Hard Water Stains - Electromagnetic Water Conditioners

Electromagnetic water conditioners are a relatively new invention. The idea is that by passing water through a magnetic field, the calcium and magnesium ion's are altered in such a way that they loose their ability to cause scale.

See below for two types of electronic and magnetic water conditioners that help to reduce scale formation in pipes which may help to save hundreds of dollars on heating bills as elements in boilers and kettles do not "fur-up". Efficiency is also improved in washing machines and dishwashers as scale cannot form inside causing loss of heating control.

These devices have a number of benefits and many are used in industry; although the water is not technically soft, it has the useful properties of soft water, that is, it may reduce limescale in your pipes and may increase heating efficiency as well as lengthening the lifespan of any clothes washed in the conditioned water.

However, the jury is still out on whether these devices work effectively in a residential environment. The magnetic current that passes through the water does not technically remove the unwanted minerals but simply changes the chemical make-up of them. This is supposed to prevent the minerals from "sticking" to the sides of pipes and fixtures around the home - thus reducing hard water stains and scale formation. However, as they are still present in the water, they can still cause problems around the home. There was a period of time in the 60's and 70's where many of these anti scale devices were installed in industrial systems, however they are not used as frequently these days.

On positive aspect of the devices is that as calcium is an important dietary element, the conditioned water still retains its calcium content as it is not physically removed from the water.

Have you had any experience with these electronic descaling devices, and what did you think of them? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment or email me at support@hardwaterstainstips.com

Water Softeners and Filters - Discover How They Can Improve Your Water Supply

It may be useful to invest in a water filter for your home to make sure that your drinking water is clean and free from contaminants. There are different forms of water filters available today, all useful as a water softening treatment:

•Granulated, activated carbon water filters – These are portable filters that are found in water jugs. They are the simplest type of filter and removes contaminants such as chlorine, large particles and parasites. They are available at most kitchenware stores and are reasonably cheap if you have a low budget. However, they have a short filter life and don’t filter out many chemicals and bacteria.

•Carbon block, activated carbon water filters – These types of filters are generally built-in to the water supply in your home. These filters are more expensive than granulated types, but they do give better filtration and do not need to be replaced as often.

•Ceramic carbon water filters – This type of filter is comprised of a ceramic part and a carbon part; this gives it an ability to filter out a broad range of contaminants from the water supply. Some are infused with silver, as this is a good antibiotic and reduces the number of micro-organisms present. These filters are good value for money. They are built-in to the home water supply and need to be replaced about every 12 months in the average household.

•Reverse osmosis water filters – These filters are often considered the best form of water filtration available today. The water is passed through a semi-permeable membrane, which filters out almost every contaminant. They are more expensive than other types of filters but have reasonably low running costs, effective filtration and can be used to filter water to the whole house, and remove minerals that cause hard water stains in the home.

•Combination Systems – This filter has become available in recent years and are seen as an alternative to reverse osmosis systems. They have a number of different filters, and each filtration process removes different contaminants.

•Alkaline Water Machines – These systems not only filters your drinking water but it make it more alkaline. They are promoted as a good system for those with environmental illnesses where there is too much acid in the body. However, the jury is still out on how effective these machines are and whether they do indeed have any health benefit by altering the pH of the water. They do have effective filtration but can be expensive and waste a lot of water during the filtration process.

Mechanical Water Softeners

Mechanical water softening units can be permanently installed into the plumbing system to continuously remove calcium and magnesium and prevent the formation of limescale around the home.

Water softeners operate on the ion exchange process. In this process, water passes through a media bed, usually sulfonated polystyrene beads. The beads are supersaturated with sodium. The ion exchange process takes place as hard water passes through the softening material. The hardness minerals attach themselves to the resin beads while sodium on the resin beads is released simultaneously into the water.

When the resin becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium, it must be recharged. The recharging is done by passing a salt (brine) solution through the resin. The sodium replaces the calcium and magnesium which are discharged in the waste water.

