Distilled water comprises a multi-million-dollar market worldwide, and its value is only growing. A gallon of distilled water might cost as little as $1 at your local supermarket. Or, you might pay as much as $11.68 for a gallon’s worth of Smart Water, a premium brand of vapor-distilled water.
Distilling water removes minerals, pollutants, and anything that isn’t an H2O molecule from the fluid. As a result, distilled water is perfect for hydroponic farming, steam ironing, humidifiers, and certain medical devices.
People also enjoy drinking distilled water. While the minerals in hard water offer some benefits, many people prefer to only consume the exact amount of minerals they measure out. So, they distill drinking water first, then mix their preferred mineral values back in.
Distilled water can be expensive. Fortunately, distilling water doesn’t have to be. Read on to discover how to distill water the right way.
What is Distilled Water?
Distillation heats liquid water until it evaporates and becomes a gas. This is called water vapor.
When the water evaporates, it leaves behind all particulate matter that remains solid. These are most minerals and pollutants.
Then, the distiller traps the water vapor. Entrapped, it condenses back into a liquid. Then, you can use or drink it.
How to Distill Water
There are two popular methods for distilling water.
The glass bowl method can be done with items you have in your kitchen. It’s easy, but it’s also less thorough (so, some solid particles may still be left in the water afterward). And, it can only distill a bit of water at a time.
You will lose some of your water.
The second method uses professional machinery. It effectively removes 99.9% of all particles, chemicals (other than H²O), and pathogens. Laboratories and medical equipment require this ultra-pure method.
Healthcare professionals recommend using high-quality machinery, like a CPAP water distiller, to keep devices as safe and well-maintained as possible.
Kitchen Method (Glass Bowl)
Gather a deep pot, concave lid, a lightweight glass bowl, ice, and a stovetop.
1. Fill the Pot With the Water
Use more water than you need. Don’t fill more than 2/3 of the pot.
Set it on the stovetop. Begin with medium to high heat.
2. Set Bowl in Water
The bowl should float on top of the water. Once it’s floating, cover the pot with the convex lid. Make sure the lid curves into the pot (like a bowl, not a hill).
3. Pile Ice On Lid
Fill the “bowl” of the lid with ice. This ensures that the vaporized water will condense on the underside of the lid. Once the vapor condenses, it should drip into the bowl.
Continue to heat the water until the bowl gets too heavy or full to stay afloat.
Professional Method (Water Distiller)
You can take advantage of distilled water benefits more often with a commercial water distiller. You can distill large volumes of water at once—up to 42 gallons per day! You can begin drinking distilled water you collected for free, from rainfall or even the ocean.
Commercial and at-home water distiller machines work have different parts. It’s important to follow the directions that come with the machine to distill water correctly. Many companies also demonstrate proper use in videos.
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