Distillation is the process of evaporating water and then condensing it in a colder environment in an attempt to get rid of all the minerals and bacteria, in other words, impurities, in the water. Humans have been using the distillation process to purify water for centuries. Interestingly, rainfall follows more or less the same process of distillation. This begs the question, is rainwater distilled?
Well, the answer is yes. As long as the water doesn’t collect any substances while falling down, rain water can be considered distilled water. However, to understand why you shouldn’t consider using rain water as distilled water, continue reading below.

What’s Distilled Water?

To understand if rain water is distilled or not, you first need to understand what actually is distilled water. Distilled water is the water that contains no minerals or contaminants. It’s the highest form of pure water. Technically, as rain water goes through the same distillation process and doesn’t contain any minerals and contaminants when its created, it can and should be considered distilled water.

However, when the rain water falls, it collects all sorts of contaminants, therefore, it can no longer be considered distilled water when it touches the ground or even enters the atmosphere.

Distilled Water vs Rain Water

Here’s a more detailed difference between rain water and distilled water.

Aspect	Distilled Water	Rainwater
Formation Process	Created through the artificial distillation process.	Forms naturally as water vapor condenses and falls as precipitation.
Purity	Highly pure, as impurities are left behind during distillation.	Initially pure due to natural distillation in the atmosphere, but can become less pure after contact with the environment.
Source	Produced through human-controlled distillation methods.	Originates from the atmosphere and falls as rain, snow, or other forms of precipitation.
Usage	Commonly used in laboratories, medical procedures, and industrial applications.	Supports ecosystems, replenishes water sources, and contributes to natural water cycles.
Impurities and Minerals	Lacks minerals and impurities found in natural water sources.	Can contain some minerals and contaminants collected from the air and surfaces during its fall.

Is Rain Water More Healthy than Distilled Water?

So, we’ve already established that distilled water has a big advantage when it comes to purity. However, is it better for your health as well?

A lot of people think distilled water is healthier as it’s very pure, but that’s not always true. Distilled water is okay if your tap water isn’t clean, but it’s not the best for drinking and cooking. Even though distilled water looks pure, it doesn’t have important minerals and nutrients. So, while it’s pure, it’s not the best choice.

Rainwater’s safety depends on where it comes from. It can be very pure or polluted. Some countries use systems to make rainwater clean and healthy. This rainwater is better than distilled water because it has good things in it. But if rainwater goes through polluted areas, it’s very bad to drink.

Overall, rainwater is a bit better than distilled water because it has some beneficial things in it, unlike distilled water which doesn’t have any of those beneficial things.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions and Answers)

Is rain water good for battery?

As rain water is not as pure as distilled water, it may contain some minerals and bacteria. So, you should never use rain water for your batteries. Always top up those with market-bought distilled water. Otherwise, your battery’s performance and longevity will deteriorate.

Can I drink distilled water?

Drinking distilled water may be safe, but its lack of important minerals like calcium, sodium, and magnesium makes it taste flat and bland. This is because it only contains hydrogen and oxygen.

Final Thoughts

Rainwater is actually a form of distilled water created through the natural process of rain-making. However, rainwater stops being completely pure after it interacts with the environment. Distilled water, while very pure, lacks nutrients. Rainwater has some impurities, but they can be filtered out easily. When rain forms naturally, it’s like distilled water, but it gathers minerals and impurities from the environment that make it less pure.