If you start collecting A/C water, your house plants will love you for it

During the hot spells of the summer season, people leave their air conditioners on for so long that they frequently produce water through condensation. This can be seen as a waste product and is often collected and tossed down the drain. However, some flower gardens and many house plants could benefit from it.

It turns out this water is typically good to use to quench the thirsts of several indoor house plants and outdoor flower beds, even better than tap water. This is because unlike tap water, the water produced from your air conditioner doesn’t contain any of the chemicals typically used in municipal water, such as fluoride and chlorine. Since the water is formed through condensation from the air, it’s not mixed in with any chemicals or minerals, such as calcium and magnesium.

Depending on the climate and the size of your home, an air conditioner could produce up to 20 gallons of water per day. Since so much of it is produced, it could be beneficial to set up a bucket to collect the water or a make-shift irrigation system to put the water to use. This could be a great source of water for ferns, spider plants, calatheas, and many other ornamental plants.

However, there are some limitations and things to be aware of if you choose to use water from the A/C to nourish your plants. First, it’s not recommended to use this water for vegetables or other edible plants, as it’s not safe for human drinking. While the water is free of certain chemicals, there could be dust and microbiological fungi from the A/C’s filter and coils that isn’t safe for human consumption.

Also, the water is free of all chemicals and minerals, including nutrients that could be required for some plants and their soil. Depending on what plant life you have, you may want to incorporate your A/C-collected water into a different water mixture and pair it with fertilizer for beneficial effects. This all depends on the type of plants you’re growing and watering. If your plants prefer a more acidic environment, the A/C water should help them thrive, however it’s important to check the pH level of your soil to ensure that it’s correctly balanced.

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Even if you don’t have a green thumb, there are some other chores around the house that air conditioner water could help with. It can be used to clean laundry and steam-iron clothing as well, given that it’s “soft” water that won’t damage most fabrics. The collected water can help clean windows and mirrors, streak-free.

Water from your air conditioner can also be collected and used to help refill car battery and windshield wiper tanks in your vehicle. But again, it shouldn’t be used for washing dishes, showering, or anything that could cause those aforementioned dust, microbes, and fungi to be unintentionally ingested.

During this time of both environmental and financial conservation, a little thing like collecting the water produced by your air conditioner can be a money-saving boon without letting it go to waste.