iron removal

Lately I've noticed rust colored staining on toilet bowk and a brownish red residue left on white clothing after wash cycle. My well water also has an odor that is earthy/metallic. I believe the issue is a high iron content. What is the easiest way to remove it: Water softener, sand filter, some type of cartridge filter or something else? A water softener is my last resort but is it the best choice? Thank you

While a softener can remove some iron, I don't advocate using one for iron removal. There are backwashing iron filters that do a much better job removing iron. Most work on the principle of aerating the water to oxidize the iron so that it precipitates out to be trapped by the filter media.

I have a rain fresh whole home filter in my main line - will a ceramic .3 micron filter with a carbon core (as sold by canadian tire, etc.) reduce the iron for a temporary fix?

Here is another thought/question: I've read online that chlorination can be very beneficial for iron removal, sulfur odor removal, bacteria treatment etc. Since I am running of a shallow well would it be a good idea to regularly treat the well with a certian amount of chlorine solution (the well is a metal casing 24"diameter). I dont use the water for drinking, but would the chlorine be very corrosive to the metal/galvanized casing?

They do make pellet feeders that drop directly into the well. From what I hear, they can corrode the casing.

If there is a bacteria problem that is causing the smell, the chlorine should help. The chlorine will also oxidize the iron out so that it precipitates to be trapped by a filter.

My well water looks clear when first drawn but let to sit, turns brown and develops what looks like an oily sheen. It has a noticeable smell. I aerate the water with a micronizer and then filter it with a BIRM filter. After that, it no longer has any smell.