Is dehumidifier water safe to drink?

Dehumidifiers are great pieces of tech to invest in if your home suffers from damp, mould or high levels of humidity. If you own a dehumidifier and are wondering what you can do with the waste products, you might be wondering if dehumidifier water is safe to drink. Sadly, dehumidifier water is really gross. Like, teenage boy levels of gross.

Below we’ll explain why you should avoid consuming dehumidifier water. But fret not: we’ll also list some alternative safe uses you might not have considered.

Why is dehumidifier water unsafe to drink?

On a basic level, dehumidifiers draw in moist air and condense it into a water tank, reducing the humidity levels in your home. This said, you could be forgiven for thinking that this condensed water vapour sitting in your dehumidifier tank is just water in its purest form, and therefore safe to drink.

Unfortunately, dehumidifier water can contain all the pollutants that you’d find in your air. That includes dust particles, bacteria and even mould – not the kinds of things you’d want hanging around in your digestive system.

In theory, you could use an emergency water filtration straw to make the water safe to drink. You might have seen these used on various survival TV shows, to filter water from contaminated streams. However, filters for these devices will need replacing and they aren’t cheap – defeating the object of drinking the dehumidifier water in the first place.

Thankfully, dehumidifier water contains very few minerals, which makes it much better suited to other uses around the home. Here are a few things you can do with your dehumidifier water:

Safe uses for dehumidifier water

1. Water your plants

You can use your dehumidifier water to water most indoor and outdoor plants. This comes with a few caveats; don’t leave the dehumidifier water sitting around for ages before use, since this can allow bacteria and mould to grow. Also, don’t use it to water plants you intend to eat, such as herbs, leafy greens and tomatoes.

Remember: dehumidifier water doesn’t contain any nutrients, so you’ll want to use a plant feed every few months to keep your plant happy and healthy.

2. Use it in your steam iron

A common problem with steam irons is a buildup of minerals and limescale. Since dehumidifier water lacks minerals found in normal drinking water, it is perfect for use in your steam iron as it won’t cause mineral buildup.

3. Mix it with antifreeze or washer fluid for your car

For the same reason as above, dehumidifier water can also be used to dilute washer fluid and antifreeze to put in your car. Of course, don’t dilute any more than is recommended by the manufacturer.