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Most people have their air-conditioning unit cranked up to the max at the moment, so you’ll probably have noticed the steady drip of water it produces as it works. Most of us let it run straight down the drain without a second thought, but it turns out that water can actually be put to good use around the house and garden, rather than going to waste.

 

The water comes from condensation, formed as humidity in the air turns into droplets while your unit cools the room. It's not suitable for drinking or cooking, since it picks up dust, microorganisms and other particles from the air inside your home as it forms. But once you look past that, it has plenty of other uses.

 

Watering plants is probably the most obvious one. The water produced by air conditioning units is essentially distilled, with very low mineral content and no limescale or chlorine, so as long as your unit is well maintained it should be free of any chemical residue too.

 

That makes it particularly good for plants that prefer acidic soil or soft water, hydrangeas and a lot of houseplants included, as well as succulents which don't need much in the way of nutrients anyway.

 

Because the water is essentially demineralised, it doesn't contain the nutrients plants would normally pick up from tap water, so using it exclusively over a long period isn't ideal, especially for thirstier or more demanding plants. Alternating it with tap water, or adding fertiliser or compost now and again, keeps the soil properly nourished while still letting you make use of the water you'd otherwise be pouring away.

 

That same lack of limescale makes it a good choice for topping up your steam iron, helping to prevent the build up of scale that can shorten its lifespan.

 

It's also handy for cleaning glass, mirrors and shower screens, since it won't leave behind the streaky white marks tap water tends to leave once it dries, meaning you'll likely get a cleaner finish without having to go over the surface again and again.