Does Your Shower Water Contain Chlorine?
Almost certainly, yes. Municipal water treatment plants across the US and UK add chlorine to tap water as a disinfectant. It kills harmful bacteria and pathogens during transit through the pipe network, and it does that job well. The problem is that chlorine doesn't stop being reactive once it reaches your shower head.
The EPA allows up to 4 parts per million (ppm) of chlorine in drinking water. At that concentration, it's considered safe to consume. But when heated water hits your skin and hair for 8-10 minutes every day, that chlorine exposure adds up. And when it evaporates as steam in an enclosed shower, you're breathing it in too.
This article breaks down exactly what chlorine does to your skin, your hair, and your lungs, along with the most effective way to filter it out before it causes damage.
What Does Chlorine Do to Your Skin?
Chlorine is an oxidizer. That's what makes it effective at killing bacteria, but it also means it strips the natural oils from your skin's surface layer. These oils, known collectively as the acid mantle, act as a protective barrier that locks in moisture and keeps irritants out.
When chlorine breaks down this barrier, several things happen:
- Dryness and tightness: Without the acid mantle, moisture escapes from the skin more rapidly. That "squeaky clean" feeling after a shower is often a sign your natural oils have been stripped
- Irritation and redness: Exposed skin reacts to minor environmental triggers more easily
- Eczema and dermatitis flare-ups: Research published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that chlorinated water exposure is associated with increased skin barrier disruption in people prone to eczema
- Premature aging: Chlorine generates free radicals on contact with skin, which can accelerate the breakdown of collagen and elastin over time
People with sensitive skin, eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea tend to notice the effects faster. But even healthy skin loses moisture and resilience with daily chlorine exposure.
What Does Chlorine Do to Your Hair?
The damage chlorine causes to hair follows a similar pattern. Chlorine oxidizes the proteins in the hair shaft, specifically keratin, which is the structural protein that gives hair its strength and elasticity.
Over time, this leads to:
- Dry, brittle strands: Keratin degradation makes hair prone to snapping during brushing and styling
- Faded hair color: Chlorine accelerates the oxidation of both natural and artificial pigments. Color-treated hair can lose weeks of vibrancy from regular chlorinated showers
- Frizz and roughness: Damaged cuticles lift away from the hair shaft, creating a rough texture that tangles easily
- Scalp dryness: The same oil-stripping effect that hits your skin also dries out your scalp, potentially triggering flaking and itchiness
You've probably noticed how swimmers' hair turns dry and sometimes greenish from pool water. Your shower delivers a lower concentration of chlorine than a swimming pool, but the exposure is daily and cumulative. Over months and years, the damage builds. (For more on how water quality affects your hair, read our guide on hard water and hair damage.)
Chlorine Vapor: The Risk You Can't See
Most people think about chlorine as a skin and hair issue. What often gets overlooked is what happens when chlorine meets hot water in an enclosed space.
When you take a hot shower, the heat causes chlorine and chloramine compounds to off-gas, converting from dissolved chemicals into airborne vapor. In a small, poorly ventilated bathroom, these chlorine byproducts concentrate in the steam you breathe.
A study from the American Journal of Public Health found that showering in chlorinated water can result in greater chloroform exposure (a chlorine byproduct) than drinking the same water. The lungs absorb volatile organic compounds very efficiently, and a 10-minute hot shower in a closed bathroom creates significant inhalation exposure.
Common symptoms of chlorine vapor exposure include:
- Respiratory irritation, especially in people with asthma
- Dry or scratchy throat after showering
- Worsened allergies and sinus congestion
This is one of the strongest arguments for filtering shower water. Even if your skin and hair feel fine, the respiratory exposure is worth addressing.
How a Chlorine Shower Filter Works
A chlorine shower filter sits between your shower arm and your shower head. Water passes through the filtration media inside the housing before it exits the nozzle, which means every drop that touches your skin and hair has already had the chlorine removed.
Different filter media target chlorine in different ways. StoneStream combines multiple approaches in a single system for thorough removal.
Inside the StoneStream Universal Hard Water Filter: 15 Stages
The StoneStream Universal Hard Water Filter uses a multi-stage cartridge with several specialized media layers. Here's how the key chlorine-targeting stages work:
1. KDF55 (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion): This copper-zinc alloy creates an electrochemical reaction when water passes through it. The redox process converts free chlorine into harmless zinc chloride, which is water-soluble and washes away. KDF55 is one of the most effective chlorine removal technologies available and maintains its performance in both hot and cold water, which is important since many filter media lose effectiveness at shower temperatures.
2. Calcium Sulfite: While KDF55 handles free chlorine, calcium sulfite targets chloramine. Chloramine is a compound of chlorine and ammonia that many water utilities have switched to in recent years because it's more stable in the pipe network. It's also harder to filter, which is why dedicated chloramine media matters. Calcium sulfite neutralizes chloramine through a chemical reduction process even at high flow rates.
3. Activated Carbon: Granular activated carbon has an enormous surface area per gram, and it adsorbs chlorine along with a wide range of organic compounds, pesticides, and volatile chemicals. It acts as the final polish, catching anything the first two stages missed.
The remaining stages handle sediment, heavy metals (lead, mercury, nickel), and mineral content through materials like alkaline balls and mineralized balls. The full 15-stage system addresses chlorine, chloramine, and every other common shower water contaminant.
