By Rehan Iqbal
Distilled water is about as pure as it gets. Water that has been distilled contains virtually no impurities and minerals. When water is this pure, it has many practical, everyday uses. This is what we’ll be investigating, common uses for distilled water.
Though, before delving into the myriad of uses for distilled water, a bit of background information won’t go amiss. Let’s start by a gaining a better understanding of distilled water and how it’s made.
What is Distilled Water?
In the natural water cycle, water evaporates to become water vapor (a gas). As it rises into the atmosphere, where the air is cooler, the vapor condenses to form clouds. Clouds are essentially a collection of small water drops in a cluster. As the clouds collect more water, they become heavier. At some point, the water in the clouds becomes too heavy and it falls back to earth as rain. This is continuous cycle that has been going on since the dawn of time.
A water distiller mimics this natural process in a controlled environment. Water is heated using electricity, creating steam which is a gas. The steam rises and is sent to a condenser which cools the water, turning it back into a liquid. This is collected as distilled water.
When the water evaporates, the impurities and minerals are left behind. Any matter that does not evaporate at the same temperature as water (approx. 212°F) will not evaporate with the water. This means the evaporated water is almost 100% pure. Only small, almost untraceable amounts of other elements might be present in the water after distillation. For all intents and purposes, distilled water is generally considered to be 100% pure.
Distilled Water vs Purified Water
Water purifiers use filtration media to remove impurities, usually leaving the minerals in the water. Water distillers remove impurities, bacteria, viruses, and minerals. Some water purifiers may remove certain minerals, even add others. Advanced water filter, usually reverse osmosis filtration systems, may also remove bacteria and viruses.
Distilled water is generally considered the purest type of water.
Can you Drink Distilled Water?
Some believe that drinking distilled water is healthier than regular water. This is certainly true if your water supply contains harmful impurities, heavy metals, bacteria, or pathogens. Distilled water is completely sterile, meaning it is free of any harmful living organisms.
Because distilled water is so pure, it is almost tasteless and may seem bland in comparison to tap or bottled water. Because all the minerals have been removed, distilled water does not provide the healthy minerals that our bodies need, like calcium. It may even draw small amounts of these minerals from our teeth or blood to maintain a chemical balance .
Generally, people who have a healthy diet will not experience a mineral deficiency from drinking distilled water. We get all the minerals we need from the food we eat. People who are prone to mineral deficiencies should take supplements to ensure that they remain healthy.
Distilled water is, therefore, perfectly safe to drink and will not affect your health in any way. Albeit not the tastiest water you can get.
Apart from drinking, there many everyday uses for distilled water in our homes, science labs, hospitals, and auto shops.
10 Everyday Uses for Distilled Water
You will probably be fascinated to discover how useful distilled water is. Here are 10 common uses for distilled water. Some may be of great use to you in your home.
More Obscure Uses for Distilled Water
You may already be aware of some of the uses for distilled water that I’ve mentioned. Here are a few that I bet you’ve never thought of:
The Best way to Make Distilled Water at Home
You can buy bottled distilled water, but it can be a bit expensive and not always that easy to find. If you intend using distilled water regularly or in large volumes, buying a quality water distiller could be your best option.
There are quite a few water distillers commercially available. Some can be expensive but are really great machines. High-end water distillers are usually made from stainless steel to ensure that your distilled water remains contaminant-free.
Generally, these are countertop devices that you plug into an electrical socket. Larger, commercial units are available, but most home users prefer the ease and practicality of a countertop water distiller.
A home water distiller is really easy to use. You fill the reservoir with water, switch it on and let the machine do its work. The water will be heated until it boils, and then condensed. The process can take some time, depending on how much water you are distilling and how effective your distiller is.
If you intend buying a water distiller for your home, do your homework. A high-quality product may cost more, but these will usually last longer and might be more efficient. Even if you have a limited budget, you can find a decent distiller that is more affordable.
Buying a cheap water distiller will take a bit more research as you don’t want to buy cheap junk. That’s just an outright waste of money. Get some advice and read trusted water distiller reviews to get a good idea of what your options are before making a decision.
Water distillers are not that complicated, they all do pretty much the same job, so you won’t get inferior distilled water if you buy a cheap water distiller. The issue is really about quality – how long the machine will last. A more efficient water distiller will end up being cheaper to use in the long run as they will use less electricity. Some machines may also be more effective, distilling a larger amount of water in a shorter time.
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