Hard water treated with an ion exchange water softener has sodium added. According to the Water Quality Association (WQA), the ion exchange softening process adds sodium at the rate of about 8 mg/liter for each grain of hardness removed per gallon of water.

For example, if the water has a hardness of 10 grains per gallon, it will contain about 80 mg/liter of sodium after being softened in an ion exchange water softener if all hardness minerals (which cause hard water stains) are removed.

Because of the sodium content of softened water, some individuals may be advised by their doctor, not to install water softeners, to soften only hot water or to bypass the water softener with a cold water line to provide unsoftened water for drinking and cooking; usually to a separate faucet at the kitchen sink.

Mechanically softened water is not recommended for watering plants, lawns, and gardens due to its sodium content.

Packaged Water Softeners

Basically, these are chemicals which help to control water hardness. There are two types, precipitating and non-precipitating.

Precipitating water softeners include washing soda and borax, see image below...

These products form an insoluble precipitate with calcium and magnesium ions. The mineral ions then cannot interfere with cleaning efficiency, but the precipitate makes water cloudy and can build up on surfaces. Precipitating water softeners increase alkalinity of the cleaning solution and this may damage skin and other materials being cleaned. Washing soda is great for cleaning clothes in hard water areas but it's not used for drinking water, as explained above, the water becomes cloudy from the minerals precipitating out of the water. It would certainly not be a good idea to drink!


Non-precipitating water softeners use complex phosphates to sequester calcium and magnesium ions. There is no precipitate to form deposits and does not cause hard water stains on surfaces and alkalinity is not increased. If used in enough quantity, non-precipitating water softeners will help dissolve soap curd for a period of time.

How The Softening Process Works...

It is often desirable to soften hard water, as it does not readily form lather with soap. Soap is wasted when trying to form lather, and in the process, scum forms. Hard water may be treated to reduce the effects of scaling and to make it more suitable for laundry and bathing.

The Process

A water softener works on the principle of cation or ion exchange in which ions of the hardness minerals are exchanged for sodium or potassium ions, effectively reducing the concentration of hardness minerals to tolerable levels.

The most economical way to soften household water is with an ion exchange water softener. This unit uses sodium chloride (table salt) to recharge beads made of ion exchange resin that exchange hardness mineral ions for sodium ions. Artificial or natural zeolites can also be used.


As the hard water passes through and around the beads, the hardness mineral ions are preferentially absorbed, displacing the sodium ions. This process is called ion exchange. When the bead or sodium zeolite has a low concentration of sodium ions left, it is exhausted, and can no longer soften water.


The resin is recharged by flushing (often back-flushing) with saltwater. The high excess concentration of sodium ions alter the equilibrium between the ions in solution and the ions held on the surface of the resin, resulting in replacement of the hardness mineral ions on the resin or zeolite with sodium ions. The resulting saltwater and mineral ion solution is then rinsed away, and the resin is ready to start the process all over again. This cycle can be repeated many times.


Some softening processes in industry use the same method, but on a much larger scale. These methods create an enormous amount of salty water that is costly to treat and dispose of (see image on the left).




Temporary hardness, caused by hydrogen carbonate (or bicarbonate) ions, can be removed by boiling. For example, calcium hydrogen carbonate, often present in temporary hard water, is boiled in a kettle to remove the hardness. In the process, a scale forms on the inside of the kettle in a process known as "furring of kettles", and can also cause hard water stains. This scale is composed of calcium carbonate.

Ca(HCO3)2 → CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O

Hardness can also be reduced with a lime-soda ash treatment. This process, developed by Thomas Clark in 1841, involves the addition of slaked lime (calcium hydroxide — Ca(OH)2) to a hard water supply to convert the hydrogen carbonate hardness to carbonate, which precipitates and can be removed by filtration:

Ca(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 → 2CaCO3 + 2H2O

The addition of sodium carbonate also softens permanently hard water containing calcium sulfate, as the calcium ions form calcium carbonate which precipitates out and sodium sulfate is formed which is soluble. The calcium carbonate (also known as limescale) formed sinks to the bottom. Sodium sulfate has no effect on the hardness of water.

