My opinion, you can use distilled water in the iron, but in some models of irons it doesn’t make sense.

Distilled water in my iron, boiled water in my iron

Iron manufacturers give slightly different information in the instructions for their irons, some may state that distilled water should not be used. But if the water in your area is very hard and contains a lot of minerals, dilute it by half with distilled water. So where is the truth about what water you can use in a steam iron. Why you can’t use distilled water, but you can dilute tap water with it.

But at the same time, most of the instructions say how to clean the iron from limescale. Logically, if you use distilled water, you won’t have any limescale in your iron. Why you shouldn’t use only distilled water for irons. Manufacturers don’t explain why using distilled water is undesirable. I will tell you if this is really the case.

Why you should not use distilled water for irons

Why you should not use distilled water for irons. Some sources of information attribute this to the following factors.

• The boiling point of distilled water is higher than tap water because of the lack of salts and minerals.
• Distilled water has a higher acid content because it does not contain neutralizing salts and minerals, so distilled water is not suitable for irons.
• Distilled water can ruin your iron because it takes minerals from the iron sole of your iron.
• Your iron can leak from distilled water.

But now let’s think about these claims and see if this is really true.

• Distilled water is only 0.2-0.5 degrees above boiling point. Steam is produced when the water hits a heating element that is over 150-200 degrees Celsius. (300-400 degrees Fahrenheit) and instantly turns into steam. The amount of water hitting the heating element is metered. Therefore, the claim of increased boiling point makes absolutely no sense.
• Increased acidity – yes, the acidity increases slightly, but again it depends on the water itself, and the acidity due to minerals compared to tap water varies by tenths of a percent. It has absolutely no effect on the operation of the iron.
• Extracting minerals from the iron soleplate is also from the realm of fiction, it’s just not possible.
• Leakage is also impossible The fluidity of tap water and distilled water is the same.

What kind of water should I use in my iron?

You should know that modern irons are designed to use tap water of medium hardness, with a moderate mineral and salt content. If your water is very hard and contains a lot of mineral salts, manufacturers recommend diluting tap water with distilled water in equal proportions. According to the manufacturers, this will prolong the life of your iron. To understand the processes involved in your iron, let me tell you how a modern steam iron works.

How a steam iron works

You know that steam is formed when a portion of water hits the heating element. If there are mineral salts in the water, a lot of limescale will form, which will cause the iron to not work as well after a while as it did immediately after purchase. Manufacturers take into account such nuances when making irons. That is why three types of steam irons are available.

• Irons with special elements that reduce the mineralization of water, such an element must be restored or periodically replaced.
• Budget models, when using simple irons, it is assumed that you use the iron at home, that is, of course, not every day. And it will serve you long enough to work out the resource declared by the manufacturer.
• Special coatings are used, on the heating element, which do not allow limescale to settle, in such irons the minerals are removed along with the steam.

How to clean your iron, manufacturers recommendations

If your iron has reached the point where it needs to be cleaned, it usually has a special cleaning mode, this mode applies a large amount of water that turns into steam, creates a steam shock, the scale flakes off and falls off, and you can shake it out of the holes. This kind of cleaning is pretty mediocre, but it certainly extends the life of the iron. If your iron doesn’t have cleaning functions, then it has a special coating that prevents limescale buildup. Such irons do not require cleaning.

Models of irons, descaling cleaning

Conventional irons, has a cleaning function
Iron with absorber element
Irons without the cleaning function, have a special coating to prevent limescale buildup.

Why you can’t use distilled water in the iron is explained.

The answer is very simple: the main factor that makes you buy a new iron is the deterioration of the ironing quality of your old iron or its malfunction. And ironing quality is very much affected by salt and mineral deposits that form when you use tap water. This manifests itself as follows.

Scale, which is formed when water turns into steam, remains on the heating element, breaks off and remains in the iron, deteriorating the quality of ironing, clogs the steam holes, gets into the sprinkling system and puts it out of operation.
When you use the steam blow, it flies out of the iron and can stain the thing.
Scale deposited on the heating element impairs thermal conductivity and can shorten the life of the iron’s heating element.
As a result, if you use distilled water in the iron, you will prolong the life of the iron, and you will have to buy a new one not after 2-4 years, but much later 8-10 years. This is not beneficial to the iron manufacturers.

I would add that iron manufacturers specify a lifetime of 2-3 years, and some even set a lifetime equal to the warranty period of 12-24 months. And failure due to scale formation is not a warranty case.

Where can I buy distilled water

Distilled water is not sold in regular stores. But it is quite often used in cars, so you can see if distilled water is available in car dealerships or gas stations. Or just search online where you can buy it, for example, you can buy distilled water on Amazon.

Can I put boiled water in the iron?

Boiled water is demethylated water, of course not all minerals precipitate out as scale. After boiling, some mineral salts precipitate out. Yes, using boiled tap water is good for your iron. But you must keep in mind that such water must stand to allow the mineral salts to settle to the bottom.