Distilled water and demineralised water are often confused with each other. Is distilled water the same as demineralised water? The short answer is no – they are two different types of water due to how they are made. Distilled water has no minerals left in it, whereas demineralised might have organic ones in it. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between distilled and demineralised water.
What is demineralised water?
Demineralised water is water that has had its minerals removed through a process of reverse osmosis or ion exchange. This process leaves the water with a neutral pH. Demineralised water is often used in scientific laboratories as it does not interfere with experiments as minerals have been removed from it.
Common uses of demineralised water include:
- Laboratory testing
- Car washes
- Computer chip manufacture
- Car use, like batteries.
- Steaming clothes.
- Manufacturing
What is distilled water?
Distilled water is water that has been boiled and the steam collected. When the steam cools the vapor it turns back into water, which creates distilled water. This process removes impurities from the water, including minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
This method, unlike demineralised water, also has the benefit of removing molecules such as viruses, bacteria, and other impurities because it does not target magnetically-charged ions.
Distilled water is often used in car batteries and irons because it does not contain any minerals that could clog up these devices.
What's the difference between distilled and demineralised water?
The main difference between distilled and demineralised water is that one has had its minerals removed (demineralised water) while the other does not contain any minerals at all (distilled water). This is due to the process of how they are made.
Distilled water therefore does not have any viruses, bacteria, and other impurities because it does not just target magnetically-charged ions.
Both types of water are pure but demineralised water is more often used in scientific experiments.
Can I use demineralised water instead of distilled water?
Yes, you can use demineralised water instead of distilled water. Demineralised water is less likely to interfere with experiments and is more neutral than distilled water. However, both types of water are pure and will not cause any damage to your devices. We've written a post on where to buy distilled water here if you're looking to get some.
Should you drink demineralised water or distilled water?
We do not recommend drinking demineralised or distilled water as they can both remove essential minerals from your body. If you are looking for a pure and healthy water to drink, we recommend filtered water instead. Filtered water has all the impurities removed but still contains essential minerals that your body needs.
Conclusion
We hope this blog post has helped to clear up any confusion between distilled and demineralised water. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for reading!
Sources
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4223198/
2. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja02178a018