Boil the water, let it stand for 5–10 minutes, then pour it through a clean paper or coffee filter. A 2024 report in The Washington Post on laboratory work by Zhanjun Li and Eddy Y. Zeng found that this combination removed up to nearly 90% of microplastics under the study’s simulated tap-water conditions. It is a reduction method, not proof that every particle is gone, and performance can change with water chemistry—especially hardness.
Why boiling can help with microplastics
Heating hard water can cause calcium carbonate to form solid material. In the reported mechanism, that material encrusts microplastic particles, making them heavier. After the water cools and sits, the coated particles can settle to the bottom and be captured by a simple paper filter.
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The investigators advised waiting about 5–10 minutes after boiling so the solids have time to settle. The result depends on conditions used in the laboratory, including the water’s chemistry and the particles present. Soft water may not create as much calcium-carbonate material, so the same procedure may work differently from one supply to another.
The broader exposure issue is still being studied. The Washington Post report noted that the health effects of consuming microplastics are not well understood, so this technique should not be presented as a medical necessity or as eliminating all exposure.
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How to use the boiling-and-filtering method
- Boil the water. Use a clean kettle or pot and bring the amount you intend to drink to a boil.
- Cool and settle it. Turn off the heat and leave the water undisturbed for approximately 5–10 minutes. This allows heavier solids to sink.
- Filter the water. Pour it slowly through a clean paper or coffee filter into a clean container. Avoid disturbing sediment at the bottom of the pot.
- Discard the filter and sediment. Do not squeeze the used filter into the drinking container.
- Store safely. Keep the filtered water covered and use a clean container; the procedure does not protect water from contamination introduced afterward.
A coffee filter is a convenient household option because the reported method calls for a simple paper filter. The 2024 Washington Post report does not establish a particular brand, pore rating or guaranteed removal percentage for consumer coffee filters.
What the figures do—and do not—show
The headline result was up to nearly 90% removal in the laboratory conditions described by the 2024 Washington Post report. “Up to” matters: it is not a guaranteed result for every tap, kettle, particle size or filter.
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The same report said that 129 of 159 tap-water samples collected from 14 countries contained microplastics. That finding indicates how widespread detection can be, but it does not show that every sample had the same concentration or that boiling would perform identically in each location.
A separate 2025 study in npj Clean Water reported removal of more than 97.5% of particles larger than 2 micrometres at ten municipal facilities. Those results came mainly from chemically assisted granular-media filtration or ultrafiltration. They should not be interpreted as a performance claim for a kitchen coffee filter.
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How this option compares with dedicated treatment
| Approach | Particle-size information | Dependence on water hardness | Other-contaminant treatment | Energy, maintenance and installation | Certification for a specific claim |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling plus paper filtration | Not stated; the reported percentage was up to nearly 90% under laboratory conditions. | High: the proposed mechanism relies on calcium-carbonate formation in hard water. | Not established by the cited report. | Requires heating, cooling time and a fresh paper filter; no installation. | No general certification is established for household coffee filters. |
| Point-of-use membrane system | CDC describes approximate pore sizes of 0.1 micrometre for microfiltration, 0.01 micrometre for ultrafiltration, 0.001 micrometre for nanofiltration and 0.0001 micrometre for reverse osmosis. | Depends on the system and pretreatment; not stated as a universal limitation. | Varies by membrane and product label. Reverse osmosis can remove germs and some chemicals, but claims are product-specific. | Typically requires cartridge or membrane replacement and, for some systems, wastewater and electricity. | Check the product’s certification and claim rather than assuming a pore size proves microplastic removal. |
| Whole-home treatment | Depends on the installed technology; not stated as a single value. | Depends on equipment and incoming water. | Can address contaminants throughout the house only when the selected system is designed and certified for them. | Higher installation, space and maintenance burden than treating drinking water at one tap. | Verify certification for the exact contaminant and model. |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention distinguishes point-of-use systems, which treat water for drinking and cooking, from whole-home systems, which treat water entering the house. A system’s label and certification—not the word “filter” alone—determine what it claims to reduce.
Choosing a filter when microplastics are only one concern
CDC guidance says home systems remove different germs or chemicals. Test the water first when you have a private well, a known local contaminant or a specific health concern, then choose equipment matched to that result. Most pitcher and refrigerator filters use activated carbon mainly to improve taste and smell; that function should not be treated as a blanket microplastic-removal claim.
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- Read the manufacturer’s reduction claims for the exact model.
- Look for an applicable NSF certification and verify the listing in the NSF product database.
- Replace cartridges and membranes on the schedule specified by the manufacturer.
- For a private well, arrange appropriate laboratory testing rather than relying on taste, odor or a generic pitcher.
Limits and practical safety checks
Boiling does not make every contaminant disappear, and the cited work did not establish a universal result for all microplastic sizes or all water supplies. The procedure also leaves you handling hot water and concentrated sediment, so use a stable heatproof container and avoid pouring immediately after boiling.
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Chris Reddy, a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, summarized the state of knowledge in the Washington Post report: “Science takes a long time. The picture is still getting worked out.” That uncertainty is a reason to describe boiling and paper filtration as a low-cost reduction step—not as a guarantee of microplastic-free water.
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