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PlanetCare FAQ
We get it, saving the world from microfiber pollution can be overwhelming! There are many questions that come up in the meantime and we try to gather as many as we can in one place. 🙌
Before Placing an Order
Well, it depends on what you're trying to achieve!
If you've decided to stop releasing microfibers with your laundry for good and don't want to worry about re-ordering new cartridges every time you run out of them, then we recommend that you subscribe to our service. That way you'll receive the filter housing and we'll automatically send you new cartridges every 6 months.
If you like PlanetCare but don't feel like subscribing, you can purchase a filter housing with 14 cartridges that last for approximately 260 laundry loads. That's about a year if you wash as often as an average family household.
However, if you'd like to test out the PlanetCare filter first, then the best option is to order a filter housing and 7 cartridges that last for about 140 laundry loads. That's about half a year if you wash as often as an average family household.
You can pay with all popular credit cards (Visa, American Express, MasterCard) as well as with ApplePay and PayPal.
All payments are completely safe & secure.
PlanetCare filters are compatible with all types of washing machines: HE/high efficiency, standard, front loaders, and top loaders.
However, it can happen (very rarely, but still!) that your washing machine is an exception and might not work with a PlanetCare filter. In such cases we do our best to help you make it work. In most cases we're successful and if we're not, you can return the filter and get a full refund.
No, the filter cannot damage the machine. The flow through the filter will become more restricted the longer it is used to the point that water flow will be too low for normal functioning (draining) of the machine.
The machine will detect a blockage of the drain path and will automatically stop, reporting an error. After replacement of the used filter cartridge normal function can be resumed. The stopping of the machine is a safety feature of the machine and does not damage the machine.
To ensure the best filter performance, we highly recommend you use only liquid detergents. They dissolve completely and won’t compromise the efficiency of your microfibre filter.
On the other hand, powder detergents contain ingredients that don’t dissolve and will get caught by your filter. This might affect the durability of the cartridges. If you do decide to use powder detergents, we recommend you avoid overdosing to keep this effect to a minimum.
No chemicals are used in the construction or the functioning of the filter. Fibre retention is based solely on physical retention with the help of our patent-pending technology.
The filtration proceeds by physical capture of fibres through a material with small openings. Due to the elongated form of fibres filtering of fibres is very specific so nominal opening size does not represent a sharp cutoff. In depth (3D) filtering in several steps is used to extend filter durability and fibre retention.
No. The filter is a passive device that uses the pumping action of the washing machine.
Shipping & Delivery
We ship individual orders of filters and cartridges worldwide. However, subscription is available only in the EU, the US and Canada.
Contact us at hello@planetcare.org for more information.
The cost of shipping depends on the weight of the product and what country you're from. All shipping costs are calculated during checkout.
We ship order twice a week. Orders placed between Friday afternoon and Monday will be shipped on Tuesday, and orders placed between Tuesday and Friday morning will be shipped on Friday.
Returns & Closed Loop
After you’ve installed your last new cartridge, schedule a courier pickup of your used cartridges. You can also send us an email at hello@planetcare.org and we will arrange it for you.
The return shipping is always FREE.
If you’re a subscriber we’ll send you the new cartridges automatically.
If you use a starter pack, you’ll will need to buy replacement cartridges when you schedule the pickup for used ones.
Stopping the fibers from going down the drain and into the environment is only the first step. We offer a circular service and by returning the used cartridges you help us close the loop.
All returned cartridges are refurbished and used again.
This way we greatly reduce the waste that would otherwise be generated, and greatly improve product sustainability.
PlanetCare is a fully closed loop solution, meaning we refurbish all used cartridges. 95% is reused and 5% will be recycled. We disassemble the cartridge and remove the filtering medium with the fibers. This is done in a controlled environment, ensuring that caught fibers do not pollute water or the environment.
At the moment, we are safely storing the used filtering mediums. When we have a sufficient quantity, they will be repurposed. The current plan is to convert them into insulation mats. However, we are continuously looking for viable and adequate solutions and will always choose the best available option to repurpose the fibers. Incineration or landfilling are not acceptable.
Even though we try our best to make PlanetCare filters work with as many washing machine types as possible, it can happen (in 1% of all cases!) that we don't succeed. In such situation we’ll give you a full refund by way of the original payment method.
Contact our team at hello@planetcare.org for assistance in completing your return.
No. You should not open or attempt to renew the cartridge in any way as this will result in the release of captured fibres. The filtering media cannot be renewed and must be professionally removed, disposed in a controlled way and replaced before a cartridge can be used again.
Installation Guide
No. The filter is designed so that anyone with very simple tools can install it with ease. The installation should not take more than 10 minutes.
Installing the PlanetCare filter is super easy! Watch the quick video below for step-by-step instructions.
The PlanetCare external microfibre filter is installed outside the washing machine. With an installation as shown in the how-to video you will need 13 cm on the side of the washing machine and we recommend approx. 60 cm in height clearance (approx. twice the height of the housing) so that you will be able to comfortably unscrew the housing cup and exchange the filter cartridge.
No. The filter is intended exclusively for use outside the washing machine in the way explained in the instructions manual that comes in the box, as well as in online instructions.
Yes. The filter must be placed outside the washing machine on the drain hose. It should not be raised above the height of the drain hose exiting the washing machine. The hose length should be held to a minimum. Raising the filter and a long drain hose will both reduce the efficiency of pumping and filtering and should be avoided.
The filter housing without hose attachments and filter holder has the dimensions: height 325 mm, width (hose attachment direction) 122 mm and depth 130 mm. Please allow for sufficient height clearing (approx. 60 cm) so that you will be able to comfortably unscrew the housing cup and exchange the filter cartridge.
Account & Billing
With a PlanetCare account you'll be able to log in and get an overview of your PlanetCare orders, edit your address, access your payment information and change payment details, see transaction history subscription status, and more.
Creating a PlanetCare user account is simple and takes only a few minutes!
Check out the step-by-step instructions.
Troubleshooting
Used filter cartridges can develop a bad smell that is unpleasant when you store them. We recommend that you dry the cartridges relatively quickly after replacing them so that the mold/smell cannot develop.
When you take a cartridge out of the filter housing ,lay it somewhere to drain the water. Then let it dry. If you want to be more active you could pour a water with baking soda or vinegar -alternatively (also slightly less natural) bleach could be used.
Once the cartridge is dry you should not have the problem any more.
Our installation video shows the most common set up, however, the filter doesn't need to be attached directly to side of the washer. It can be attached to the wall or in a cupboard next to your washing machine. Please see examples below for some inspiration or reach out at hello@planetcare.org and we'll be happy to help.
