Is it Safe to Drink the Water from Your Bathroom Tap?

What Should You Be Drinking When Youre Sick?

You’ve probably heard it before. When you’re sick, you need to drink plenty of fluids.

It’s true. You want your body to be well-hydrated so it can fight off germs.

But it is possible, though not very likely, to drink too much water or other liquids. So you shouldn’t be downing buckets of water — or even guzzling gallons of green tea. (Flooding your body with fluid won’t actually flush out the bugs.)

It’s true that most people don’t drink enough water. But as in so many things, the answer is balance. Even when you’re well, drinking too many fluids can overwhelm your kidneys and liver, making it harder for them to get rid of toxins.

Instead, you may want to drink a little more than the often recommended eight glasses of fluid throughout the day (and pay attention to your body). Doing this should help you get what you need without going overboard.

You may not feel like drinking anything. (If so, I get it. In college, I ended up in the ER from dehydration when I got the flu.) But you really do need to drink a good amount of fluids when you’re sick.

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Water Softeners

In the south and the east of England, many of the rivers that supply our drinking water run through limestone or chalk rocks giving rise to ‘Hard Water’. This is perfectly safe to drink, it often has similar levels of calcium and magnesium to expensive mineral water.

Some people do not like showering or bathing in hard water and it can even aggravate skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. One solution to the problem is to install a water softener. Water softeners work by exchanging calcium ions for sodium ions. In areas such as London, water softening can lead to levels of sodium which may be unhealthy to drink. In areas where the water is very hard, the kitchen sink tap is often left unsoftened.

Thyme Tea — Clear Up Your Congestion and Brighten Your Mood

Thyme is something you might already have in your kitchen. But if you haven’t tried thyme tea when you’re sick, it just might be thyme to start.

This herb is packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. It’s particularly useful for colds and flu and easing coughs and sore throats.

Thyme also has mood-boosting effects, so it may be able to help pull you out of the sickness blues.

To make thyme tea, all you need to do is combine about 1 tablespoon of the dried herb with hot water, let it steep for 10 minutes, and then strain. You can drink frequently throughout the day.

Adding some peppermint or spearmint is delicious and provides even more of a healing boost. You can also make a thyme cough syrup.

How to Tell If Your Sink Water Is Contaminated 

Now that you know part of what may be in your sink water, how do you tell if it’s truly contaminated? First, you can rely on your senses to detect any problems. For example, cloudy water that comes from the tap may indicate the presence of chemicals or unsafe pathogens. Water that’s tinged yellow or brown is never a good visual sign either. It could be a result of chemicals leaching from your water pipes or come from the groundwater due to runoff from nearby factory plants or farms. 

Second, factor in how the water tastes and smells. Does it have a metallic taste or smell like rotten eggs? Often, this means there’s a large presence of heavy metals or hydrogen sulfide in the water, which doesn’t make it appetizing to drink. Lastly, consider how the water feels on your hands when washing them at the sink or when taking a shower. Does it dry out your skin and hair? It could be an indicator of higher levels of lead or aluminium in the water. 

In addition to relying on your senses, contact your county health department to have your water checked or have it tested by a state certified laboratory, if you’re unsure about its safety levels. The way your water looks, smells, and tastes is linked to possibly higher limits and greater exposure to certain contaminants and pollutants. 

Another factor to consider is your location, which may make your tap water more susceptible to contamination. For example, if you’re nearby agricultural setups, your water may contain pesticides and nitrates used to protect crops and bacteria from animal waste. Or, if you notice tiny flakes or particles in the water, it could be an indicator of corrosion, which is common in older homes or cities with outdated water pipes. 

Risks to residents due to unsafe drinking water has made headlines over the years. It was made widely known through the PG&E contaminated groundwater case in Hinkley, CA, as well as the Dupont water contamination in West Virginia. These are only two of several communities nationwide that have experienced or are currently experiencing undrinkable tap water. 

To ensure you’re drinking safe, clean water, it’s best to pass your tap water through advanced filtration to remove the majority of the unsafe elements that can be found in your water. The question isn’t necessarily can you drink sink water, it’s should you?

2. Is it Safe to Drink Water from Bathroom Tap in Hotels?

The major worry with bathroom tap water in hotels is that older buildings usually have lead piping in the bathroom, which can make the water dangerous to drink. Even if the hotel has been newly constructed, the plumbing system may have copper pipes that have been joined with lead solder. Whilst water from the mains does not have time to absorb any lead from the pipes, water that has been stored in a tank – as it’s most often the case in hotels – which includes bathroom tap water and potentially any hot water taps in the bathroom, the water has probably been in the plumbing system of the hotel for a while. Chances are this stagnant water in the pipes has absorbed tiny amounts of lead.

