Can Charcoal Really Clean Dirty Water? DIY Water Filter Test

Sometimes, we may find ourselves in an emergency, such as being stranded in a forest or another remote outdoor location where clean drinking water is unavailable. In these situations, the only available water may be dirty and unsafe to use.

In this project, we'll demonstrate a simple DIY water purification method that can make contaminated water much cleaner and more suitable for use. In the following steps, we'll explain the entire process in detail.

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1. Charcoal made from burned wood
2. Boiling water
3. Plastic bottle
4. Sharp cutter or knife
5. Cotton
6. Sand
7. Gravel or small stones
8. Dirty water
9. Glass or container for collecting the filtered water

Does charcoal actually work as a water filter? We put this simple DIY method to the test with dirty water. Watch the video below to see the complete step-by-step experiment and the results.

Start by taking pieces of charcoal made from burned wood. Boil the charcoal in hot water. After boiling, allow it to cool, then crush it into coarse particles.

Take a plastic bottle and cut it into two parts. Use the top section with the bottle cap, and make several small holes in the cap. Set it aside for the next step.

Collect some dirty water from any available source. Also gather sand and gravel. If gravel is not available, use small stones instead. If possible, rinse the stones before using them. For this experiment, they can be cleaned with clean water.

Turn the bottle upside down so it stands on the cap. Place a layer of cotton inside the bottle first. Add the crushed charcoal over the cotton, creating a simple charcoal water filter DIY setup. Then add the gravel or small stones on top.

Pour the dirty water slowly over the gravel. As the water passes through the layers of gravel, charcoal, and cotton, it begins the process of how to filter dirty water with charcoal.

The filtered water will flow through the small holes in the bottle cap, similar to a shower. Collect the cleaner water in a glass or another container. This homemade water filter can provide water that is much cleaner and more suitable for use when no better option is available.