Okay, this sounds like a science experiment from a 1990s kids’ show. But it works. You just need a large pot, a smaller glass or metal bowl, a lid (turned upside down), and some ice. Fill the big pot halfway with tap water. Float the smaller bowl in the middle, making sure no water splashes into it.
Put the lid on upside down (this is key!). Then put ice cubes on top of that upside-down lid. Turn the heat on low. The steam will hit the cold lid, condense into pure water, and drip right into the floating bowl. It’s slow, like watching paint dry, but you get about a cup an hour.
Is it worth the time? For one gallon, you’re looking at a whole afternoon. I’d only do this if you’re really bored and the power is out. But when you’re desperate? It’s your hero.
Clean Humidifier: Your Guide to Preventing Slime & Bacteria!
The Lazy Genius Move: The Dehumidifier
Wait, don’t laugh. Do you have a dehumidifier in your basement? If you do, you’re sitting on a goldmine of distilled water. A dehumidifier pulls moisture from the air—and that moisture is distilled (evaporated and condensed right there in the machine).
Most dehumidifiers have a bucket that fills up. Empty that bucket into your humidifier tank. The catch? That water can be a little dusty or funky if you don’t clean the dehumidifier often. So give the bucket a wipe with vinegar every so often. Otherwise, you’re just swapping dusty for dirty, and nobody wants that.
