Do Shower Filters Work? What They Remove and What They Don't
The truth about shower head filters for hard water, chlorine, and skin health.
What shower filters actually do
KDF (copper-zinc) media in shower filters effectively reduces free chlorine, which causes dry skin and hair. Some also reduce hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell). This is real and measurable. If your main complaint is chlorine taste, smell, or skin irritation, a shower filter can help.
What they do not do
Shower filters do not soften water. They cannot remove calcium and magnesium (hardness minerals) because the contact time is too short and the media is not designed for it. Products marketed as "hard water shower filters" are misleading. If you have hard water problems, you need a whole-house softener, not a shower filter.
When a shower filter makes sense
Renters who cannot install a whole-house system, homes with chlorinated water and no hardness issues, or as a supplement to a softener for extra chlorine removal. Cost is typically $25-50 plus $10-15 replacement cartridges every 6 months.