangerous chemical vapors as they…
- Quickly form in the hot, steamy environment – 70% to 90% of the chemicals in your shower water vaporize before the water ever hits the shower floor
- Get inhaled in high concentrations into your lungs and absorbed through your skin, and can go directly into your bloodstream
- Have a magnified effect compared to chemicals you might swallow from tap water because there's nothing to filter them out
So, this is the unfortunate reality on how chlorine and other potentially harmful chemicals in your shower water can easily end up in your body
But what are the possible consequences of absorbing and inhaling chlorine and other chemicals into your body?
Potential Health Risks from Unprotected Showers
Simply put… absorbing and inhaling too much chlorine and associated DBPs are not healthy for you or your family. Long-term health risks certainly can spike due to chlorine effects on your bodily functions.
Cases in point…
- American Journal of Public Health – Linked chlorine absorption and inhalation exposure to increased cancer, asthma, and skin irritation risks.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – When chlorine vaporizes in steam in your shower, it converts to chloroform gas. Chloroform can be a strong respiratory irritant and cause fatigue.
- The bottom line – When absorbed or inhaled into your body, chlorine DBPs can potentially cause… weakening of your immune system… disruptions to your central nervous system… damaging effects to your cardio system… unhealthy functioning of your renal system… and harmful impacts to your respiratory system.
These are just a few of the potential risks you face when showering in chlorine water. Many studies have also been done that point to the dangerous chlorine vapors found in indoor swimming pools.
A European study conducted by the Department of Public Health in Brussels, Belgium, found that even outdoor swimming pool exposure to chlorinated water could be detrimental to your health.
Any doubt as to the risks of absorbing and inhaling chlorine and its associated DBPs? But what can you do to avoid all this in your shower? I'll get to that shortly, but first there's another downside to showering in hot, steamy chlorinated water…
How Chlorine Can Wreak Havoc with Your Hair
Hair color and dye are often among the few cosmetics even ‘natural-minded’ people justify using. Many people, and not just women, want to cover up what they consider unsightly gray hair.
Well, showering in water with chlorine concentrations can potentially impact the longevity of your hair dye.
How? Chlorine strips the natural protective oils from your skin and hair… causing excess drying. This in turn breaks down the dye.
If you've been a visitor to my site over the years, you might already know how I feel about the risks of hair dye. Your scalp has a very rich blood supply capable of transporting dye toxins throughout your body. So, if you must use it, coloring your hair less often is better than doing it more on a regular basis.
But by showering in steamy chlorinated water, the chances of having to dye your hair more often increases due to the effects of the chlorine.
So, enough already… Let's start to look at what steps you can take to make your shower a safer place for both you and your family. After all, everyone has to shower or bathe to stay clean and refreshed.
How to Minimize Your Exposure to Steamy Shower Contaminants
First of all, your local municipal water supply company is obligated by law to provide you a breakdown of what's in your water. It's extremely likely it contains chlorine and DBPs. I strongly recommend you request a quality report from your local water purveyor at least once a year (if you're not already receiving one).
Many companies make the information available online. If not, contact them directly to find out how you can get a report and what's in the water you use. I strongly recommend you do this just to see what you're up against and to become more informed on water safety.
Here are some simple steps I recommend you take to minimize your exposure to chlorine and DBPs in your shower.
- Limit the amount of time you spend in your shower – The longer you shower the more your exposure to toxins increases. It's estimated that doubling your shower time quadruples the amount of vaporized chemical gases you're exposed to.
- Bath in well water if possible. Unfortunately this is not possible for most but if you are fortunate enough to have a well with clean water most of your toxic bathing contaminant concerns are eliminated.
- Lower the temperature of your shower water – Hot water opens up the pores of your skin allowing a higher absorption rate of chlorine, DBPs, and other chemicals. Plus, the steam produced can contain high concentrations of vaporized gasses you can inhale.
- Use lower water pressure. This will decrease the amount of water coming in and contaminants coming out of the fixture. Additionally if you have a shower filter it will also increase the contact time with the media and allow more contaminants to be removed.
- Get serious about shower water safety by acknowledging the risks associated with showering in chlorinated water – Consider obtaining a high-quality filtration system for your shower.