Na2CO3 + CaSO4 → Na2SO4 + CaCO3

Health Issues of Hard Water

The World Health Organization says, "There does not appear to be any convincing evidence that water hardness causes adverse health effects in humans."

Some studies have shown a weak inverse relationship between water hardness and cardiovascular disease in men, up to a level of 170 mg calcium carbonate per liter of water.

Other studies have shown weak correlations between cardiovascular health and water hardness. The World Health Organization has reviewed the evidence and concluded the data were inadequate to allow for a recommendation for a level of hardness.

In a review by František Kožíšek, M.D., Ph.D. National Institute of Public Health, Czech Republic gives a good overview of the topic, and unlike the WHO, sets some recommendations for the maximum and minimum levels of calcium (40-80 mg/L) and magnesium (20-30 mg/L) in drinking water, and a total hardness expressed as the sum of the calcium and magnesium concentrations of 2-4 mmol/L.

Also, the National Research Council (National Academy of Sciences) advises that hard drinking water generally contributes a small amount toward total calcium and magnesium human dietary needs. It further states that in some instances, where dissolved calcium and magnesium are very high, water could be a major contributor of calcium and magnesium to the diet.

For some good information on how hard water may "stop" heart attacks, see this article at the BBC website at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3396141.stm.

Testing for Hard Water

If you are on a municipal water system, the water supplier can tell you the hardness level of the water they deliver. If you have a private water supply, you can have the water tested for hardness. There are several different scales used to describe the hardness of water in different contexts.

•mmol/L (millimoles per litre)
•mg/L calcium carbonate equivalent
•grains/gallon (gpg). 1 gr/US gal = 17.11 mg/L
•parts per million weight/volume (ppm w/v or ppm m/v)

Various obsolete "degrees":

English degrees (°E) Clark degrees (°Clark) - conversion to mg/L calcium: divide by 0.175. One degree Clark corresponds to one grain of calcium carbonate in one Imperial gallon of water which is equivalent to 14.28 parts calcium carbonate in 1,000,000 parts water.

American degrees - One degree American corresponds to one part calcium carbonate in 1,000,000 parts water (1 mg/L or 1 ppm)

Degrees of general hardness (dGH)
One degree of general hardness corresponds to 10 mg of calcium oxide or magnesium oxide per litre of water

The precise mixture of minerals dissolved in the water, together with the water's acidity or alkalinity (pH) and temperature will determine the behaviour of the hardness, so single number on a scale does not give a full description. Descriptions of hardness correspond roughly with ranges of mineral concentrations:

Soft: 0 - 20 mg/L as calcium
Moderately soft: 20 - 40 mg/L as calcium
Slightly hard: 40 - 60 mg/L as calcium
Moderately hard: 60 - 80 mg/L as calcium
Hard: 80 - 120 mg/L as calcium
Very Hard >120 mg/L as calcium

As a guide, 60% of the UK and 85% of the US population live in a hard water area.

Most water softener companies will be able to supply you with a free water testing kit. Once you've tested your water supply, the hardness of your water will be reported in grains per gallon, milligrams per liter (mg/l) or parts per million (ppm). One grain of hardness equals 17.1 mg/l or ppm of hardness.

Hard Water in Heaters and Industry

Problems in Water Boiler Systems and Pipework
Hard water also contributes to inefficient and costly operation of water-using appliances. Heated hard water forms a scale of calcium and magnesium minerals (limescale deposits) that can contribute to the inefficient operation or failure of water-using appliances. Pipes can become clogged with scale that reduces water flow and ultimately requires pipe replacement. Limescale has been known to increase energy bills by up to 25%

Limescale in Solar Heating Systems
Solar heating, often used for heating swimming pools is prone to limescale buildup, which can reduce the efficiency of the electronic pump and therefore the overall systems performance will deteriorate.

