What is the difference? (re: water)

[tiggerlover]

What is the difference between bottled water and distilled water? I have a small Christmas fountain from San Francisco Music Box Company (it ws a gift last year and I haven't used it yet) and it calls for distilled water. I know I have heard of it before, but I don't have any available to me here in Italy and I was wondering if I could use plain bottled water?

 

[LuvTigger]

I'm not positive, but I thought distilled water has most of the minerals removed. If I'm not mistaken, it's what's recommended for irons, so there's no mineral build-up. My guess is that's why they recommend it for your fountain, so there's no build-up of white stuff on it. Bottled water can vary, but generally it's just filtered and probably still has most of the minerals.

Anyone else?

 

[tiggerlover]

Thanks Kendra.

Given the fact that I don't have distilled water I wonder if it would be safe enough to use the bottled water? I would hate to damage the fountain, but I really would hate not being able to use it.

 

[Serena]

Go ahead and use the bottled water, but occasionally, run some vinegar through it. It should be alright. Or mix some bottled water with vinegar, it'll keep down the deposits.

 

[Leota]

You might check pharmacies for distilled water - That's where I found it last time I needed it - I guess they put it there because it's better to use distilled water for humidifiers.....

If the fountain has small tubing/fittings, the mineral deposits would be a major issue - Serena had a good idea - use the vinegar in the water regularly.....

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Sounds like you have to do some searching! I mean someone somewhere has to have distilled water. It really must be fun and challenging where you are.

Maybe call a place where they sell irons and find out where you can lay your hands on some H2O.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Distilled water is created when the steam from boiling water is turned back into liquid. It does not have any of the minerals in it then. The mineral is what you want to stay away from in things like irons and fountains. Serena's suggestion will work to clean the minerals out if you can't find distilled water.

 

[tiggerlover]

Originally posted by The Mystery Machine
Sounds like you have to do some searching! I mean someone somewhere has to have distilled water. It really must be fun and challenging where you are.

Maybe call a place where they sell irons and find out where you can lay your hands on some H2O.

It is easier said than done when you don't have a perfect command of a foreign language and a lot of dictionaries don't offer you the day to day translations you need. I think I may try the vinegar idea and see how that works and if it starts to be a problem I will stop using it.

Thank you all.