Distilled water is required under many circumstances in our daily life. For instance, many parents use distilled water to prepare infant formula.
When people need something purer than tap water, many would wonder if it is possible to make distilled water at home with tools that we already have, like a microwave oven.
However, is it possible to make distilled water in the microwave? And how to make distilled water in the microwave?
In today’s post, we will answer the frequently asked questions about making distilled water in the microwave.
Is It Possible to Make Distilled Water in the Microwave?
It would be extremely convenient if it is possible to make distilled water simply with a microwave at home.
However, I’m afraid things would become disappointing at this point. Microwaving tap water will not result in distilled water. That is to say, it is not possible to make distilled water in the microwave.
Microwaving water can not remove the impurities, including minerals, salts and other contaminants, from the water. Microwaving the water
This process removes impurities, such as minerals, salts, and other contaminants, from the water, resulting in a purer form of water. Therefore, microwaved water is not as pure as distilled water.
Making distilled water involves the processes like boiling, gathering the steam and condensing it back into liquid, which can’t be done in the microwave.
How to Make Distilled Water at Home?
Now we’ve learned that it is not possible to make distilled water in the microwave. However, if you really need some distilled water for drinking purpose or experimental purpose, here is a method for you to make distilled water at home.
Tools
To make distilled water at home, here are the tools you are going to need:
- Stainless steel pot with lid
- Tap water
- Glass bowl
- Round baking rack
- Ice cubes
Directions
Follow these steps to make distilled water:
Step 1
Fill the stainless steel pot to about half with tap water.
Step 2
Place the round baking rack in the water, and put the glass bowl on it. In this step, you will need to make sure that the bowl won’t be floating on the water or touching the sides of the stainless steel pot.
If the water is too deep that the bowl is floating, you can remove some tap water from the pot in this step.
Step 3
Put the stainless steel pot on the stove and heat the water in the pot with the stove. Cover the pot with the lid. Please note that you should place the lid upside down, with the lid handle pointing towards the bowl in the pot.
Step 4
When the water is about to boil, put the ice cubes on the lid. The steam generated by the boiling water meets condensation at the top of the pot and condenses into water droplets that drip down into the bowl in the pot.
When the whole process finishes, you will have some distilled water collected in the bowl.
If the amount of distilled water collected is insufficient, you can repeat the preceding steps until you obtain the desired quantity.
Important Considerations for Making Distilled Water at Home
Making distilled water at home can be fun. However, it is fundamental to note that some of the certain volatile chemicals or contaminants may remain during the homemade distillation process.
It is recommended to use professionally manufactured distilled water for important uses.
Also, it is more convenient to get manufactured distilled water from a store than making them at home if you need a rather large amount of distilled water.