There are low cost solutions to this problem which prevents limescale build up and over time will remove existing deposits completely – more information on this can be found in Chapter 4.

In Industry
Hard water contributes to scaling in boilers, cooling towers and other industrial equipment. In these industrial settings, water hardness must be constantly monitored to avoid costly breakdowns. Hardness is controlled by addition of chemicals and by large-scale softening with zeolite resins and ion exchange resins.

Hard Water Problems...

Bathroom
Showerheads and spray-nozzles can become blocked; they can even clog the small holes completely and reduce their efficiency. The bathtub and sink seem to be the places where there is a visible soap scum build up. Without proper treatment his build up is very difficult to remove and may require a lot of cleaners and many applications. Scale can clog pipes and can decrease the life of toilet flushing units.

Bathing
Bathing with soap in hard water leaves a film of sticky soap curd on the skin. The film may prevent removal of soil and bacteria. Soap curd interferes with the return of skin to its normal, slightly acid condition, and may lead to irritation. Soap curd on hair may make it dull, lifeless and difficult to manage. Similarly, the insoluble salts that get left behind from using regular shampoo in hard water tend to leave hair rougher and harder to detangle.

Laundering
Clothes washed in hard water often look dingy and feel harsh and scratchy. The hardness minerals combine with some soils to form insoluble salts, making them difficult to remove. Soil on clothes can introduce even more hardness minerals into the wash water. Continuous laundering in hard water can damage fibers and shorten the life of clothes by up to 40 percent.

Dishwashers
When washing dishes, especially in a dishwasher, hard water may cause spotting and filming on your crockery. The minerals from hard water are released faster when it comes into contact with heat, causing an increase in the amount of spotting and filming that occurs. This problem is not a health risk, but it can be a nuisance to clean and reduce the quality of your crockery.

7 Steps to Determine if You have Hard Water

There are some simple ways to establish if your water is hard or soft and whether your water has an overabundance of minerals.


Step #1: The Soap Test
If your water is hard, soap will tend not to lather up easily


Step #2: The Toothpaste Test
Toothpaste does not froth very well in hard water


Step # 3: Crusty White Sediments
You will notice white crusty sediments around fixtures and fittings, especially taps/faucets and showerheads


Step #4: Bathtub Ring
Hard water leaves a recurring ring around your bath tub which is difficult to remove


Step #5: Dish Test
Your dishes will have hard water spots on them


Step #6: Clothes Test
Your white clothes will look dingy and may have yellow stains


Step #7: Appliances
The other hidden effects of hard water are that it can cause serious wear and tear to water dependent appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers etc.

For a step-by-step guide on how to remove hard water stains and limescale and how to deal with the frustrating effects of hard water, go to our popular website right now at HardWaterStainsTips.com

Types of Hard Water

A common distinction is made between 'temporary' and 'permanent' hardness. There are also common types of hard water depending on the ion (eg. Mg or Ca) found in the water.

Temporary hardness
Temporary hardness is hardness that can be removed by boiling or by the addition of lime (calcium hydroxide). It is caused by a combination of calcium ions and bicarbonate ions in the water. Boiling, which promotes the formation of carbonate from the bicarbonate, will precipitate calcium carbonate out of solution, leaving water that is less hard on cooling.

Upon heating, less CO2 is able to dissolve into the water. Since there is not enough CO2 around, the reaction cannot proceed from left to right, and therefore the CaCO3 will not "dissolve" as readily. Instead, the reaction is forced to go from right to left (i.e. products to reactants) to reestablish equilibrium, and solid CaCO3 is formed. Heating water will remove hardness as long as the solid CaCO3 that precipitates out is removed. After cooling, if enough time passes the water will pick up CO2 from the air and the reaction will again proceed from left to right, allowing the CaCO3 to "redissolve" in the water.


