Q & A: Renewing Granulated Activated Charcoal

Charcoal question answered.

Hi Buyactivatedcharcaol!

I had a question on the granulated activated charcoal, the Pure Non-Scents as well as other granulated varieties.

Q: Can they be washed to “renew” their absorption power?

A: No.

Q: I ask, as I have a couple Sharp Plasmaclusters, and they have a carbon filter which is washables, and the instructions say to wash it to “renew” it every couple months. I found that it indeed made it seem to work better after a washing.

A: The washing may remove some film from the air, such as grease, that may have adhered to the activated charcoal, but you do not reactivate charcoal by washing it with water. It is generally reactivated at very high temps, 6-700 + Celsius, in order for the charcoal to release what it has adsorbed. It is quite a process to do so.

I’ve opened up the bags and they do contain pelletized activated charcoal, similar to some varieties that you sell.

As my plasmaclusters are getting older, I find that washing the carbon has not improved their abilities, and it’s time to replace the carbon inside the bags with some fresh stuff!

I was thinking of using your AC to do this…

Q’s:

1) If I use your AC, can it be washed to renew it’s adsorption abilities, as the original Sharp carbon was?
2) How does it work, that washing the carbon renews some of it’s abilities, I thought that once AC was saturated, it was finished?

A: Correct, once it reaches its saturation point, it is finished, unless you reactivate it as mentioned above with extreme heat.