You can buy distilled water at the grocery store, but it can be expensive. So we are going to show you how to make distilled water at home.
What Is Distilled Water?
Distilled water is one of the most pure forms of water you will find. It is made from steam that has been cooled down and returned to its liquid form. It has 99.9% of chemicals, pollutants, and minerals removed from the water.
Even the purest water from a spring will have mineral deposits in it and while these may be healthy for you, they are not a friend to many of your household appliances.
Hard water contains calcium and magnesium which leave deposits in water pipes and on heating elements. Distilling water removes these minerals and makes the water left behind safe to use in all your appliances without worrying about limescale deposits.
Many people prefer to drink distilled water as they are concerned about impurities in the water. It is also recommended for washing your hair as it will not leave mineral deposits in your hair or on your scalp.
You can buy distilled water in grocery stores or online, but it is also very easy to make at home and will save you some money.
Making Distilled Water
Making distilled water is almost as simple as boiling water, which is what you will be doing.
You should have everything you need in your kitchen.
Equipment Needed
5 gallon stainless steel pot with stainless steel cover
Water from your faucet
Heat resistant glass bowl
Wire rack or trivet
Ice
Method
Place the wire rack or trivet into the stainless steel pot.
Put enough tap water into the pot to fill it halfway.
Place the glass bowl into the pot. It should float on the water and the wire rack or trivet should prevent the bowl from touching the bottom of the pot.
Invert the stainless steel pot cover and place it on top of the pot.
Fill the upside down cover with ice.
Heat the water until it is boiling and allow it to boil for 45 minutes. You will need to replace the ice a few times.
As the water boils and becomes steam, the steam hits the cold stainless steel lid and forms water droplets.
These droplets then drip into the glass bowl. This is your distilled water.
Using an oven mitt, remove the lid from the pot and take out the glass bowl. It will be very hot so be careful.
Let the distilled water in the bowl cool down and then pour it into bottles or jars.
Uses Of Distilled Water
There are many uses for distilled water in the home, and you may be surprised at the difference it can make when compared to normal tap water.
CPAP Machines
One of the most important uses for distilled water is for CPAP machines. Humidified air breathed in through a CPAP machine should be virus, bacteria, and contaminant free.
It is not advisable to use tap water for these machines, and it will reduce the life of your CPAP humidifier. Instead, fill it with distilled water that you make yourself, and you know is pure.
Humidifier
Fill your humidifier with distilled water to pump pure, clean mist into your rooms. Using distilled water will prevent scale building up in your humidifier and will extend its life.
Aquariums
Distilled water in aquariums is better for your fish, but you will have to add a mineral supplement to the water.
Irons
There’s nothing worse than ironing your nice clean clothes and having your iron spit out chunks of limescale that stain them. Using distilled water will keep your iron free of scale build-up.
Vehicle Radiators
If you buy concentrated coolant for your vehicle radiator you should only dilute it with distilled water and not regular tap water. This helps to keep the radiator clean and working effectively.
Can You Drink Distilled Water?
While you can drink distilled water it lacks some important minerals and micronutrients which can be beneficial for your health.
Distilled water as part of a balanced diet should not cause problems, but you should be aware that it lacks calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Although you may not think of water as having a particular taste you will notice the difference when you drink distilled water. It has a flat and bland taste that many people find unappealing.
If you only drink distilled water then according to a report by the World Health Organization you risk a decrease in your body’s metabolic function.
You may also experience increased urine output that may result in an electrolyte imbalance.
There is a delicate balance of sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and fluid in the body. Sweating and urinating expel sodium and other minerals with the water.
Distilled water cannot replace those lost minerals as they have been removed during distillation.
Is Distilled Water The Same As Boiled Water?
Although distilled water can be obtained by boiling water as we have explained, it is not the same as boiled water.
Distilled water has had 99.9% of minerals, chemicals, and pollutants removed during distillation.
Boiled water is just water that has had its temperature increased until reaching boiling point. It can kill a lot of bacteria in the process, but it doesn’t remove minerals and micronutrients.
Purified water and distilled water are similar, although the healthy minerals are not removed from purified water as they are from distilled water. Instead, impurities and chemicals are removed using reverse osmosis.
Final Thoughts
We’re sure you’ll find many uses for the distilled water you make, in your appliances, in your aquarium, or even for washing your hair.
Remember if you drink distilled water to take supplements to replace the minerals that are lost through urination and sweating, so you don’t damage your health.
Have you ever made something so delicious that you wished you could savor it forever?
Only to find that the recipe has now mysteriously vanished from your phone and the entirety of the internet. Yep, there’s not much more painful than that.
Hi, my name is Mark Williams and I have been infatuated with cooking since I was young. I would beg my mother to pull a chair up to the counter so I could watch what she was doing.
