Distilled water for diluting products?

[black bart]

FWIW, Most recent test data from our water department.

Chlorine: 1.44 mg/l
Nitrate: 3.08 mg/l
Hardness: 125 mg/l or 7.37 gr/gal
Ph: 8.85
Fluoride: .99 mg/l

Didn't mean much to me, but I'm sure someone here can interpret the numbers.
All I know is that it looks, tastes and smells fine and seems to work good for washing or bathing. That's about all you can ask of water I guess.

Charles drinking that water will make you go blind.

I recommend you get some moonshine

 

[blk45]

FWIW, Most recent test data from our water department.

Chlorine: 1.44 mg/l
Nitrate: 3.08 mg/l
Hardness: 125 mg/l or 7.37 gr/gal
Ph: 8.85
Fluoride: .99 mg/l

Didn't mean much to me, but I'm sure someone here can interpret the numbers.
All I know is that it looks, tastes and smells fine and seems to work good for washing or bathing. That's about all you can ask of water I guess.

Those numbers aren't that bad Charles. Although that is still considered "hard" water. Any improvement that you would see from "clean" water would be very marginal, and probably not noticeable.

This is an old article, but the first one that came up. Household Water Quality - Water Hardness

For 69 cents, it is easy and cheap enough to try it for yourself.

 

[pogo123]

FWIW, Most recent test data from our water department.

Chlorine: 1.44 mg/l
Nitrate: 3.08 mg/l
Hardness: 125 mg/l or 7.37 gr/gal
Ph: 8.85
Fluoride: .99 mg/l

Didn't mean much to me, but I'm sure someone here can interpret the numbers.
All I know is that it looks, tastes and smells fine and seems to work good for washing or bathing. That's about all you can ask of water I guess.

Those are typical numbers for a pretty good quality water, although somewhat hard. Here's an explanation for the hardness:

Classification
Grains Per Gallon......... Miligrams Per Liter (mg/l)
less than 1.0........... less than 17.1 Soft
1.0 - 3.5............... 17.1 - 60 Slightly Hard
3.5 - 7.0................ 60 - 120 Moderately Hard
7.0 - 10.5............. 120 - 180 Hard
over 10.5......... over 180 Very Hard

 

[CharlesW]

Those numbers aren't that bad Charles. Although that is still considered "hard" water. Any improvement that you would see from "clean" water would be very marginal, and probably not noticeable.

This is an old article, but the first one that came up. Household Water Quality - Water Hardness

For 69 cents, it is easy and cheap enough to try it for yourself.

Except that I probably wouldn't be able to see the difference.
The conditions in which the diluted products are used vary a great deal. Window cleaner, APC, possibly a 4 in 1 QD mix. The surfaces to be cleaned are never really in the same level of "dirty".

Those are typical numbers for a pretty good quality water, although somewhat hard. Here's an explanation for the hardness:

Classification
Grains Per Gallon......... Miligrams Per Liter (mg/l)
less than 1.0........... less than 17.1 Soft
1.0 - 3.5............... 17.1 - 60 Slightly Hard
3.5 - 7.0................ 60 - 120 Moderately Hard
7.0 - 10.5............. 120 - 180 Hard
over 10.5......... over 180 Very Hard

The hardness of the water could have an adverse effect on cleaning solutions, couldn't it?
I think I have read that the impurities such as the calcium and magnesium create an extra amount of cleaning for products to do in just removing their effects from the water.
Of course, I probably read that in a water softener ad.

 

[Poorboy]

Except that I probably wouldn't be able to see the difference.
The conditions in which the diluted products are used vary a great deal. Window cleaner, APC, possibly a 4 in 1 QD mix. The surfaces to be cleaned are never really in the same level of "dirty".

The hardness of the water could have an adverse effect on cleaning solutions, couldn't it?
I think I have read that the impurities such as the calcium and magnesium create an extra amount of cleaning for products to do in just removing their effects from the water.
Of course, I probably read that in a water softener ad.

Time to call the Culligan Man

 

[CharlesW]

Time to call the Culligan Man

That's not likely to happen, but.....
Since softened water has been mentioned a few times, doesn't water that is treated by a water softener have sodium replacing the other minerals?
I'm not sure salt water is what I want, either.

