Are LifeStraw products BPA free?
Yes, all LifeStraw products are made with BPA-Free materials.
Are LifeStraw products considered safe for vegans?
Our products do not involve or contain any animal testing or ingredients. Therefore, they are considered safe for those who have a vegan or plant-based diet.
Are there temperature regulations for your products?
The recommended temperature suggestions for our products are:
33 degrees Fahrenheit/1 degree Celsius
140 degrees Fahrenheit/60 degree Celsius
Note that if any LifeStraw has water in it and is stored in freezing conditions, the creation of ice within the membrane can damage the filter by expanding the pores with the expansion of the ice. This would render it unusable, and you would need to replace it.
We recommend keeping LifeStraw products, specifically the membrane filters, close to your body when hiking or traveling in freezing temperatures to ensure any water or vapor inside the filter does not freeze.
For long-term storage, store these somewhere at room temperature.
Can I use LifeStraw products to drink pool water?
Because pool water may have an abundance of salt and chemicals beyond chlorine, we do not recommend filtering pool water with your LifeStraw. LifeStraw products also do not work in saltwater or brackish water.
Can I use LifeStraw products to drink urine?
LifeStraw products do not remove dissolved salts and are not designed to be used to drink non-diluted urine. Because of this, we do not recommend drinking urine with any LifeStraw product in even low amounts.
Can I use LifeStraw products to filter other liquids other than water?
Since other liquids can clog or otherwise damage the membrane and render it unusable, filtering liquids other than water is not recommended.
Can LifeStraw products protect against cyanotoxins (cyanobacteria)?
Cyanobacteria is a blue-green algae commonly found in freshwater systems. Cyanotoxins occur when an algal spore ruptures. LifeStraw hollow fiber membrane filters (included in all LifeStraw products) remove algae from the water, which will remove intercellular toxins inside an algal spore.
But, to get the broadest range of protection, the carbon filters in select LifeStraw products with 2-stage filtration can absorb and reduce 80-85% of the remaining excreted extracellular toxins from the spore ruptures.
The following LifeStraw products contain carbon filters in addition to hollow fiber membrane filters: LifeStraw Universal, LifeStraw Go with 2-stage filtration, LifeStraw Flex, LifeStraw Flex w/ Gravity Bag LifeStraw Play, and LifeStraw Home water filter pitcher.
Do LifeStraw products desalinate water?
LifeStraw products do not remove salt from water and should not be used on water sources such as ocean or sea water, other saltwater sources or brackish water (where freshwater and saltwater are mixed).
How do I know it’s time to replace my filter?
Because the filtration lifetime of our membrane microfilters, membrane ultrafilters, and carbon filters vary based on configuration within specific products, we recommend reviewing the specific filtration lifetime for the filter and product you are using when determining the right time to replace your filter.
However, in general, the membrane microfilter will stop allowing water to pull through once it's reached the end of its lifetime. We recommend changing your carbon filter (and activated carbon + ion exchange filter) according to the included directions, but best practice is before you notice a change in taste or smell of your water.
Do you have products that remove PFAS (PFAO/PFOS)?
Yes! Our LifeStraw Home line includes some of the most effective products to combat PFAS; our dual filtration technology combines membrane microfiltration with activated carbon and advanced ion exchange technology to reduce PFOA and PFOS from water AND meets the National Sanitation Foundation's (NSF) P473 standards for reduction.
To add more background on these "forever chemicals", PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that cause adverse human health effects and contaminate water supplies. To make matters worse, PFAS are stubborn chemicals; rather than degrading, they accumulate within the environment over time. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) are the two most commonly produced PFAS worldwide.
Exposure to PFOA and PFOS may result in negative health effects. Some identified by the EPA include the following:
Developmental effects during pregnancy
Testicular or kidney cancer
Liver damage
Immune effects (antibody production and immunity)
Thyroid and cholesterol changes
For more information about PFAS and additional resources, don't forget to check out our blog article here.
What is the LifeStraw membrane made from?
The LifeStraw membrane is made from Polysulfone.
Polysulfones are a family of high-performance BPA-free thermoplastics. These polymers are known for their toughness and stability at high temperatures, making them essential for filtration by maintaining pore size under challenging conditions.