To me, that last step could be the most important in protecting yourself and your family from shower water contaminants. The real challenge is finding a high-quality system that filters out chlorine, DBPs, and other chemicals, as well as is practical and affordable.
Well, my team and I have found such a system and I'll introduce it to you coming up. But next, let's get into some of the details on how we arrived at my recommendation.
We Have the Technology…
Remember 10 to 20 years ago no one really knew very much about the negative effects of chlorine and DBPs. Back then, most people were just content to have water to drink without any major risks of waterborne diseases.
Well, things have obviously evolved to where these are now more of a concern. And I don’t believe municipal water suppliers will change their chlorination policies until a better solution comes along.
So, the very best you can do is to find ways to limit the toxic chemicals, DBPs, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) you're exposed to. And the amazing thing is the technology has evolved to provide effective and practical filtering solutions for your shower.
The best way to show you how we arrived at our recommendation is to let you in on the checklist we created… and this goes beyond just the filtration technology.
Why a checklist? Well, quite frankly, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of shower filter choices available in the marketplace… many of them technologically advanced. And they all make filtering claims in one way or another.
So, we needed a way to ‘filter’ out the systems that either didn’t solve the contaminant issues, or didn’t provide adequate proof, or simply were not practical to install and maintain in your shower.
My Demanding 10-Point Selection Checklist… Could We Be Asking Too Much?
Here's the selection checklist my team and I used to help us search for the best of the best shower filters. To be considered for regular use, the shower filtration system must:
- Filter out a high majority of chlorine – After all our discussion up to this point, this has to be a top priority in a filter. At least 90% of chlorine or greater needs to be removed.
- Filter out the vast majority of chlorine DBPs, in particular trihalomethanes (THMs) – As you've already learned, these disinfection byproducts can be more hazardous to your health than chlorine itself. A 90% or greater reduction in THMs is a necessity. Zero ppb (parts per billion) should always be the ultimate goal.
- Remove other VOCs (volatile organic compounds) – VOCs are contaminants that DBPs are part of. Examples are byproducts produced by paints, pharmaceuticals, and petroleum fuels.
- Reduce heavy metals – Metals like lead and copper need to be significantly reduced as they can be absorbed into your skin during a steamy shower.
- Employ a multi-stage filtering system – With today's technology, a single stage filtering system won't cut it any more. A system where multiple filtration media go to work is best.
- Provide smooth water flow – Your filtering system needs to be designed so it does not clog and water pressure is not compromised. At the same time, the shower head needs to provide a low flow-rate of 2.5 gpm (gallons per minute) to conserve water and energy.
- Deliver a system that's easy to install – If it takes more than 10 minutes to install with special tools, then it will not even be considered by my team. The unit must be small enough to fit the vast majority of shower heads and the filtration shower head must be kept at the same height as the existing one.
- Look attractive and be practical to maintain – The filtration system must be appealing and not an eye-sore in your shower. Replacing the filter should be quick and easy, and not required more often than every 6 months.
- Be reasonably priced – System has to be priced so it's practical to own and can be installed in various shower configurations in your home.
- Show proof of the manufacturer's commitment to quality – This is at the bottom of the list, but should be considered a top priority. The filtration system is only as good as the manufacturer backing it. High scrutiny needs to be given to quality measures, certification levels, and warranty/guarantees.
So, let's jump right into the remarkable shower filtration system my team found. I can assure you it was a very lengthy process finding a filtration system meeting this stringent checklist.
But my team finally uncovered a system that meets, and in many areas exceeds, the selection criteria. I'm sure you'll agree… it was well worth waiting for.
How the Winning Selection Stacks Up
Here's a handy chart that not only shows how the shower filter I now recommend meets all the selection criteria with flying colors, but also shows you where other systems might come up short.
