Why you should never water your peace lily with tap water — and what to use instead

Peace lily plant close up — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Peace lilies are a popular plant of choice. Their vibrant green leaves and soft white blooms are certainly a welcome addition to any home. But, while they're fairly low-maintenance, perfect for spring, and don't need much watering, they are also incredibly sensitive.

My mom's proudly kept a peace lily alive and thriving for over 5 years and when I asked her what her secret is, she said she inherited her green finger from my grandad. Unfortunately, I don't think I did.

Can you use tap water on peace lilies?

A running faucet — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

As I mentioned, peace lilies are sensitive and when it comes to watering it with tap water, there are chemicals that could cause damage. Sure, it's a lot easier just pouring the water from the tap to water your peace lily, but it could ultimately be having a negative effect.

Why? Well, inside your tap water, there are harmful chemicals like fluoride and chlorine. Use this on your peace lily, and it could develop browned tips — a warning sign that it's causing harm.

One solution is to let your tap water sit out for a day or two before using it to allow the chemicals to evaporate. Though, this may still not remove them all. Fortunately, some other options might be even easier.

The best way to water your peace lily

Peace lily plant on table near window — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

A really lovely way to feed your peace lily is to use water that's not been affected by chemicals. Instead of tap water, there's two great options. You could gather rainwater by leaving a bottle or container out in the wet weather, or you could use filtered or distilled water.

Peace lilies don't need a lot of watering, so all you need to do is give them just enough that the top soil is moist, but not sodden. They also prefer the water to be room temperature, so if you do opt to leave your tap water out for 24-48 hours, they'll appreciate that, too.

They can certainly deal with dry soil for a little bit, so don't worry if you forget to water them as often as you'd like. If you're likely to forget though, I have got one tip I inherited from my mom, and that's calling it 'thirsty Thursday'. No, it's not going out for a drink with your friends on a Thursday, but it is remembering to water your plants on a particular day of the week.

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Grace is a freelance journalist working across homes, lifestyle, gaming and entertainment. You'll find her writing for Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Space.com, and other sites. If she's not rearranging her furniture, decluttering her home, or relaxing in front of the latest streaming series, she'll be typing fervently about any of her much-loved hobbies and interests. To aid her writing, she loves to head down internet rabbit holes for an unprecedented amount of time.

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