Next, lead isn’t the only issue. A tank stored in a neglected area can potentially be intercepted by small creatures like vermin and birds. It’s not a pleasant thought. But it is a possible source of contamination and something over which you have no control in a hotel. You should be careful, especially if the tap water smells funny or looks suspicious.

Can You Drink aWaterAfter Using Mouthwash?

At this moment you may opt to rinse your mouth out with water, or you may choose to leave the recurring mouthwash in your mouth to continue to work a bit longer. If you choose to leave it in, try not to drink or anything for 10 minutes. If you use a strong mouthwash that uses a high concentration of alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, it might not be a smart idea to not wash your mouth. Leaving strong mouthwash in your mouth may aggravate, dry, or cause other issues in your mouth. Test various methods to see what works best for you.

Rinse You Mouth Before Drinking Water

We will recommend to rinse mouth for 2-3 times before drinking water, tea or juice.

So, should you be rinsing with cold, warm, or warm water? Does it make a difference? It actually does not matter what temperature the water is when you rinse your mouth unless you have a sensitivity. Some people have delicate teeth and are really aware if the water is hot or cold. For these people, rinsing with a warm water is the best option.

A much better suggestion instead of mentioning whether one must or ought to not wash after brushing needs to be to use less tooth paste. Toothpaste, like soap, suds up when it communicates with your teeth and water. If you desire less tooth paste slurry in your mouth after you are done brushing, lower the amount of toothpaste on your brush. For example, if you generally put an entire line the length of your brush, cut that amount in half and just use a line over half your brush. This way you will not develop the suds and will not need to wash after you spit out the last little bit of toothpaste from brushing. Simply wipe your mouth of excess on the sides, and away you go.

If you do not like the taste of the tooth paste and that is your main factor for rinsing your mouth with water, then try a bunch of different toothpaste to see which one fits your specific style better. There are numerous flavored variations out there that you may like much better than your existing toothpaste. Most typical on the marketplace are mint tooth pastes, but there are other toothpastes on the market such as cinnamon, orange, chamomile, and bubble gum.

Rain Water That Is Safe for Drinking

Most rainwater is safe to drink. Actually, rainwater is the water supply for much of the world’s population. The levels of pollution, pollen, mold, and other contaminants are low — possibly lower than your public drinking water supply. Keep in mind, rain does pick up low levels of bacteria as well as dust and occasional insect parts, so you may want to treat rainwater before drinking it.

Why You Do Not Want to Drink Dehumidifier Water

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) identifies the water collected in a dehumidifier as a stagnant condensate. This condensate water can contain biological contaminants, including algae, mildew, and mold.

This collection is especially polluted if the bucket is not cleaned regularly. The water collected, or condensate can also contain metal residue such as lead from the metal parts of the machine.

Dehumidifier water is never sterilized, unlike distilled water, not even during a boiling process. No matter how thirsty you may get, do not ever drink the water collected in your dehumidifier.

Dehumidifier Water Can Be Used

You do not have to throw the water away when your dehumidifier collects it. This water is a form of what is called ‘grey water’ and still has safe uses.

Greywater is the relatively clean water from your kitchen appliances, washing machine, sinks, and bathtubs. This water comes from streams or sources that do not contain fecal contamination. Greywater is an excellent source of water for watering plants, flushing toilets, and other applications that do not require water safe for drinking. Different states and regions have various regulations on using greywater, so you should check with local authorities before installing a greywater system.

While some may suggest dehumidifier water for use in watering plants, you will not want to use it on plants you intend to eat. For the same reasons, you do not want to drink water from a dehumidifier; you do not want your edible plants infected with bacteria or microorganisms.

Hot Water

Whilst on the subject of which taps are safe to drink from, it’s worth mentioning that it’s never a good idea to drink from the hot water tap. The hot water is often stored in tanks that can be heated and cooled many times and could lead to the growth of bacteria such as legionella. Steer clear of the hot tap and always choose the cold water tap.

Additional References

• Joan D. Willey; Bennett; Williams; Denne; Kornegay; Perlotto; Moore (January 1988). “Effect of storm type on rainwater composition in southeastern North Carolina”. Environmental Science & Technology. 22 (1): 41–46. doi:
• Joan D. Willey; Kieber; Avery (2006-08-19). “Changing Chemical Composition of Precipitation in Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.A.: Implications for the Continental U.S.A”. Environmental Science & Technology. 40 (18): 5675–5680. doi:
• S. I. Efe; F. E. Ogban; M. J. Horsfall; E. E. Akporhonor (2005). “Seasonal Variations of Physico-chemical Characteristics in Water Resources Quality in Western Niger Delta Region, Nigeria” (PDF). Journal of Applied Scientific Environmental Management. 9 (1): 191–195.

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