Here's how the Pure & Clear Shower Filter stacks up…
|
Selection criteria:
|
Mercola XYZ Shower Filter?
|
Other manufacturers?
|
| Filters out chlorine – at least 90%? |
Yes – This filtration system filters out greater than 90% of the chlorine in your tap water. |
Not all filtration systems reduce chlorine to such high levels. Some manufacturers may only achieve around 50%. |
| Filters out chlorine DBPs (THMs) – at least 90%? |
Yes – The Pure & Clear Shower Filter reduces THMs by greater than 90%. |
While some systems reduce THMs, a surprising number of manufacturers don’t address these risky DBPs at all. |
| Removes other VOCs – 90% or greater? |
Yes – Achieves reductions at greater than 90% of volatile organic compounds. |
As with other DBPs, not all shower filter systems in the marketplace even address VOCs. |
| Reduces heavy metals? |
Yes – Significant amounts of lead and copper are reduced by this system. |
Many manufacturers do a good job here, but there still are some popular brands that come up short. |
| Employs a multi-stage filtering system? |
Yes – System uses a patented 2-stage filtering process to promote a healthy shower for you and your family. |
Some manufacturers use multi-stage filtering systems while others still do not. |
| Delivers smooth water flow? |
Yes – Filtration system designed with special ‘upflow’ feature to prevent clogging and to keep pressure flowing. Comes with 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) shower head to help save on water usage. |
Not all filtration systems are designed well enough to prevent clogging and to provide adequate water pressure. Many do conform to 2.5 gpm to conserve water and energy. |
| Easy to install? |
Yes – System installs in minutes without special tools and plumber requirements. The unit is relatively small to conform with most existing shower installations and maintains current shower head height. |
Some filtration systems are not only larger, but also may involve more complex installations. Plus, not all manufacturers designed their units to maintain current shower head height and may require height reduction. |
| Attractive and practical to maintain? |
Yes – The shower filter comes in an attractive high-gloss finish. Filter replacement is very practical at every 6 months. |
Many units are attractive, but some are not mainly due to their size. Filter replacement requirements can be as frequent as 3 months on some systems and as less-frequent as 12 months on others (but cost of filter replacement is high). |
| Reasonably priced? |
Yes – The Pure & Clear Shower Filter is priced at under $100 and the cost of ownership quite reasonable. |
Few systems meet all of my selection criteria and the less than $100 price requirement. Some comparable systems can retail as high as $249. |
| Proof of high quality standards backed by the manufacturer? |
Yes – With certifications from UL and California Dept. of Public Health this manufacturer makes quality a top priority. |
Not all comparative shower filters in the marketplace follow as stringent quality practices and are as well-backed by the manufacturer. |
So, this comparison chart should give you a better picture why I recommend the Pure & Clear Shower Filter for you and your family.
Plus, there are some areas where the Pure & Clear Shower Filter completely ‘blew the doors off’ the selection criteria and justifies a bit more detail…
How This Filtration System Performs so Well
The attractive Pure & Clear
Shower Filter with its 2-stage
patented filtration process.
Another area I feel requires more attention and detail is how the Pure & Clear Shower Filter performs… how the 2-stage patented process really stands out.
Remember how one of my selection criteria was that the filtration system needed to employ a multi-stage filtration process?
Well, it's the unique way this filtration process is designed that not only satisfies this requirement, but many more as well.
Let me explain further.
The Pure & Clear Shower Filter multi-stage filtration process works as follows…
- Stage 1 – Removes chlorine and enhances pH balance with a natural copper/zinc mineral media called KDF-55D
- Stage 2 – Uses a carbonized coconut shell medium to remove synthetic chemicals, THMs (DBPs), and VOCs that vaporize from your shower water.
The patented ‘upflow’ design of
the filtration system maintains water
pressure and prevents clogging.
Plus, the unique and patented ‘upflow’ design of the 2-stage filtration system helps maintain water pressure and prevents the unit from clogging.
The shower water goes down through the filter cartridge and then back up. Contaminants settle out and won’t clog the unit, or require the unit to be flushed to continue the flow.
Your filter only requires replacement every 6 months and the extraordinary design of the Pure & Clear Shower Filter allows you to maintain your current shower head height (while some units out there require lowering the shower head height by inches).
Plus, I will be offering a massaging handheld wand unit as an option. More details coming up on that soon.
Why I Always Refuse to Compromise on THIS…
Even though the next area I want to bring out more details on was #10 on my checklist, to me, it’s of the utmost importance – high-quality practices backed by the manufacturer.
Quality is an area I refuse to compromise on when recommending healthful solutions to you and your family.
Here’s a list of third-party certifications and approvals the Pure & Clear Shower Filter has achieved… quickly shows you how this manufacturer has the confidence and proof of high-quality standards for this filter…
- UL certified – Certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) by passing stringent water quality tests.