The StoneStream EcoPower: Built-In Mineral Filtration
The StoneStream EcoPower shower head takes a different approach. Instead of a replaceable cartridge, it uses a chamber filled with three types of natural mineral stones (Anion, Ceramic, and Tourmaline) that filter and soften water through ionic exchange.
These mineral stones reduce chlorine levels while also targeting calcium, magnesium, and other hard water minerals. The EcoPower is a good fit for areas with moderate chlorine levels and hard water, especially since it also boosts water pressure by up to 200% through its 200 laser-cut micro-nozzles.
For maximum chlorine protection, you can pair the EcoPower with the Universal Hard Water Filter. The filter screws onto your shower arm first, and the EcoPower attaches to the bottom. Water passes through 15 stages of filtration before entering the mineral stone chamber for a second round of purification.
Chlorine Shower Filter vs. Whole-House Carbon Filter
| Factor | Chlorine Shower Filter | Whole-House Carbon Filter |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $30-60 | $500-2,000+ installed |
| Installation | 2 minutes, no tools, fully reversible | Professional plumber required |
| Chlorine Removal | Yes (KDF55 + calcium sulfite + carbon) | Yes (large carbon bed) |
| Chloramine Removal | Yes (calcium sulfite) | Requires catalytic carbon upgrade |
| Hard Water Treatment | Yes (mineral stones, alkaline balls) | No (separate softener needed) |
| Renter-Friendly | Yes, fully portable | No, permanent modification |
| Maintenance | Replace cartridge every 6 months (~$15) | Replace tank media every 5-10 years (~$200-400) |
For targeted chlorine and chloramine removal in the shower, a dedicated shower filter gives you the best value. Whole-house systems make sense if you also want filtered water at every tap, but the investment is 10-30x higher and still won't soften hard water. (Want to see more data on shower filter effectiveness? Read our breakdown: do shower head filters really work.)
Installation: 2 Minutes, No Tools
Every StoneStream filter and shower head uses a universal 1/2-inch thread that fits standard shower arms worldwide.
- Turn off the water and unscrew your existing shower head counterclockwise
- Wrap the included Teflon tape around the shower arm threads (2-3 wraps prevents leaks)
- Hand-tighten the StoneStream filter or shower head onto the arm
- Run water for 30 seconds to flush the new cartridge before your first shower
No drilling, no plumber, no permanent changes to your bathroom. If you move, it comes with you.
What Changes After You Start Filtering Chlorine
The results tend to show up quickly because you're removing an active irritant rather than waiting for something to build up.
- Skin feels less tight after showering: Your natural oils stay intact, so moisture is retained instead of stripped away
- Hair becomes softer within days: Without daily chlorine exposure, the cuticle begins to recover and lay flat
- Eczema flare-ups reduce: Many people with chronic eczema see noticeable improvement once chlorine is removed from their shower water
- Hair color lasts longer: Oxidation slows dramatically, keeping dyed hair vibrant for weeks longer
- Shower steam smells different: You'll notice the absence of the chemical smell, which is a sign the filter is working
- Less respiratory irritation: Reduced chlorine vapor means less throat and sinus dryness after hot showers
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best shower filter for removing chlorine?
Look for a filter that combines KDF55, calcium sulfite, and activated carbon. KDF55 handles free chlorine through electrochemical reduction, calcium sulfite neutralizes chloramine, and carbon provides final-stage polishing. The StoneStream Universal Hard Water Filter includes all three in its 15-stage cartridge, which lasts approximately 6 months (10,000 gallons) before needing replacement.
Does a shower filter remove chloramine as well as chlorine?
Standard carbon-only filters struggle with chloramine because it's more chemically stable than free chlorine. You need calcium sulfite or catalytic carbon to break the chlorine-ammonia bond effectively. The StoneStream filter includes calcium sulfite specifically for this reason, making it effective against both chlorine and chloramine regardless of which disinfectant your water utility uses.
How do I know if my water has chlorine or chloramine?
Your water utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) will list the disinfectant used. You can also test at home: chlorine can be detected by smell (the pool-like odor), while chloramine is nearly odorless. A simple test kit from a hardware store will measure levels of both. In the US, roughly 20% of utilities have switched from chlorine to chloramine, and the trend is growing.
More Questions About Chlorine and Shower Water
Can Vitamin C remove chlorine from shower water?
Yes. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) neutralizes both chlorine and chloramine on contact. Some shower filters use Vitamin C cartridges for this purpose. StoneStream's EcoPower Matte Black shower head offers a Vitamin C filter option alongside its mineral stone filtration. For details on how Vitamin C works in the shower, see our article on the benefits of Vitamin C in your shower.
Is chlorine in shower water dangerous for children?
Children's skin is thinner and more permeable than adult skin, which means they absorb more chlorine per unit of body weight during bathing. The European Respiratory Journal published research linking early childhood exposure to chlorinated water with higher rates of respiratory sensitivity. Filtering the bath and shower water is a straightforward way to reduce this exposure, especially for children with eczema or asthma.
The Bottom Line
Chlorine keeps your tap water safe from bacteria during transit, but it doesn't belong on your skin, in your hair, or in your lungs. The daily exposure from unfiltered showers strips protective oils, degrades hair proteins, irritates sensitive skin conditions, and introduces chlorine vapor into a small enclosed space.
A chlorine shower filter removes these chemicals before they reach you, and the difference is noticeable within the first week. Installation takes 2 minutes, the cartridge lasts 6 months, and it pairs with any standard shower head.
Browse our full range of filtered shower heads or add a standalone 15-stage filter to your existing setup.
