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The problem
Rainwater is the gold standard for houseplants, but not everyone has a garden, a water butt, or the inclination to collect it. For those relying on tap water, the question is how to make it as plant-friendly as possible. Chlorine is added to tap water as a disinfectant, and sensitive plants like calatheas, ferns and carnivorous varieties can show it in their leaf edges and general mood.

The hack
Plenty of plant owners leave jugs of tap water on the counter overnight, and the chlorine evaporates, leaving something softer and kinder for your roots. It costs nothing, requires no equipment and has been passed around plant communities for years.

The method
Fill a wide-mouthed container with tap water and leave it at room temperature overnight. By morning, the chlorine has dispersed into the air, and your water is purer.

The test
My calatheas showed visibly cleaner leaf edges within a few weeks of switching to “overnight tap water”.

The verdict
In regions where chlorine is added to your water, leaving it overnight does genuinely help. However, some UK water companies use chloramine, which does not evaporate. If you have tried the overnight trick and your sensitive plants are still showing crispy edges or spots, it is worth checking your local supplier’s water report: you may be in an area where a carbon-filter jug, using distilled water or collecting rainwater are the only reliable fixes.