Is it possible to fill?
Distilled water is obtained from ordinary water by distillation or evaporation.
At the same time, all impurities and mineral salts are removed from it. The result is 99% pure water. Therefore , it is believed that it is best used for a steamer.
In irons with this function, water is heated to a high temperature. Because of this, it turns into steam and is supplied under high pressure from special holes on the sole.
But if it contains mineral salts, they precipitate when heated. This is scale. It is deposited on the heating element, clogs the steam holes, and can get on clothes. Therefore, it is necessary to fill the steamer with water that is free of salts.
Reference! Many people believe that the best option is distilled. It definitely won't lead to scale formation.
Special liquid
Such goods are also sold in household stores. Many people don’t understand why pay more, because its cost is quite high. The fact is that this is not just distilled water, it contains special additives that further slow down the formation of dirt in the iron.
With this filling, the iron will have to be cleaned from the inside no more than once every six months.
Why can't it be used?
But any instructions for the iron say that using distilled water is not recommended. It may seem that this is a marketing ploy to get people to buy irons more often to replace broken ones.
But in reality this is not the case: distilled water has two significant drawbacks that prevent it from being used for a steamer:
- When salts are removed, its physical properties change. It boils at a higher temperature, which also slows down the formation of steam. For the steamer to work on it, the iron must become very hot. This increases the load on the heating elements.
- Distillate without mineral salts has a lower pH level. Because of this, it becomes acidic and can damage the metal elements of the device. With one-time use this is not noticeable, but if you constantly pour distilled water into it, the iron will break faster.
Why can't you use distilled water?
The distillation process removes 99.9% of the salts originally contained in water. The liquid obtained after such cleaning, at first glance, should be ideal for operating a steam generator or steamer in an iron. However, manufacturers say that the distillate has two significant drawbacks:
- The boiling point of water completely devoid of salts becomes higher. This means that the distillate evaporates more slowly. This increases the load on the coating of the evaporation chamber.
- Some salts (for example, bicarbonates) increase the pH of water. If they are removed, the liquid will become more acidic. This means that its destructive effect on metal will intensify, and corrosion processes will proceed faster.
Some experts believe that the ban on the use of distilled water is a ploy by manufacturers. The purpose of the trick is to speed up the failure of the iron, and therefore the purchase of a new one. However, supporters of this point of view are in the minority.
The use of distilled water can extend the life of the iron. But to do this you need to mix the distillate with tap water. The proportions depend on the water hardness in the region. The most commonly used ratios are 1:1 and 1:2.
Which one is best?
It turns out that pure distillate for a steamer is not recommended , as it will overheat.
But tap water produces scale. To solve this problem, some manufacturers produce irons with special filters that retain salts.
When choosing water for such a device, you must also take into account the quality of tap water. If it is soft, it will not harm the steamer. But to be on the safe side, you can pass it through a filter or mix half and half with distilled water.
Is it possible to use distilled water?
From the school physics course we know that distilled water has a high degree of purification. This is true. But there is a downside to the process. After distillation, the temperature at which water boils increases. Irons are designed for normal boiling temperatures. Using distilled water, you can get problems with the steaming process itself: the water will not boil and there will be no steam.
Many manufacturers recommend mixing distilled and ordinary water in equal proportions.
How to make distillate at home?
Distilled water is completely free of mineral salts. No filter can do this job. To obtain it, water is passed through a distiller.
But there are several simple ways to get it at home. In essence, such water is condensed steam. Therefore, you just need to bring ordinary water to a boil and collect it.
We recommend an article on the topic
Ways to make distilled water (for drinking and more) at home
What is needed for this?
The easiest way to collect steam is to place a glass under the spout of the kettle and cover the escaping steam with another glass. The only difficulty is that you have to constantly stand next to it, and the glass also gets hot. But you can create a home distiller from simple items that are found in every home.
To do this you will need:
- large wide saucepan;
- a convex lid suitable in size;
- a deep bowl or plate that would fit into the pan;
- ice.
Attention! Distilled water can be stored for a long time in a hermetically sealed container. But for this it is important to wash it properly: there should be no particles of detergent, fibers from rags or drops of tap water left on the walls.
Manufacturing process
The process of preparing distilled water itself is not difficult, although it takes a lot of time, but you do not need to constantly stand nearby or hold something.
A step-by-step guide will help you do everything right:
Pour enough tap water into the pan so that the bowl does not tip over and scoop it up.- Turn on gas and place an empty bowl inside. Cover with a lid, turning it upside down.
- When the water starts to boil, put ice on the lid. It should keep it cool, but you don't need to put in too much, otherwise the melted water will flow over the edge.
When water boils, steam rises and condenses on the cold lid. The drops flow back down the convex surface into the bowl. This condensate is distilled water.
Advice! Before heating, it is advisable to leave the water for 1-2 hours with the lid open so that the chlorine evaporates from it.
How to fill it correctly?
To avoid problems, it is best to use distillate mixed with regular distillate for the device. The proportions depend on the degree of hardness of the water supply.
Most often it is recommended to mix them in equal quantities. If hard water flows from the tap, the percentage of distilled water can be increased.
It is advisable to use distilled tap water. This will help get rid of chlorine compounds. You can also take bottled water instead, which also contains a lot of mineral salts.
The resulting mixture does not lead to scale formation or overheating of the heating element. You can make flavored iron water, similar to the one sold in specialty stores.
To do this, add 40 ml of vodka and 10-15 drops of any essential oil to 300 ml of the mixture. After mixing, refrigerate and can be used within a week. Ironing with this solution will make things smell nice.
What water is best for an iron?
Boiled water
Many people firmly believe that boiled water is best for use in a steamer. This is wrong. Boiled water contains many impurities harmful to the iron, which do not disappear during the boiling process. This primarily applies to minerals. Manufacturers recommend diluting boiled water by half with demineralized water in such cases. This procedure will significantly reduce the risk of scale formation.
Special water for irons
There is special water available for retail sale intended for use in irons with a steam function. In such water, most harmful impurities have been removed industrially. When using these compositions, almost no scale is formed. This also applies to stains. Purified water does not form streaks on laundry when dried.
Often you can find water for irons, to which flavoring substances are added. Of course, scented laundry after such steaming is much more pleasant to use. But the flavor itself is an undesirable substance, so the risk of scale formation increases.
Melt water
People of the older generation remember the times when there was a boom in the use of melt water. Since then, it has been generally accepted that melt water does not form scale. This is a misconception. Melt water contains harmful impurities that contribute to the formation of scale and stains.
Based on the information received, we conclude: for ironing clothes with steaming, special water for irons, sold in stores, is best suited.
What to replace it with?
To maintain the functionality of your iron with a steamer and not spoil your clothes with stains, it is recommended to carefully choose what to put into it:
There is a liquid on sale that is specifically designed for steamers.
It is cleared of salts and other impurities. There are scented and unscented options. It is better to use without fragrances, which can leave marks on the fabric.- You can pass regular tap water through a household filter. It will cleanse it of excess salts, making it suitable for ironing. But its physical properties will not change.
- Demineralized water obtained by deionization is similar in properties to distilled water, so it must also be used in diluted form.
More information about alternative options here.
What kind of water should I put in the iron?
Today there are several options for liquids for refilling irons:
- Special solutions with optimal pH values and boiling points. They contain minimal salt content, forming insoluble crusts. Perfume components are added to most solutions. The main disadvantage of such liquids is their high price.
- Tap water. This option is only suitable for areas with soft water. But in most areas of our country the water is too hard.
For most users, it is optimal to use either a mixture of tap water with distilled water, or water passed through a household filter with a softening cartridge.
