What water?

[trishwosere]

I've bought several soap making 'manuals' over the last couple of weeks and have read Lord knows how much on line, but... In some of the recipes it just states water (non-specific), some say to use distilled and some give the option of distilled/spring.:? Does it REALLY matter which water is used? and why? I'm really curious as to how you soap vet's work and which water you use?
Many thanks for answering all my questions, it really is appreciated
Trish

 

[Northland Naturals]

i use distilled for everything, because to me, the purer the better and the fewer variables i can have in my soap the better! buuuuut, many vets will tell you they use tap water and have no issues whatsoever. we'll see who else chimes in...

 

[MeadowHillFarmCT]

Water

Can you use filtered rain water?

 

[rubyslippers]

I used only distilled water. Water in my area is "soft" so I could probably use tap water without problems but I figure why risk it? The bottled distilled water is a lot cheaper than my costly oils.

 

[agriffin]

I use distilled as well.

 

[DottieF.]

It depends on the quality of your water. I know if I was making soap in the town I used to live in there would be no way I'd use that water to make soap! I live out in the country and we have great water, although it's slightly hard. So, I filter all my water through a Brita pitcher. I've been doing this for 12 years with no problems. (I used to buy distilled water when I was a newbie and noticed no difference at all when I switched to the Brita pitcher.)
Dottie

 

[JackiK]

We have a lot of calcim and lime in our water, which caused me some pains in my first few batches. Once I switched to distilled, the issues went away. It's worth the dollar or so it costs a gallon.

 

[xyxoxy]

Our municipal water is very good quality. I use a combo of that and bottled aloe juice. Never saw the point in buying distilled water.

I once rec'd soap in a swap from someone who ONLY used rain water.

 

[Moonblossom]

I use RODI water because my hubby has a SW fish tank and we happen to have one.

Teri

 

[falldowngobump]

I'm lucky I guess. I have well water, it's been tested and it's very pure and 'soft'. I've used distilled too and I can't tell the difference in the soap--even the bars that are almost a year old.

 

[Relle]

I've been using bottled water, but have had no trouble using the tap water here as I'm in a city and the water coming through is pretty good, never used distilled.

 

[trishwosere]

We have a lot of calcim and lime in our water, which caused me some pains in my first few batches. Once I switched to distilled, the issues went away. It's worth the dollar or so it costs a gallon.

many thanks for all your replies, but I live in the U.K and its almost impossible to get distilled in bulk (more than a litre anyway) and the prices I have managed to locate are exhorbitant - even dearer than some of my oils.:cry:
If anyone from the UK is reading this PLEASE tell me where you buy your distilled water (if you use it)

many thanks
trish

 

[JackiK]

Another thought is to buy one of the Brita water filters. That way, maybe your tap water will do fine.

 

[cthylla]

Would boiling the tap water help at all? I recall reading about doing that for baby formula if you had no distilled water.

 

[trishwosere]

Thanks all for your replies but...I found out today that the water collected in a condenser tumble drier is distilled, so problem solved, I have a condenser drier and, as long as I dont use those fabric conditioning sheets in the drier, I can collect my own distilled water ...certainly beats £9 (roughly 12$) for a gallon yeh.

many thanks for all your help
one happy bunny

 

[trishwosere]

Would boiling the tap water help at all? I recall reading about doing that for baby formula if you had no distilled water.

You use distilled water in your baby formula?? - we have always boiled tap water over here in the UK for babies milk - never used distilled Oh hang on a minute me thinks I have the wrong end of the stick here, do you mean baby soap or baby milk? either way many thanks for the help, much appreciated .

 

[cthylla]

You use distilled water in your baby formula?? - we have always boiled tap water over here in the UK for babies milk - never used distilled Oh hang on a minute me thinks I have the wrong end of the stick here, do you mean baby soap or baby milk? either way many thanks for the help, much appreciated .

Apparently! We were fortunate enough to breastfeed, but I still have a "Gerber" brand gallon of distilled water in my kitchen! (Just in case.) hehe

 

[NewSoapGuy]

Thanks all for your replies but...I found out today that the water collected in a condenser tumble drier is distilled, so problem solved, I have a condenser drier and, as long as I dont use those fabric conditioning sheets in the drier, I can collect my own distilled water ...certainly beats £9 (roughly 12$) for a gallon yeh.

many thanks for all your help
one happy bunny

9 quid a gallon? :shock:

Maybe I should start smuggling distilled water into the UK!

 

[trishwosere]

Thanks all for your replies but...I found out today that the water collected in a condenser tumble drier is distilled, so problem solved, I have a condenser drier and, as long as I dont use those fabric conditioning sheets in the drier, I can collect my own distilled water ...certainly beats £9 (roughly 12$) for a gallon yeh.

many thanks for all your help
one happy bunny

9 quid a gallon? :shock:

Maybe I should start smuggling distilled water into the UK!

smuggle it away...1 customer here for sure

 

[reallyrita]

Wow! That is really expensive for a liter of distilled water. It is really cheap here in the States. Most grocery stores carry it and also the bigger drug stores. You dryer water should work just fine, and the Brita suggestion is a good one too. The problem with a lot of domestic water supply is either the chlorine that has been added to it or the naturally occuring minerals. I am on a well that has alot of hard stuff in the water as well as iron! Water that sits in the toilet bowl can turn the bowl orange!! I have a filter for that now but it does not get all the gunk out. I just use distilled to avoid those issues that can mess with the lye.