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How Safe It Is To Drink The Cup of Water Left From Last Night

If grabbing the unfinished cup of water you left overnight is the first thing you do in the morning, you are not alone. But should you do that? 

Well, if you’ve been there, you know that the taste of the water change when it’s left out in the open for a few hours or an entire day. 

So why exactly does the taste change? 

Well, alongside the dust, debris, and even the mosquito that can drop into the glass overnight, there is another scientific reason behind the weird taste. When you leave a glass of water for a long time, it is exposed to air, which allows carbon dioxide to dissolve in the water. This explains the bitter and stale taste. But it is important to know that this stale taste is not dangerous for our health. 

The biggest concern here is bacterial production. Drinking from a glass of water and leaving it overnight can cause bacteria to accumulate. Our skin is coated with sweat, dust, skin cells, and even nasal discharge, so once we put the bottle in our mouth, these can all “backwash” into the remaining water, causing contamination. This means even drinking from a closed bottle you drank from before after leaving it for a long time is not a good idea. 

So How to keep your water safe while tasting great?

Protect yourself from the acidic taste and extra bacteria that have had some time to thrive by replacing your water often- ideally every time you reach for a drink-. And don’t forget to clean the glasses and bottles you drink from daily. Also, make sure not to let drinks or water sit out for more than a few hours so that bacteria doesn’t grow. 

Sometimes, cold water may taste good even if it is left for long, so don’t let the temperature of your water fools you. Old water is old water no matter how good it tastes.