Distilled water is crucial during emergencies. If you can't get to a store, it's possible to make your own at home.
Distilled water is used for a variety of purposes from medical devices like CPAP machines, to being handy during a crisis where tap water becomes safe or unavailable. While plenty of people will never think about distilled water, it can be crucial if tap water becomes unsafe due to boil advisories, or unavailable during disasters like hurricanes or wildfires. Distilled water has gone through a specific process to remove impurities, like minerals and other trace elements. It delivers an extra layer of purification, but if you just want to purify drinking water, then snagging a quality water filter will do the trick. Most stores that sell water will have distilled water available, but over the last few years we've seen a number of shortages pop up. If you can't find distilled water and you need it to prepare for an incoming storm, or to ensure you can run your medical devices, there is a way to make it at home yourself. It's more important than ever to be prepared with a stock of distilled water. Here's how you can distill your own water at home. Why make distilled water at home? For people suffering from sleep apnea who use CPAP machines or any other sort of humidifier, distilled water is essential. It's also useful if you don't want additional minerals in your water. (For example, distilled water won't corrode automobile engine parts or create lime-scale buildup in aquariums and it's easier on your home if you use it to make this all-natural cleaner.) Joey Skladany/CNET If you live in a place with "hard" water, or water with lots of chemicals, you can even use distilled water to protect your hair when washing it. However, since distilled water doesn't have minerals like calcium and magnesium, it tastes bland and isn't the best for drinking. You can buy distilled water at your local grocery store or on Amazon, but making it home will save you money and keep a few plastic jugs out of the recycling system. Learning to make this bacteria-free water at home will…