Permanent hardness
Permanent hardness is hardness (mineral content) that cannot be removed by boiling. It is usually caused by the presence of calcium and magnesium sulfates and/or chlorides in the water, which become more soluble as the temperature rises. Despite the name this can be removed using a water softener, or ion exchange column.

Why not try our popular ebook that contains step by step guide to remove hard water stains from fixtures and fittings around the home.

Ceramic Tile

Natural Formula to Use:
A mixture of baking soda & white vinegar to make a paste

Method to Use:

1. Make up the mixture of water and baking soda

2. Apply to stain and let dry on the tile

3. Scrub stains with a brush or sponge

4. Rinse thoroughly with water to remove all residue, reapply if necessary to remove stubborn hard water stains

For more top tips on how to clean floor tiles, watch the video below:

Carpet

Natural Formula to Use:
Equal parts white vinegar and water

Method to Use:
1.Moisten a clean white towel with the vinegar-water solution

2.Rub the towel softly over the hard water stain being careful not to soak the carpet itself

3.Let the carpet dry and if necessary repeat the procedure

Tips:

1.Make sure that the carpet fibres are allowed to dry between each treatment.

2.When you are removing any types of stains from your carpet, always first test in an inconspicuous area first

3.Try to react quickly to any hard water spills on carpet and use a cloth to absorb any excess first

Windows

Natural Formula to Use:
½ liter white vinegar and ¼ liter of water

Method to Use:
1. Fill a clean spray bottle with pure vinegar

2. Spray the vinegar/water solution over the window and wait for a few minutes

3. If stains are stubborn spray more solution and wait a while longer

4. Scrub lightly with a soft sponge or cloth and rinse

Tip:
Try to deal with the water spots straight away as the solution works best with newly formed or mild hard water spots.

Shower Doors

Natural Formula to Use:
Pure white vinegar


Method to Use:
1. Fill a clean spray bottle with pure vinegar

2. Spray the vinegar freely over the shower door and wait for a few minutes

3. If stains are stubborn spray more vinegar and wait a while longer

4. Scrub lightly with a soft sponge or cloth and rinse



Tip:
Try to deal with the water spots straight away as the solution works best with newly formed or mild hard water spots.

Kettles, Cookware, Glasses and Teapots

Natural Formula to Use:

Equal parts white vinegar and water, plus squeeze of lemon juice



Method to Use:

Glasses and Bowls:
1. Make up enough solution to cover the cookware

2. Allow to soak for 15 minutes to one hour

3. Rinse thoroughly


Cookware:
1. Make up enough solution to cover the cookware

2. Allow to soak for 30 minutes to one hour

3. Rinse thoroughly


Kettles:
1. Make up enough solution to cover the elements in the kettle

2. Allow the solution to dissolve the scale for 30 minutes

3. Rinse thoroughly with clean water

Tip:
If cookware stains are still present after soaking try heating up the solution on a hob to aid the hard water stain removal.


My Advice:

If you would just prefer crystal clear water to use in your kitchen with no fuss, free from hard water minerals and chemicals - why not try a water dispenser that fits on a shelf in the refrigerator.

The PUR DS-1800Z 2 Stage Water Dispenser in the image received 4.5 stars out of 5 by Amazon customers recently. Click here to find out more...

Porcelain Enamel

Note:
As porcelain enamel is a glass surface fused to a metal base it is advisable not to use acid cleaners on porcelain enamel. Porcelain enamel is acid resistant but not acid proof – the glass coating can be gradually dissolved by acids and expose the metal underneath and cause a lot of damage.

Natural Formula to Use:
A mixture of baking soda and warm water

Method to Use:
1.Make up the mixture of water and baking soda

2.Scrub stains with a soft brush or sponge

3.Rinse thoroughly with water to remove all residue

Tip:
When scrubbing the stains be careful to rub gently as once the porcelain surface has been scratched it easily picks up any grease, dirt or soap residue. Then harsh abrasives really are necessary to remove debris that has become ingrained within the surface! For more tips on ways to clean porcelain, watch the video now...

