What you can and can't do during a boil water advisory
Every household activity, and the verdict for each
| Activity | Verdict | The condition | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take a shower or a bath (healthy adults) | Yes, with care | Be careful not to swallow any water. | |
| Wash your hair | Yes, with care | Same rule as showering — keep the water out of your mouth. | |
| Bathe a baby or a young child | Only under a condition | Use caution; a sponge bath reduces the chance of them swallowing water. | |
| Bathe with an open wound, or if you are immunocompromised | Only under a condition | Use boiled water that has cooled, or water from another source. | |
| Brush your teeth | No | Use boiled or commercially bottled water; do not use tap water you have not boiled first. | |
| Wash your hands | Yes, with care | Tap water and soap is enough in many cases; scrub for 20 seconds. Use boiled or bottled water before preparing food. | |
| Use hand sanitizer instead of washing | Only under a condition | Not a substitute for washing — it does not cover everything soap and water does. | |
| Drink it, or cook with it | Only under a condition | Use commercially bottled water or boiled water. | |
| Make up infant formula | Only under a condition | Breastfeeding is the best option; otherwise use ready-to-use formula where you can, and sterilize bottles and nipples. | |
| Wash fruit, vegetables and food-prep surfaces | Only under a condition | Use commercially bottled water or boiled water that has cooled. | |
| Use ice, or water from the fridge dispenser | No | Throw out ice made with tap water, and do not use appliances plumbed into the water line. | |
| Run the dishwasher | Only under a condition | Only with a sanitizing cycle, or a final rinse of at least 150°F (66°C) — check the manual. | |
| Wash dishes by hand | Yes, with care | Wash and rinse as usual, then soak for at least one minute in a separate basin holding 1 teaspoon of unscented bleach per gallon of warm water, and air dry completely. | |
| Give water to pets | Only under a condition | Commercially bottled water, or boiled water that has cooled. | |
| Do the laundry | Yes | No condition attached. | |
| Flush the toilet | Yes | No condition attached. | |
| Water houseplants and the garden | Yes | No condition attached. |
The rule underneath every answer on this page
Almost every verdict below comes from one idea: the hazard is swallowing the water, not touching it. CDC's instruction for bathing and showering is exactly that — be careful not to swallow any water — and it is why doing the laundry is unrestricted while brushing your teeth is not.
Two shorthands run through the table. Where a row says boiled water, it means water brought to a full rolling boil for 1 minute, which is what CDC and EPA both specify, and then cooled, which New York State's health department adds. Where a row says bottled, it means commercially bottled water.
Who needs to be more careful
Two groups get a stricter answer than a healthy adult does. For babies and young children, CDC advises caution when bathing them and suggests considering a sponge bath, to reduce the chance of them swallowing water. Louisiana's health department gives the same advice.
For people with open wounds, cuts, blisters or recent surgical wounds, and for people who are immunocompromised, New York State's health department advises boiled water that has then been cooled, or water from an alternate source, rather than untreated tap water. Michigan and Florida say the same.
Being in either group does not change how you treat the water. It changes how much of your washing you do with water that has been treated.
Dishes, by machine and by hand
The dishwasher answer is conditional, and no source will give you a plain yes. CDC and Louisiana put it the same way: dishwashers are generally safe to use if they have a sanitizing cycle or reach a final rinse temperature of at least 150°F (66°C). The manual for your machine is what tells you whether it does either.
By hand, wash and rinse as you normally would, then add a sanitizing step. In a separate basin, mix 1 teaspoon of unscented household bleach into a gallon of warm water, soak the dishes for at least one minute, and let them air dry completely.
How to boil water for the uses above
Bring the water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute; CDC and EPA both give one minute. Above about 5,000 feet, boil for 3 minutes — EPA sets that trigger at altitudes above 5,000 feet (1,000 meters), CDC at elevations above 6,500 feet, and the more protective of the two is the one to follow. Then let it cool before use; New York State's health department notes water may take 30 minutes to cool, so plan ahead.
Filtering is not an alternative to any of that. CDC's instruction is to boil your tap water even if you filter it, and Louisiana notes that most kitchen and other household water filters do not remove bacteria or viruses.
If your utility's notice asks for a longer boil than one minute, follow the notice.
Each activity in full
Take a shower or a bath (healthy adults)
Yes, with care
CDC's rule for bathing and showering is a single instruction: be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering. New York State, Michigan and Florida give the same advice. Contact with the water is not the hazard the advisory is about; swallowing it is.
Wash your hair
Yes, with care
Washing your hair is governed by the same bathing and showering rule CDC and New York State give: the water may touch you, and the thing to avoid is swallowing it.
Bathe a baby or a young child
Only under a condition
CDC advises caution when bathing babies and young children, and suggests considering a sponge bath to reduce the chance of them swallowing water. Louisiana's health department gives the same advice. The reason is behavioural rather than chemical: a small child in a bath swallows water, and an adult in a shower can choose not to.
Bathe with an open wound, or if you are immunocompromised
Only under a condition
New York State's health department advises that people with open wounds, cuts, blisters or recent surgical wounds, and people who are immunocompromised, should use boiled water that has then been cooled, or water from an alternate source. Michigan and Florida say the same. This is the one row where skin contact, not swallowing, is the reason for the condition.
