We can only say so much about distilled water. We can go on and talk about how they can benefit the body, how the distillation process gets rid of foreign matter in drinking water, etc. Although all of those are true, distilled water has many other uses that most people may or may not know of.
For instance, distilled water helps make the best ice cubes that you can ever think of. The process of distillation is primarily responsible for this. Why? As we are already familiar of, distillation involves evaporation and subsequent collection of the water by means of condensation thereby removing impurities. The product– that is distilled water—therefore does not contain any inorganic waste. It also removes the minerals in the water.
So what does it have to do with ice cubes? You might ask.
Sometimes, if you use tap water to make ice cubes, it may carry a number of different substances such as salts, nitrates, chloramines, fluorides, and sometimes some very tiny microorganisms. This will make the ice look cloudy and unclear. Distilled water have none of those and thus, it can help make clearer ice cubes.
But using just distilled water may not be enough to produce perfect, crystal-clear ice cubes. It only AIDS in making good-looking cubes. The secret lies in how you cool them. If you cool it too quickly, air bubbles in the water gets trapped rather quickly, too, resulting in cloudier ice. When ice freezes slowly, the bubbles cannot get inside so when it freezes, it’s beautifully luscent. That is why it helps boiling the water first because the water’s high temperature will make it freeze slowly.
Interestingly enough, distilled water is not just for the benefits of the cocktail drinkers and booze-seekers out there. Here’s why:
- Distilled water is mostly favored in steam irons because it does not make the iron rusty.
- Widely preferred over tap water for engine cooling systems and auto cooling systems. Even nuclear powered ships use it as a coolant. Distilled water does not contain corrosive minerals most likely present in tap water, which in turn, can damage the engine.
- Makes excellent glass cleaners. Half part vinegar and half part distilled water will make you want to put them commercial glass cleaners to rest.
- Beers, colas, and other drinks use distilled water to ensure highest quality of the products
- In the medical field, surgeons prefer using distilled water to treat wounds or cuts to prevent infection.
- If used in aquariums, certain fish are observed to thrive better.
- For everday cooking and drinking, you can do much worse than using distilled water.
- Lead acid batteries used in cars or trucks require a top-up water. Because tap water contains ions that can cause damage to the battery or significantly reduce its life span. That is why distilled water, which does not contain such ions, is widely preferred.
- Distilled water is used in chemical and biological laboratories where highly purified water is a must. Sometimes, in cases where an exceedingly high degree of purified water is required, double distilled water is used.
For what it’s worth, if you are rich, you can also try bathing in distilled water. It is believed that distilled water does wonders for the skin too. You never know.