- Certified by the California Department of Public Health – Passed demanding water quality requirements from the state of California.
I can say from my team’s research that very few, if any, manufacturers of shower filters demonstrated such outstanding commitment to quality… and met all the other demanding 10-point selection criteria at the same time.
As I’ve stated with many of the solutions I offer on my site… if the product is superior in every way but the manufacturer does not demonstrate proof of their commitment to quality, I won’t recommend it to you and your family.
Obviously, the manufacturer of Pure & Clear Shower Filter has made the quality commitment. And that’s why I strongly recommend it to help protect you and your family from hazardous chemicals and vapors found in common shower water.
Summary of Powerful Features You Won't Find in Many Shower Filters
Here's a quick summary of the extraordinary features and benefits of the Pure & Clear Shower Filter and more reasons why I chose to recommend it to you and why I recommend it to my family. I don't use one because I have well water and have installed a whole house water filter which eliminates the need for a shower filter.…
- Like showering in natural spring water? – Patented 2-stage filtration unit removes and reduces chlorine, DBPs (THMs), VOCs, heavy metals, and other contaminants from your shower water.
- Easy-to-install – Shower filtration system installs in minutes without special tools or complex plumbing. And due to its design, it fits most existing shower configurations and does not require adjustment to shower head height.
- Maintains free-flowing water – Filtration unit, with its unique ‘upflow’ design, does not clog or noticeably impede water pressure.
- Looks attractive in your shower – High-gloss finish and small size add to its appealing appearance in your shower.
- Reasonably priced – I set the challenging goal of less than $100 for a unit that meets or exceeds all of my selection criteria. And I beat it by a long shot.
- Low cost of ownership – Since replacement of the filter is required only twice a year and the filter is reasonably priced, your cost of use can be as low as $7 a month.
- High-quality commitment by the manufacturer – High levels of certification by UL and the state of California demonstrate the manufacturer's extraordinary focus on quality.
- Bonus unit available – I didn’t simply stop with the high-quality standard unit. For those who want more flexibility in their shower head, I’m offering an adjustable and detachable wand unit with the identical filtration capabilities as the standard unit. More details below.
So by now, you should have a good understanding why I’m recommending the Pure & Clear Shower Filter for you. It’s the best one I’ve found to date that meets and exceeds the very demanding selection criteria.
Plus… to further help you in all your water filtration needs, my team created a simple, straight-forward questionnaire to help guide you. You may have different requirements based on the type of water source you have, the type of residence you live in, and how many people live in your home. Click here to learn more.
Isn't it Time to Take Action and Protect Your Family from
Risky Contaminants in Your Shower?
Any doubt as to why I'm so convinced that just filtering your drinking water is not enough? It's a great start, but now you know why I strongly recommend you take action and protect yourself and your family from shower water contaminants and vapors.
The Pure & Clear Shower Filter is the best system I found to date that satisfies and even exceeds my demanding selection checklist.
And remember how I set the challenging price goal of less than $100 for a high-performance shower filtration system? Well, I was able to beat that price by 13% and slash the price down to only $84.89.
Your Pure & Clear Shower Filter just became even more affordable!
And here's more on the low cost of this system over time… Based on 2008 US census data, the average household size in the US is 2.61 people.
So, if on average everyone in the household takes 1 shower a day, and with the low-cost of $68 for the Pure & Clear Shower Filter, the average cost per shower with refreshing contaminant-reduced water is only around $0.14 for the first year (includes 1 filter replacement after 6 months).
And it gets even better. From your second year on, your average household cost per shower will drop to $0.11. Why is that? Because now, your only cost is replacing your filter every 6 months.
This seems like such a small price to pay to enjoy refreshing water in your shower and to protect your family from nasty toxins at the same time. Wouldn't you agree?
And to provide you more options for an even more enjoyable shower, I'm also offering an adjustable and detachable wand unit Pure & Clear Shower Filter with Wand that has identical filtration capabilities as the Pure & Clear Shower Filter. (Refer to pricing and ordering below).
So, please take the potential hazards in your shower water seriously and order the Pure & Clear Shower Filter and/or Pure & Clear Shower Filter with Wand today and start enjoying the invigorating and healthful benefits. (See guarantees below).