humidifier question

[TieDye Dave]

I live in an area where there is still a bottled water shortage. There is still no distilled water on shelf. I have been using tap water run thru a charcoal filter, is there a better way to come close to distilled water?

[Pugsy]

The main reason for advising distilled water is to reduce the mineral build up in the plastic humidifier tank.
If you use other water just dump it each morning and refill at night. This will help limit the mineral build up. Even if the minerals do build up...a little vinegar solution will clean them right up. Just a little more work but not that big of a deal.

[archangle]

Even plain tap water is OK unless the stink bothers you. Just dump it every morning and clean more often. Your water tank may need replacement more often. There's probably a little more risk of germ problems, especially if you don't clean well.

The cleaner the water, the better, but it's not an absolute thing.