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Bottled Water For Humidifier – Is It Safe?

Fact Check & Written By Hazel J. Waters
bottled water for humidifier

If you’re using a humidifier to help ease the drying effects of winter air, you may be wondering if it’s safe to use bottled water in the device. In most cases, it is – but there are a few things you should know before making the switch.

Experts recommend using distilled water in humidifiers to ensure its longevity and prevent any harmful impact of the water minerals to the humidifier, but in some cases, you can use bottled water for humidifier. 

In this article, we will talk about this in detail so Keep reading for more information on using bottled water in a humidifier.

Bottled Water For Humidifier – Is It Safe?

When the weather turns colder, it’s important to keep your home adequately humidified. Unfortunately, many areas are more prone to dry air in the winter months due to central heating systems that prevent moisture from developing indoors.

If you’re using a humidifier for relief, you may be concerned about whether or not tap water will cause problems with the device.

Fortunately, most types of tap water are safe for use. However, if you’re concerned about the purity of your water before turning on the humidifier, distilled or spring water is a good option.

If using bottled water, be sure to check with the manufacturer to ensure it’s safe for use over time – and never mix different kinds of water together.

bottled water in humidifier

Can You Use Filtered Water In A Humidifier?

If you’re using a whole-house humidifier, you may be wondering if filtered water is safe to use. In most cases, it’s fine – but there are a few precautions you should take before making the switch.

First of all, filter water contains added minerals like calcium and magnesium along with micro-nutrients like copper and zinc. These minerals are essential for the human body, but are these minerals good for humidifiers? Yes, but not for long-term usage or continuous use without cleaning.

When using filtered water in a humidifier, make sure to clean the unit regularly – especially if it won’t be used over the course of a few days. If you want to ensure your unit doesn’t develop mold or other problems, use distilled water instead.

A humidifier device can get damaged by the minerals if it is not washed properly, that’s why companies recommend using distilled water in a humidifier tank.

pouring fresh tap water into a glass
Pouring Fresh Tap Water Into a Glass

Can You Use Boiled Water In A Humidifier?

It’s never a good idea to use water that has been boiled for other uses in a humidifier. The minerals and other substances found in the water may corrode or damage the machine, depending on the model you have.

But if you have boiled tap water or bottled water, it’s safe to use in humidifiers. Models that are designed for steam vaporization will not cause any problems with boiled water, while it may damage ultrasonic models.

Please note, you should not add boiling water in even a warm mist humidifier, it may end up damaging the unit’s tank. Only add distilled or filtered water and let the warm mist humidifier do its work

If you’re still concerned about the effects of boiling water on your unit, distilled or filtered water is a good alternative. Moreover, using boiled water doesn’t mean pouring hot boiling water directly into the humidifier’s tank.

It means boiling tap water, letting it cool down, and then filling the humidifier’s tank with it. If this is what you were thinking of doing, it is safe.

boiled water

Do You Have To Use Distilled Water In A Humidifier?

Yes, distilled water is the best for humidifiers. As compared to bottled or tap water, distilled water has no dissolved minerals, it only comprises of hydrogen and oxygen, thus, causing no damage to the humidifiers. Distilled water is not better than purified water for a human, but it is considered the best for humidifiers.

If your unit is an ultrasonic model, it will need to have distilled water in order to produce moisture. If you don’t have distilled water available, the minerals and other substances found in both tap and filtered water can cause damage to or clog up the device.

If you have a steam vaporizer humidifier, it may or may not need to use distilled water. In most cases, regular tap water is fine – although you should check with the manufacturer before using anything but distilled water.

In some models, regular tap water can cause problems over time – so if you want to avoid any damage or other issues, distilled water is a good alternative.

Related: How to Make Distilled Water for Humidifier

Purifier Water Vs Distilled Water In Humidifier

Purifier water contains added minerals (salts), these salts upon heating starts becoming visible. Later, these salts are seen as mineral build up on the humidifier. Whereas distilled water contains only hydrogen and oxygen, so there’s no mineral build up on the humidifier.

Secondly, distilled water is much cheaper in comparison to purified water. It is available for just $1 for 1 gallon, which can last for at least 1-2 weeks depending upon your usage. Whereas purified water is a bit costly, and if you are a regular user of humidifiers, it’s not recommended to spend so much money.

Lastly, if you want to increase the life of your humidifier, use distilled water only. You can use purifier water, just in case you run out of distilled water.

Where to Buy distilled water for humidifier?

Distilled water for humidifiers can be purchased online, offline, or if you are a science nerd, make it at your home. If you need it urgently, buy it from a local trusted shop, otherwise, check out these distilled water packs on amazon.


Can I Use Tap Water In Humidifier?

If you want to inhale the hot steam to treat your sinus or cold, tap water is fine. But if you want to tackle the dry air, avoid using tap water.

However, many humidifiers are designed for use with regular tap water – and some will even work with filtered water if you prefer. Although the minerals and other substances found in tap water may damage ultrasonic or steam vaporization devices, they won’t cause any problems in most hydromagnetic units.

However, you should always check with the manufacturer to make sure your particular unit can use tap water before turning it on. If in doubt, distilled water is an It’s a fantastic choice for humidifiers that need it.

Can You Use Spring Water In A Humidifier?

Natural spring water in a humidifier cannot be used regularly. This is because the purified water and natural spring water contain the same mineral deposits, Calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and more.

So if you live near a spring, and you are thinking of using its water in your humidifier, make sure you clean the device nicely. Although spring water is not bad for health, the minerals found in it upon heating can damage the humidifier’s tank by corroding it.

Therefore, we recommend using natural spring but with caution.

Should You Put Hot Or Cold Water In A Humidifier?

When in doubt, water that’s room temperature or cooler is a good choice.

Although hot or boiling water can be used in many types of humidifiers, it’s not recommended for safety reasons. If you’re using an ultrasonic model, hot water can cause damage to the unit over time – and standard tap water may clog up the machine or cause other issues.

If you want to use hot water in your humidifier, it’s safer to let it cool down first. But since most units can handle water at room temperature, this is normally the best option if you’d prefer not to wait for cooler water.

So, Bottled Water for Humidifiers is a good idea, or should I skip it?

In short, bottled water for humidifiers is not recommended. It contains mineral deposits that can end up damaging your humidifier, so using it is not a good idea. However, if it’s a real emergency and you ran out of distilled water, you can use it once, but don’t make it a habit.

Distilled water is the best type of water to be used in a humidifier. You can make it at home by yourself, or buy a jar from the local market for cheap.

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