Cleaning your cartridge involves three steps: rinsing the loose dirt, soaking in a cartridge cleaner and rinsing again. In the first step it is very important that you gently rinse off the loose dirt and debris from your cartridge. Do not use a spray nozzle for this! If you spray too hard you can actually drive the dirt into the cartridge. You just want to get the really loose stuff off first.

Next you will need to soak your cartridge overnight in an alkaline based cartridge cleaner. Using acid can break down dirt, but it does not break down the body oils and lotions that can trap and hold the dirt to your cartridge. By using a cartridge cleaner, you will remove these compounds thereby thoroughly cleaning your cartridge and helping to prevent the dirt from sticking to it. Be sure to do this in a plastic bucket or trash can that has been thoroughly rinsed of any chemicals and dirt. If your cartridge is too long to be completely immersed, simply soak it in one direction then rotate it to soak the other end.

Finally thoroughly rinse the cartridge of all chemicals and debris. Be sure not to spray directly into the cartridge which can drive the dirt into the membrane. Hold the nozzle so that the stream is virtually parallel to the membranes. This will rinse the cartridge without driving the dirt back into it.

This cleaning method is also excellent for DE filters at the end of the season.