Heres what happens to the water you leave out on your bedside tableplus how to make your water last.
Does it make a difference if the glasses or bottles were covered?
What about the material of the container the water’s been sitting inis that important?
Credit:BHG / Sarah Crowley
And what about the unlabeled bottles?
BHG / Sarah Crowley
What Happens to Water as It Sits?
As youre sound asleep, whats happening in that glass of water sitting on your nightstand?
Well, a few things.
Thischemical reactionwill result in the formation of weak acid, reducing the pH level of your water.
Most of the time this bacteria comes from your mouthunless you share your water with a loved one.
The bacteria from our mouth is, of course, ours, and therefore unlikely to cause illness.
Tap water containschlorinefor exactly this reasonit kills bacteria, parasites, and viruses.
Does the Container Matter?
When it comes to the containers we store our water in, material matters.
Research has also shown that itshighly likely that BPA is linkedto several health concerns, includingheart diseaseand reproductive issues.
Even with the BPA-free plastic bottles that slid into that market gap, there is some risk.
Also of note here: If you do use single-use plastic bottles, avoid washing and reusing them.
Also, if your bottle has a straw, clean it regularly with a brush or pipe cleaner.
Boiling your drinking water can eliminate bacteria but it doesn’t make it pure.
It also won’t prevent the bacteria that are introducedafteryou start drinking from growing.
Yes, with some exceptions.
It’s safe to consume unsweetened coffee or tea if it has been sitting for less than 8 hours.
Allafi A. R. 2020. https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v91i4.8463
Wang, Y., & Qian, H. 2021.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences.
Naixin Qian, et al.
Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