Brush your teeth
No
CDC's instruction is explicit: brush your teeth using boiled water or commercially bottled water, and do not use tap water that you have not boiled first. Louisiana and Michigan repeat it. Brushing puts water in your mouth, which is exactly what the notice asks you to avoid.
Wash your hands
Yes, with care
CDC states that in many cases you can use tap water and soap to wash your hands, and to scrub for 20 seconds. Before preparing food, CDC, Louisiana and Florida direct you to boiled or bottled water instead.
Use hand sanitizer instead of washing
Only under a condition
New York State's health department is careful about this one: alcohol-based sanitizers work against some common germs, but may not be effective against cryptosporidium and bacterium spores. It is a supplement to handwashing rather than a replacement for it.
Drink it, or cook with it
Only under a condition
CDC and Louisiana both give the same instruction: use commercially bottled water or boiled water for drinking, and to prepare and cook food. This is the row every other row on this page is really about.
Make up infant formula
Only under a condition
CDC's order of preference is breastfeeding first, and if you feed your child formula, ready-to-use formula if possible. CDC and Louisiana both add that bottles and nipples should be sterilized.
Wash fruit, vegetables and food-prep surfaces
Only under a condition
CDC and Louisiana direct you to bottled water, or boiled water that has cooled, for washing fruits and vegetables and for food-preparation surfaces. Rinsing produce under an untreated tap puts the water straight onto something you are about to eat.
Use ice, or water from the fridge dispenser
No
CDC's instruction is not to drink or use water from appliances connected to your water line, and it names the water and ice dispensers in your refrigerator or freezer specifically. Ice already made with tap water should be thrown out. Louisiana says the same.
Run the dishwasher
Only under a condition
CDC and Louisiana put it identically: dishwashers are generally safe to use if they have a sanitizing cycle or reach a final rinse temperature of at least 150°F (66°C). Your manual is what tells you whether yours does, and it is the reason this row is conditional rather than a plain yes.
Wash dishes by hand
Yes, with care
CDC and Louisiana describe the same two-stage routine: wash and rinse the dishes as you normally would, then sanitize them in a separate basin of warm water containing 1 teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon, soaking for at least one minute. Let everything air dry completely.
Give water to pets
Only under a condition
CDC's instruction is to give pets commercially bottled water or boiled water that has cooled, because pets can get sick from some of the same germs as people. Louisiana and Florida repeat it.
Do the laundry
Yes
CDC states that it is safe to wash clothes as usual, and Louisiana, Michigan and Florida all agree with no qualification attached. Laundry is one of the few household uses where nobody swallows the water, which is why it is unconditional.
Flush the toilet
Yes
New York State's health department states there is no need to disinfect water used for flushing. Nothing about a toilet needs treated water.
Water houseplants and the garden
Yes
CDC states that you can use tap water for houseplants and gardens, including watering plants you eat. Washing that produce before eating it is the step that is conditional, not watering it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take a shower during a boil water advisory?
Healthy adults generally can. CDC's rule is to be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering, and New York State, Michigan and Florida give the same advice. Two exceptions matter: babies and young children should have a sponge bath rather than a bath, to reduce the chance of them swallowing water, and anyone with open wounds, cuts, blisters or recent surgical wounds, or who is immunocompromised, should use boiled water that has cooled or water from another source.
Can I wash clothes during a boil water advisory?
Yes. CDC states that it is safe to wash clothes as usual, and Louisiana, Michigan and Florida all say so without qualification. Laundry is one of the few household uses with no condition attached, because nobody swallows the water.
Can I brush my teeth with tap water during a boil water advisory?
No. CDC's instruction is to brush your teeth using boiled water or commercially bottled water, and not to use tap water that you have not boiled first. Louisiana and Michigan repeat it. Brushing puts water in your mouth, which is the thing the notice exists to prevent.
Can I run the dishwasher during a boil water advisory?
Only under a condition. CDC and Louisiana state that dishwashers are generally safe to use if they have a sanitizing cycle or reach a final rinse temperature of at least 150°F (66°C), so the answer depends on your machine and its manual. If it does neither, wash by hand and add the sanitizing step: 1 teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of warm water in a separate basin, soak for at least one minute, then air dry completely.
Can I use ice from the fridge during a boil water advisory?
No. CDC advises against drinking or using water from appliances connected to your water line, and names the water and ice dispensers in your refrigerator or freezer specifically. Ice already made with tap water should be thrown out. Louisiana gives the same instruction.
Can my dog drink tap water during a boil water advisory?
Give pets commercially bottled water, or boiled water that has cooled. That is CDC's instruction, and Louisiana and Florida repeat it. CDC's reason is that pets can get sick from some of the same germs as people.
Sources
- CDC — Drinking Water Advisories: An Overview — retrieved 2026-08-22
- U.S. EPA — Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water — retrieved 2026-08-22
- New York State Department of Health — Boil Water Notices: FAQ for Residents and Homeowners — retrieved 2026-08-22
- Louisiana Department of Health — What to Do During a Boil Water Advisory — retrieved 2026-08-22
- Florida Department of Health in Lee County — Boil Water Notice: Commonly Asked Questions — retrieved 2026-08-22
- City of Flint, Michigan — Boil Water Advisory FAQ — retrieved 2026-08-22
By TapWaterData Editorial
Stay Informed About Your Water Quality
Get EPA reports, filter recommendations, and safety alerts for your area.
Weekly water-quality guidance for your area. Unsubscribe anytime.