Allan Green
Member
Do you have to use distilled water for soap making in the uk if so where’s the best place to get it
Distilled water
- Thread starter Allan Green
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I bought a cheap water distiller from Amazon. It makes a gallon at a time.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008IRO14I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008IRO14I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
I don't recommend tap water or other type of regular drinking water for soap making, but I understand distilled water can be difficult to find in the UK. Can you find reverse osmosis water? Or deionized water? Either of those would be fine if distilled isn't available.
Jan Kates
Active Member
Newby question: so bottled drinking water is no good?
Read the label. If the bottle doesn't say distilled, deionized or reverse osmosis, it's probably drinking water. Drinking water contains minerals that can affect the chemical reactions in soap making.
Distilled water does not contain minerals. High quality reverse osmosis water or deionized water also has very low or no minerals. Some people use rainwater or water from their dehumidifiers, although this water can contain contaminants you won't find in distilled, RO, or DI water.
Distilled water does not contain minerals. High quality reverse osmosis water or deionized water also has very low or no minerals. Some people use rainwater or water from their dehumidifiers, although this water can contain contaminants you won't find in distilled, RO, or DI water.
Callie
Well-Known Member
Would a benchtop filtering unit be the most cost effective and convenient solution in the long run?
I can smell/taste the chemicals in tap water and our benchtop unit seems to do a pretty good job or sorting that out.
I guess how pure the filtered water is would just depend on the micron size of the filter.
I can smell/taste the chemicals in tap water and our benchtop unit seems to do a pretty good job or sorting that out.
I guess how pure the filtered water is would just depend on the micron size of the filter.
Jan Kates
Active Member
Thanks DeeAnna. We are on a rural property with only rain water to drink. As mentioned on another post a few weeks ago using the water from our concrete tank (I think) created solids in the lye. Other posters suggested this could be from the mineral deposits from the roof, or from the concrete tank itself. Your reply to the previous poster made me question my Plan B which was to use bottles water as it is readily accessible and would have been
I just checked to see where we can get DeMin water in Australia and Bunnings sell it in 5L containers for $4 https://www.bunnings.com.au/klearwave-5l-demineralised-water_p4460993
I reckon that has to be heaps cheaper than a benchtop filtration system unless you wanted one of those for other reasons. I definately don't want one personally and I have to drive past a Bunnings on my way home from work. So guess what I will be buying this arvo?
You can't get a filter that's fine enough for this purpose in a home purification unit. Filters can remove larger molecules and ions, but it can't remove smaller ions such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and other metal ions. Some of these ions can trigger rancidity (DOS) so you really don't want them in your soap. If you make liquid soap, the calcium and magnesium ions can also create cloudiness in the diluted liquid soap.
Yes, I think your rainwater collection system isn't the best for collecting and storing water without adding impurities. My grandparents' rainwater system operated about the same way -- asphalt roof and concrete cistern. The modern system I'm familiar with collects rainwater off a painted metal roof. The first rainwater is allowed to run onto the ground to clean the roof. After that, the rainwater is diverted into poly tanks for storage. That's going to stay cleaner.
Yes, I think your rainwater collection system isn't the best for collecting and storing water without adding impurities. My grandparents' rainwater system operated about the same way -- asphalt roof and concrete cistern. The modern system I'm familiar with collects rainwater off a painted metal roof. The first rainwater is allowed to run onto the ground to clean the roof. After that, the rainwater is diverted into poly tanks for storage. That's going to stay cleaner.
Jan Kates
Active Member
In our case, a zinc coated steel roof. Probably the worst possible scenario? Sigh. So much to learn. Thank goodness for this forum and the helpful people on it. Thanks DeeAnna!
Callie
Well-Known Member
Thanks DeeAnna
That makes sense! Great to know the minerals causing the problems.
We have some pretty tricky filters at my house to deal with mineral rich bore water, so I will have to look into it in more detail. I know for sure that I wouldn't use our home water for soaping even once it had been filtered.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
I started out with distilled or spring water from the grocery store. Then I bought an electric water distiller like lsg's from Sears ($100 if memory serves). It took 6 hours to make a gallon (approx. 3.75 Liters). I used that for a while, but it became a hassle. Then I had our tap water tested -- got the kit from Sears. It was fine for soap making. So now I use mostly tap water to make soap. No worries. I'm wondering if you could contact your water department to test a sample of your drinking water?
I've used rainwater -- catching it in many pots/pans on the deck because I was warned early on about collecting rainwater running down from the roof. Fresh snow is also easy to collect and melt down. Rain & snow make really nice soap. Good thing -- we don't have a lot of industrial pollution where we live. Just lucky that way, I guess.
I've used rainwater -- catching it in many pots/pans on the deck because I was warned early on about collecting rainwater running down from the roof. Fresh snow is also easy to collect and melt down. Rain & snow make really nice soap. Good thing -- we don't have a lot of industrial pollution where we live. Just lucky that way, I guess.
Surprisingly not. The "newer" zincalume roofs are a lot more stable than the older galvanized roof sheets, and the sheeting is still used to manufacture water tanks (although aquaplate is preferred for that purpose). The difference in the two sheetings is easy to spot - the "speckles" in zinc sheets is a lot finer than the large patterns of the older galvanized sheeting. The zincalume sheeting tends to oxidize far less, and doesn't react quite as much with contaminants (such as pollution) either. If you use a first-flush system, the water should still be pretty clear of metals (for drinking at least - the material complied with Australian Standard AS/NZ 4020 "Products for use in contact with drinking water" at the time of manufacture).
That brand of water is steam distilled and (trivia) is supplied by the same Aussie company that supplies the kaboodle kitchens for Bunnings
This looks expensive (to me), but comes recommended: https://www.buydistilledwater.co.uk/
Callie
Well-Known Member
Great. I can always collect rainwater then if I need to.
I think the water on the South Coast of Australia is pretty good. I have been using water I bring up from town (we have ikky bore water) and filter with a charcoal system. It seems ok for now (or until my soap goes manky i guess!).
I think the water on the South Coast of Australia is pretty good. I have been using water I bring up from town (we have ikky bore water) and filter with a charcoal system. It seems ok for now (or until my soap goes manky i guess!).
There are good reasons why chemists do not use drinking water for their lab work, and what we're doing is all about chemistry. As a chemical engineer who has spent plenty of time in chem labs, I follow my training and use distilled water for my soap and lotions. Using distilled/RO/DI water is a simple way of preventing needless problems. Rain/snow/dehumidifier water in a pinch. But as you're seeing here, some people use drinking water to make their soap and say it works fine. YMMV.
