Distilled water cannot mold. The process in which water becomes distilled removes any of the impurities or minerals that might promote mold growth. To understand why this is the case, you need to know how distilled water is made in the first place.
Distilled water can be taken from any source. It may come from your tap, another bottle of water, or even a natural spring. That water then has to be boiled. The steam that comes from the boiling water is the water you want. There are a few kits you can purchase that can allow you to collect the vapor and condense it into a liquid form.
Or you can always DIY it and simply distill water by using a large pot and a small pot. As the water vapor forms on the upside-down lid, it will drip into the smaller pot and form distilled water.
Because the water is taken from the vapor, the minerals and any other impurities are left behind in the original water source. Distilled water is nothing but hydrogen and oxygen. Since mold requires other ingredients in order to form, like a food source, it can’t grow inside of distilled water.
This makes distilled water extremely useful for certain things.
Does Distilled Water Prevent Mold?
If you’re using some kind of device that requires water to be used or you intend to clean it with water, then you’re going to want to use distilled water. It can prevent the growth of mold far better than using other types of water. You may even find that you never have a mold problem again.
Using it in humidifiers, for example, is a great solution. Not only will the air that’s released into your home be cleaner, but you won’t have to clean your humidifier as much. Perhaps you’ve smelled that stale, moldy, scent before. When you opened your humidifier, you found mold growing in certain areas. Or perhaps you found mineral buildup. This can damage the machine on top of making it smell bad.
Distilled water, because it doesn’t contain impurities or minerals, won’t lead to a mineral buildup or mold growth. Your humidifier can work without any problems. Many manufacturers encourage the use of distilled water for your humidifier.
If you have a CPAP machine, then a serious problem you’re faced with is mold growth. This can make it easy for those using the CPAP machine to become ill. The best way to clean the mask is with distilled water. Tap water or even purified water may leave a residue behind. That residue is all mold needs to start growing.
Other devices like irons, batteries, and aquariums can also all benefit from using distilled water to either power or clean them. It makes them cleaner to use and can ensure they last longer.
Can Bacteria Grow In Distilled Water?
You may also wonder if bacteria growth is halted in distilled water. This is the case. Perhaps you once opened up an old bottle of water and smelled something musky. It’s likely due to the presence of bacteria. You wouldn’t want to drink it again.
Yet bacteria can lurk in your water bottle or in other devices and not have an odor just yet.
To ensure you’re able to drink your water safely, you should consider using distilled water. Just like mold growth, bacteria can exist in water without a food source. Since distilled water is just hydrogen and oxygen, there isn’t anything for the bacteria to eat. As a result, you have just pure water.
Does Distilled Water Go Bad Once Opened?
Distilled water doesn’t go bad on its own. There has to be some kind of contaminant exposure to the water for it to become bad. This might be something like taking a drink from the bottle, itself. The bacteria in your mouth and saliva would have contaminated the entire bottle. If you plan on drinking the distilled water and want to make it last as long as possible, then you should pour the water into a cup instead of drinking it straight from your bottle.
Another way it might go bad is if the container it’s in wasn’t washed properly. Some people believe that distilled water can leech minerals and other harmful toxins from the containers they rest in. This may be true to some extent. For example, any kind of water will leach the toxins inside of plastic water bottles if exposed to the sun for long hours.
However, the leeching primarily comes from if the container was already dirty. Improperly cleaned containers will have a residue that can promote mold or bacteria growth inside of them once the distilled water has been opened. To prevent this, you should wash the container first with distilled water, then you can store it.
You can safely drink distilled water for about a week after it has been opened, although it’s likely you can drink it longer than this. You may just find that it has a slight smell to it and the flavor may taste odd.
Distilled water that is opened and used primarily for appliances or devices can last for at least a year without concern.
Do I Have To Refrigerate Distilled Water After Opening?
You may already make it a habit to put all beverages that you drink in the fridge. Distilled water doesn’t demand that you do. It can stay out at room temperature for as long as you like. If it’s opened, then keep in mind that you’ll likely want to drink it within a week to avoid any odd smells or flavors.
Otherwise, you can put distilled water in the fridge if you like drinking cold water. You can even freeze distilled water into ice cubes. Because the purity is high, the ice cubes will be clearer than cubes that are made from other types of water.
Refrigerating your opened distilled water may allow you to drink it longer than the standard seven days.