 

[BlueZero]

In the past I've always stayed away from distilled water. Reason being is distilled water when it comes into contact with air will start dissolving carbon dioxide in to it. The dissolved carbon dioxide reacts with the water and finally forms carbonic acid. Pure water should be at 7.0 on the ph scale but distilled water will end up at around 5.5 - 5.8 from my reading. Here's a link to a ph scale... ImageH scale.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maybe it's really not that big of deal and I honestly don't know that much about chemistry. I just membered reading something on the subject years ago and have stayed away from distilled water since.

 

[Poorboy]

In the past I've always stayed away from distilled water. Reason being is distilled water when it comes into contact with air will start dissolving carbon dioxide in to it. The dissolved carbon dioxide reacts with the water and finally forms carbonic acid. Pure water should be at 7.0 on the ph scale but distilled water will end up at around 5.5 - 5.8 from my reading. Here's a link to a ph scale... ImageH scale.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maybe it's really not that big of deal and I honestly don't know that much about chemistry. I just membered reading something on the subject years ago and have stayed away from distilled water since.

that's very good information :bigups

 

[blk45]

Reason being is distilled water when it comes into contact with air will start dissolving carbon dioxide in to it. The dissolved carbon dioxide reacts with the water and finally forms carbonic acid.

Interesting....do you have any links about this? Thanks.

 

[blk45]

Found it.


pH values
The theoretical pH of highly purifed water is 7.0. In practice, however, most purified water will have a pH that is slightly acidic (less than 7.0) due to the presence of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Dissolved carbon dioxide reacts slowly with water to give the bicarbonate and hydronium ions.

CO2 (g) + 2H2O(l) ⇋ HCO3- + H3O+
Note that carbonic acid, H2CO3, is only formed in strongly acid solutions. Distillation temporarily removes dissolved CO2 from the water. However, during condensation the water reabsorbs CO2 again resulting in a pH that is less than 7.0.


Purified water - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another article: Now with that explanation understood, distilled water will test out in a range of pH 5.5-5.8. The reason is that distilled water dissolves carbon dioxide from the air. It dissolves carbon dioxide until it is in dynamic equilibrium with the atmosphere. That means that the amount being dissolved balances the amount coming out of solution. The total amount in the water is determined by the concentration in the atmosphere. The dissolved carbon dioxide reacts with the water and finally forms carbonic acid.

 

[CharlesW]

If distilled water will dissolve carbon dioxide from the air into it, won't tap water do the same.
It would seem that the end CO2 level would be the same whether it was distilled water or tap water. Both would absorb the CO2 from the air until a level was reached that balanced with the CO2 content of the air.

Do you guys know anymore about what you are talking about than I do? I haven't the least idea what happens with water unless I drink it.

It has been an interesting discussion, but I really don't know what I learned. I do think I will stick with the tap water. Hey, in a year's time, it could save me about $2 and every little bit helps when you're on social security.

 

[BlueZero]

Do you guys know anymore about what you are talking about than I do?

lol, sorry nope. Wish I did.

 

[blk45]

If distilled water will dissolve carbon dioxide from the air into it, won't tap water do the same.
It would seem that the end CO2 level would be the same whether it was distilled water or tap water. Both would absorb the CO2 from the air until a level was reached that balanced with the CO2 content of the air.

Do you guys know anymore about what you are talking about than I do? I haven't the least idea what happens with water unless I drink it.

It has been an interesting discussion, but I really don't know what I learned. I do think I will stick with the tap water. Hey, in a year's time, it could save me about $2 and every little bit helps when you're on social security.

I'm not sure Charles, but I found this.

If you measure the pH of tap water with a pH meter, you may be surprised at how far from a pH of 7 it is because of dissolved substances in the water. Distilled water is necessary to get a pH near 7.

pH as a Measure of Acid and Base Properties

In addition, almost all urban water in the US is treated for bacteria, during which the pH is adjusted to a fairly neutral level (close to pH = 7).

Acid Rain and Tap Water

The search continues.....

 

[black bart]

It has been an interesting discussion, but I really don't know what I learned. I do think I will stick with the tap water. Hey, in a year's time, it could save me about $2 and every little bit helps when you're on social security.

Well using your thinking I should keep using the distilled water from my dehumidifier because it makes two gallon per day and I can empty the tank down the drain or find a use for it.

The city charges sewage on every gallon of water that I use regardless of if it goes down the drain or not.
This works out to be 8 cents per gallon and the distilled is free since I can't dehumidify without making the water.

 

[CharlesW]

Since any "pure" water I get will come from the store, would there be any advantage to using the water "purified" by reverse osmosis rather than the distilled water?
It probably picks up something from the air, too.