# OK, what about day old, unrefrigerated water? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022 "2010-11-09T12:35:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/1 "2010-11-09T12:35:39Z")
When I leave work at night there is usually water left in my water bottle. We have a nice water filter, UV and all that crap, so the water’s clean. When I come in in the morning, a lot of times I’ll just put some ice in what’s left over from yesterday (the ice machine is a lot closer than the water cooler) and drink it. I never thought there could possibly be anything dangerous about this, but after the pizza thread I thought I’d ask. Should I dump the water and wash out the bottle? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/2 "2010-11-09T12:48:18Z")
I regularly drink water that’s billions of years old. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/3 "2010-11-09T12:58:36Z")
As long as you’re the only person drinking from your water bottle, there is no reason for you to rinse the bottle every night. It’s sort of like using soap and water to wash a pot that was used to boil water. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/4 "2010-11-09T13:00:56Z")
How old is the water in your pipes, for that matter? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/5 "2010-11-09T13:17:02Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I regularly drink water that’s billions of years old. Not me. I mix my own fresh every day: two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen. Tastes way better this way. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/6 "2010-11-09T13:26:29Z")
In my experience, one does need to worry about tasty day-old unrefrigerated water. [Evidence](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/minor7flat5/111_1179.jpg) Thankfully, my wife warned me after she took that picture. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/7 "2010-11-09T15:24:01Z")
What can sit still for a few days and be fine. It will, eventually, start feeling “thick” and getting "strings’ at the bottom. This is, of course, due to bacterial growth and you should throw it out. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/8 "2010-11-09T15:45:39Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > In my experience, one does need to worry about tasty day-old unrefrigerated water. > > [Evidence](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/minor7flat5/111_1179.jpg) > > Thankfully, my wife warned me after she took that picture. How does a cat that fat not unbalance the planet?🙂 ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/9 "2010-11-09T15:53:57Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > What can sit still for a few days and be fine. I’m waiting for the Laffy Taffy-esque punchline! ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/10 "2010-11-09T15:54:02Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > In my experience, one does need to worry about tasty day-old unrefrigerated water. > > [Evidence](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/minor7flat5/111_1179.jpg) > > Thankfully, my wife warned me after she took that picture. So one’s opinion of drinking the water should really depend on the ‘can I eat cat food’ thread. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/11 "2010-11-09T16:45:31Z")
One of my co-workers does what the OP does. We get Ozarka bottles brought in for the office water cooler, and her theory is, “It’s paid-for water. I shouldn’t throw it out!” Hasn’t killed her yet. (I dump my water into my little potted ivies.) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/12 "2010-11-09T16:54:58Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > (I dump my water into my little potted ivies.) Slight hijack-you would think your plants would do better with tap water, because of the minerals it contains. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/13 "2010-11-09T17:20:06Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > How does a cat that fat not unbalance the planet?🙂 Because mine is the counter balance… ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/14 "2010-11-09T17:37:45Z")
I don’t have any squick factor about doing such a thing, but it makes my throat feel a little burny-scratchy. So I wash my water mug every morning at the office. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/15 "2010-11-09T17:40:42Z")
Could the OP please come back and reassure me that this thread was a giant whoosh? It seems to be getting a worrying number of serious replies. Unrefrigerated water? ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/16 "2010-11-09T18:28:39Z")
I think water that’s left out too long tastes bad, so I usually pour it out and refill it (from the tap) every morning, or at least drop ice cubes in it. I’ll reuse the glass for 3-4 days, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/17 "2010-11-09T18:30:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Slight hijack-you would think your plants would do better with tap water, because of the minerals it contains. But Ozarka has what plants crave! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/18 "2010-11-09T18:38:26Z")
If the water started out clean, there are no (or virtually no) nutrients in it for bacteria to live on. If the bottle is sealed, there should be no bacterial growth. Unless you introduce nutrients to the bottle, it should be OK indefinitely. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/19 "2010-11-09T18:48:47Z")
I don’t think we’re talking about taking out a clean glass, filling it with water, and leaving it overnight. I think we’re talking about a container that you’ve already drunk some of the water out of, which means it’s got some bits of backwash, skin cells, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022/20 "2010-11-09T18:55:34Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Could the OP please come back and reassure me that this thread was a giant whoosh? It seems to be getting a worrying number of serious replies. Unrefrigerated water? Hah! I was thinking the exact same thing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-about-day-old-unrefrigerated-water/560022.md?page=2)