Distilled water is incredibly useful to have around the house. If you don’t want to buy a gallon of already distilled water from the grocery store, it’s pretty simple to make from home. If you need to know how making distilled water works, keep reading!
What is Distilled Water?
There are so many different types of water out there it can be confusing to figure out exactly which one you need for specific uses. We’ve put together this handy guide for your use to help you determine the differences between different types of water as well as the uses for each.
Tap Water
Tap water is the water that comes out of your kitchen faucet. The quality of this water depends greatly on where you live. It can contain different minerals and chemicals depending on your location and municipal water treatment. Your tap water may be safe to drink (or it may not, as is true for many Americans), but you shouldn’t use it for anything other than drinking, bathing, and cooking.
Filtered Water
You may have a filtration system in your entire house, allowing filtered water to come out of your taps. You may also use a water filtering pitcher or faucet attachment. These are incredibly common in places where the tap water is drinkable, but not very good.
Filters help to remove chemicals, like chlorine, pesticides, and metals, such as lead or copper. Filters will also help to eliminate any bad tastes or odors. Overall, they make your water more drinkable.
Purified Water
Purified water is a step up from filtered water, as it goes through multiple purification processes. Purified water is filtered first, and then further purified to remove things like chemical pollutants, fungi, algae, and bacteria. Purified water isn’t obtainable at home, but you can find purified water bottles in grocery stores, gas stations, and pretty much anywhere that sells anything.
Distilled Water
Finally, there’s distilled water. Distilled water is similar to purified water, but it’s easier to produce and can be made at home. Distilling water is simple, and includes heating up the water into a vaper and then condensing it back down again. Distilled water is great for use in humidifiers, neti pots, and more.
Unfortunately, when distilling water you also remove all of the helpful things that are in the water, meaning you shouldn’t drink it every day, as you’ll miss out on key nutrients.
How to Make Distilled Water
Anyone can easily create distilled water at home. All you need is:
- A large pot with a lid
- A small pot
- Water
- Ice
With these ingredients, you’ll be able to turn regular water into distilled water very easily. You’ll want to start with 8 cups of water in a large pot. You should then place the smaller pot inside the larger pot. It won’t float on the water.
You’ll need to make sure that the water is circulating properly. To do this, ensure that the small pot has room on all sides.
Turn the oven on so the burner is between medium and high. Then, place the lid upside-down on top of the large pot. This will allow the condensed vapor to trickle down to the center of the lid, dripping into the smaller pot. To speed up the condensation process, fill the inverted lid with ice.
Why Do You Need Distilled Water?
Distilled water is completely free of all chemicals, minerals, and nutrients. This means that it’s medical-grade or sterile. Using distilled water with your humidifiers will make for the cleanest vapor, protecting you from inhaling any dangerous chemicals. The skin on the inside of your nose is incredibly sensitive to bacteria, so using distilled water will prevent infection.