Can I use tap water for my houseplants?
What's in tap water?
Tap water contains minerals and additives like chlorine or chloramine to make it safe to drink. It may also have fluoride and high levels of calcium and magnesium (hard water). Most plants tolerate these fine.
However, some houseplants, like spider plants, dracaenas, and peace lilies, are sensitive to fluoride and chlorine. They may develop brown leaf tips or yellowing. If you notice these symptoms, consider switching to filtered or distilled water.
- Sensitive plants: spider plant, dracaena, peace lily, calathea
- Tolerant plants: pothos, snake plant, ZZ plant, most succulents
- Letting water sit overnight can remove chlorine but not chloramine
- Filtered water or rainwater is a good alternative for sensitive plants
How to reduce tap water issues
If you use tap water, let it sit in an open container for 24 hours. This allows chlorine to evaporate, though chloramine does not evaporate. For chloramine, you'll need a water filter or bottled water.
You can also use distilled water or collected rainwater. If your water is very hard, the minerals can build up in the soil over time, so flush the soil occasionally with distilled water.
Common mistakes
- Assuming all tap water is bad; most plants do fine with it.
- Using water softeners, which add sodium and can harm plants.
- Not flushing the soil periodically, leading to salt buildup from fertilizers and tap water.
