Distilled water in chemical concentrates?

[cleanmycorolla]

Either I am way off, but the past two days I have done a tiny experiment. I mixed UWW+ 1/2oz to 22oz of water. In one bottle I used distilled water, the other straight from the tap. I have noticed after application, that the distilled water one is much slicker than the one with tap water....does using distilled really make that big of a difference?

Has anyone else noticed this?Feed back please

[rider9195]

I haven't tried this. I have plenty of dehumidified water and keep on meaning to try it next time I fill up my BF Waterless Wash bottle and any other diluted products I use on my paint.

[Old Tiger]

I only use DW with WW;s. I use tap water with APC.

[cleanmycorolla]

I only use DW with WW;s. I use tap water with APC.

Have you ever noticed any difference with your WW's, did you ever try just tap water?

[umi000]

Like Old Tiger, I have always used distilled water to mix my waterless washes and QDs.

[IOMCAMARO]

I tried uww with tap water once. Never again. It streaked like crazy.

[builthatch]

Like Old Tiger, I have always used distilled water to mix my waterless washes and QDs.

me too, and i have a really nice two tank filter water system in the house. i still use distilled for anything like what you say...also, for megs window cleaner concentrate mixes.

[shoeless89]

I've always used distilled water when diluting my glass cleaner but never with anything else. I guess it never crossed my mind! :bash: I'll be doing it from now on though for sure! I'm sure it can only help

[embolism]

The issue has to do with minerals in tap water which bind to the polymers in the concentrates, leaving less to be sprayed onto the paint.

The extent to which this happens obviously depends on the mineral content of your tap water but using distilled water is the way to go.

I've even noticed it with my humidor. Using anything but distilled to humidify it clogs the pores in the cedar and messes up the system.

[mwoolfso]

I never thought about the real physical impacts but I guess all this makes sense. As a general rule the only time related to detailing that I use tap water is for wash buckets and APC mixes. For everything else that goes into a bucket or bottle, I use distilled water.

[cleanmycorolla]

Yeah I can't put my finger on why, but i know after again using some sprays of the distilled mix, and some of the one from the tap to remove a bug after my drive to work, I really notice the distilled is way slicker! I suppose embolism is spot on!

[watermark]

At the risk of sounding like too much of a nerd, you should always use distilled water for you QD mixes. All tap or well water has minerals in it, typically referred to as it's "TDS", or "total disolved solids". Depending on where you are in North America, this can be as low as 30 TDS (soft water), up to 800 TDS (hard water). Most minerals found in tap or well water consist of calcium and flouride. Both are incredibly unforgiving to surfaces, especially as they dry. Think about your shower walls and door, or the sprinkler water drying on your paint. Mixing this with a QD is doing the same thing, albeit at a lower rate. No matter what you do, you will still be leaving some of these minerals on your paint, hence the lack of "slickness".

Distilled water on the other hand has a TDS of 0 (or very near to it), therefore you only leave the polymers on the paint if using it in a QD. The slickness you feel are the polymers, and the LACK of minerals from using distilled water.

Twenty years in the bottled water industry, and I now know more about water than I ever need to.

[embolism]

Yeah I can't put my finger on why, but i know after again using some sprays of the distilled mix, and some of the one from the tap to remove a bug after my drive to work, I really notice the distilled is way slicker! I suppose embolism is spot on!

nice pun too!

[cleanmycorolla]

nice pun too!

:)

[cleanmycorolla]

:dblthumb2:
At the risk of sounding like too much of a nerd, you should always use distilled water for you QD mixes. All tap or well water has minerals in it, typically referred to as it's "TDS", or "total disolved solids". Depending on where you are in North America, this can be as low as 30 TDS (soft water), up to 800 TDS (hard water). Most minerals found in tap or well water consist of calcium and flouride. Both are incredibly unforgiving to surfaces, especially as they dry. Think about your shower walls and door, or the sprinkler water drying on your paint. Mixing this with a QD is doing the same thing, albeit at a lower rate. No matter what you do, you will still be leaving some of these minerals on your paint, hence the lack of "slickness".

Distilled water on the other hand has a TDS of 0 (or very near to it), therefore you only leave the polymers on the paint if using it in a QD. The slickness you feel are the polymers, and the LACK of minerals from using distilled water.

Twenty years in the bottled water industry, and I now know more about water than I ever need to.

Wow! Great info! I wonder what level my tap water is at, I'm pretty sure it is on the high side of those numbers you mention. Either way looks like distilled water is what I will be sticking with based on your educational information! Thanks!:dblthumb2:

Also nice to see a fellow SoCal'er here, where about are you? I'm in Pasadena, I believe SSizzlin' is too!