Clearing the Confusion: What Really Causes Color Change in an Ionic Foot Bath?

One of the most common misconceptions about the Ionic Foot Detox is that it “can’t be real” because the water changes color—even when there are no feet in the tub. With so many copycat brands muddying the waters (literally and figuratively), it’s time to set the record straight.

Let’s break down exactly why the water changes, what those colors actually mean, and what makes the IonCleanse a completely different level of technology compared to other detox footbaths.

Why Does the Water Change Color Without Feet?

The color change has nothing to do with whether someone’s feet are in the water, and everything to do with the chemistry that happens during ionization.

Here’s what’s really happening:

• The array interacts with the minerals, salts, and contaminants in the water, generating charged ions.

• Ions don’t discriminate. They neutralize charged particles in the water as well as toxins released from the body.

• The stainless-steel plates naturally release a small amount of debris as part of the ionization process, which contributes to the color shift.

So yes, the water changes even without feet. And that’s normal, expected, and not an indicator of detox.

Color Change Does Not Equal Detox

This is where many people get confused. They assume the entire detox process is happening in the water. The truth?

Color change is not the detox.

This is why people who question footbaths based on color alone are actually on the right track - not all detox systems are created equal, and most competitors rely on flashy color changes instead of real therapeutic outcomes.

Here’s what makes the Ionic Foot Detox completely different:

✔ It generates both positive and negative ions

Negative ions alone cannot address negatively charged toxins. You need both for full-spectrum detox support.

✔ It delivers a clean, filtered current

This matters more than people realize. A stable, filtered current helps the body shift into rest-and-digest mode, allowing true detoxification to happen. This is why the body continues to detox for 3–5 days after a session.

✔ It meets EMF and Conducted Emissions safety standards

Many knockoff systems fail regulatory testing—meaning they can actually damage TVs, computers, and other electronics in your home. AMD systems are engineered for safety, stability, and longevity.

What Do the Colors in the Water Mean?

In the early 2000s, AMD mapped water colors using biofeedback and applied kinesiology. Through controlled testing, certain color patterns consistently correlated with specific meridian activity. However, as the technology became popular, many companies created their own charts with dramatic (and often ridiculous) claims.

Neill Moroney has been studying and administering IonCleanse sessions since 2002. His experience is clear:

“There is much to be learned from the colors, and controlled tests show bio-materials in the water that weren’t there before the cleanse. But correct water testing is extremely expensive, so our primary research focuses on measurable changes in the body - scientifically validated improvements in health and wellbeing.”

In other words: The water tells part of the story, but not the whole story—and AMD chooses real science over color speculation.

If Detox Isn’t All in the Water… Where Does It Happen?

The water does contain material that wasn’t present before the session, but the most significant detox occurs after the cleanse, as your body continues processing and eliminating toxins over the next several days.

This is where the IonCleanse shines:

• Research shows increased glyphosate excretion

• Studies demonstrate increased urinary excretion of heavy metals

• Practitioners consistently see improvements in sleep, mood, inflammation, and neurological function

This matters because the IonCleanse doesn’t do the detox for you—it strengthens your body’s own innate detoxification capacity.

Your body does the work. The IonCleanse enhances its ability to do it well.