Always start with the clearest water you can find. Muddy water clogs filters and takes longer to boil. If it looks like chocolate milk, let it settle or pre-filter through a coffee filter.
Rotate your filters! Home filters (like Brita or fridge models) have expiration dates—usually 30–60 days. Mark your calendar or you’ll be drinking a petri dish. And never, ever let your charcoal filters dry out; they crack and become useless.
If you’re traveling internationally, invest in a UV purifier pen. It zaps viruses and bacteria with ultraviolet light in 90 seconds. It’s like a lightsaber for water. Just remember to shake it gently to stir the water before zapping.
