Is there a difference in these waters?...

[Steph in tx]

Purified vs Distilled? I can not find Distilled water at my local Wally World!! All they have is Purified. I have used the Purified water in my last two batches of soap, and it seems o.k., just looking for more experienced soapers opinions. TIA

[Carrie]

I've found distilled at walmart but I usually just pick it up at the regular grocery store. It's always in a gallon jug, just like milk, here anyway.

[CareBear]

Purified just means filtered and possibly treated with ozone, from what I can gather. Still has mineral content.

Distilled is pure H2O - no minerals.

No need to use distilled, or even purified IMHO - unless you are having difficulty you have traced to your tap water. Some with very hard water will filter their lye sol'n, or dissolve a touch of borax in the tap water before adding the lye. I do neither and my water is rock hard -

(Some do thing that too much iron (I think it is) can contribute to DOS, but I cannot comment on that)

[Rebecca_IA]

I'll never use tap water again and do not recommend anyone using it, not straight out of the tap.

Distilled is too cheap to risk an expensive batch of soap on.

[soycrazy]

It's hard to find sometimes, because people use is a lot in humidifiers. I know it has a purple label on it though

[Steph in tx]

Thank You all for your replies. I have used Distilled water before in most of my soaps. When I got ready to make my last two batches of soap, I noticed that I must have picked up Purified water instead of distilled . One recipe was a salt bar and I thought it took awhile to trace with just the coconut oil and Mango butter w/lye water...maybe just me??? The second was my regular recipe with different fo, but it still seemed like it took awhile to trace.

Not that I'm complaining!! Just seems to have a different feel to it. They both are great soaps and hard now. And both lather well. Guess it's o.k. for me to use. Just thought I'd ask the guru's!! :highfive:

Thanks for your help!

[BLSoaps]

I know my Walmart runs out of Distilled Water frequently. I buy the 4 gallon boxes of them (a tiny bit cheaper, mostly just easier to carry and store though). Whenever I'm in the store, I usually pick up a box or two, that way I don't have to run somewhere else to buy. The other grocery stores around here carry distilled, but it's twice as much.

So they may just be out. Try again in a few days. Someone mentioned it has a purple label and cap...that will hopefully help you find it. I make tons of lotion, and always always always use the distilled for it. So I always have it on hand when I need to make soap.

[TexasBrat]

When I ran out of distilled I used spring water but I have never used tap or purified.

[dpowell]

Ok, maybe I can shed a little light for you. I used to work at a local water bottler and we had a contract for Wal-Mart and Target (both of whom have distilled and "purified" water). They are both identical and are both distilled.

Where you run into the difference is with spring, artesian, crystal clear drinking, and infant. Those are not distilled.

Hope that helps you.

[Rob in tx]

Thanks for the input dpowell. Maybe it's just me, with the last two batches of soap?? You know how you get something in your head...and everything else just doesn't sit right?? I normally use the Distilled and will go out and buy this again..and make another batch with same fo and recipe and see if it's just me . Thanks for the advise all!

[Scented]

Thanks Rebecca. I was taught distilled and won't deviate from it.