Often, you don’t use up all the water in the kettle. The next day, the rest is simply used again. But can you boil the water twice or can that even be dangerous for your health? Here is the answer.
You boil the water for a tea with the kettle, but there is still some liquid left. Would you boil the water again the next day without hesitation or would you rather fill fresh water into the kettle? According to a survey by the SGS Institut Fresenius, 53 percent of respondents dump the water from the day before, while 47 percent continue to use it. But is that a good idea or should you throw the water away?
Why do we throw away the water?
Limescale deposits quickly form in the kettle, making the water less appetizing. In addition, those who dump away are concerned that bacteria may have spread in the stagnant water. Many also fear that pollutants could be released from the device itself into the water. Microplastics or nickel cause many people great concern when using the stove. But is this concern justified or is tipping it away simply a waste of water?
Boil water again? What the experts say
The Fresenius Institute sees no problem in boiling water again. Worries about nickel and bisphenol A coming off are unfounded, they say. However, it is important that the appliances carry the GS seal, they say. Household appliances that are tested for this seal rarely show contaminants of concern. In addition to electronics, many kitchen appliances are also tested to see if the materials used are safe. With a stove made of glass, you’re always on the safe side.
The institute also reassures about the fear of bacteria: Although there are germs from the environment that could multiply in kettles over long periods of time, they are usually killed by boiling them again. So, for your normal use, you can boil the water twice: It’s not a problem!
A question of taste
What may worry you is the limey taste. This is because the lime dissolves only when the water is heated and then settles in the appliance. Therefore, when the water is boiled a second time, its taste may be different – but this is not harmful. Of course, if you don’t like your tea that way, you can just use new water.
These people should not use the water in the kettle twice
The Bavarian Consumer Center also shares the view that reboiling stale water is generally harmless. Nevertheless, some people are recommended to rather use fresh water. These may be people with a very weak immune system, pregnant women and infants.
So, for most people, water from the lecture is still perfectly adequate and not a health concern. And if you do prefer to use fresh: You should never just dump the leftover water. You can use it super for pouring or also ideally for ironing, because: Due to the previous boiling, the water is already somewhat softer. Are you more of a dumping or reusing team?