Fibreglass Sinks, Bath Tubs and Toilet Bowls

Natural Formula to Use:

Pure white vinegar


Method to Use:

1. Fill a clean spray bottle with pure vinegar

2. Spray the vinegar freely over the sink or bath tub and wait for a few minutes

3. If stains are stubborn spray more vinegar and wait a while longer

4. Simply wipe away with a clean cloth to reveal the shine





Tips:

For toilet bowls add 1 liter of vinegar to the bowl itself and scrub with a toilet brush to dissolve away hard water stains that has built up over time. Also, by adding 1 liter of pure vinegar to the cistern (tank at back of toilet) this not only removes any stains from there but also removes any from underneath the rim on the next flush! Watch the video below for more top tips...



Sometimes stains are extra stubborn – for this make a paste of white vinegar and baking soda and scrub gently with a soft brush or sponge. Never use an abrasive cleaner like scouring pads, powders or steel wool as this will scratch the surface.

Hard Water Stains Slideshow

Hard Water Stains

From: PaddyH, 1 hour ago

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Hard Water Stains Removal Guide


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Does water have a memory?

According to modern-day proponents of homeopathy, it must. Homeopathic remedies are made by diluting solutions of various substances so greatly that not even a single molecule of the active substance can be expected to be present in the final medication. Now that even the homeopaths have come to accept this fact, they explain that the water somehow retains the "imprint" or "memory" of the original solute.

In 1985, the late Jacques Benveniste, a French biologist, conducted experiments that purported to show that a certain type of cellular immune response could be brought about by an anti-immunoglobulin agent that had been diluted to such an extent that it is highly unlikely that even one molecule of this agent remained in the aqueous solution.

He interpreted this to indicate that water could somehow retain an impression, or "memory", of a solute that had been diluted out of existence. This result was immediately taken by believers in homeopathy as justification for their dogma that similarly diluted remedies could be effective as alternative medical agents.

The consensus among chemists is that any temporary disruption of the water structure by a dissolved agent would disappear within a fraction of a second after its removal by dilution, owing to the vigorous thermal motions of the water molecules. Benveniste's results have never been convincingly replicated by other scientists.

"Structure-Altered" Water...?

The "alternative" health market is full of goofy products which purport to alter the structure of water by stabilizing groups of H2O molecules into permanent clusters of 4-8 molecules, or alternatively, to break up what they claim are the larger clusters (usually 10-15 molecules) that they say normally exist in water. The object in either case is to promote the flow of water into the body's cells ("cellular hydration").

This is of course utter nonsense; there is no credible scientific evidence for any of these claims, many of which verge on the bizarre. There are even some scientifically absurd U.S. Patents for the manufacture of so-called "Clustered Water™". At least 20 nostrums of this kind are offered to the scientifically-naive public through hundreds of Web sites and late-night radio "infomercials". None of these claims is supported by credible evidence.

Minimize Effects of Hard Water

There are a number of tips you can follow to reduce the effects of hard water in your home, without having to make any major changes:

Use a synthetic body wash to shower

Some confusion may arise after a first experience with soft water. Hard water does not lather well with soap and leaves a "less than clean" feeling. Soft water lathers better than hard water but leaves a "slippery feeling" on the skin after use with soap. For example, a certain water softener manufacturer contests that the "slippery feeling" after showering in soft water is due to "cleaner skin" and the absence of "friction-causing" soap scum.

However, the chemical explanation is that soft water, due to its sodium content, has a much reduced ability to combine with the soap film on your body and therefore, it is much more difficult to rinse off. Solutions are to use less soap or a synthetic liquid body wash.

Choose a correct laundry detergent

Some laundry detergents do not produce as many suds in hard water, these are likely to be soap-based products and do not work as well in hard-water as detergent based products. Nowadays, there are washing powders and liquids available for a wide range of water hardness. Make sure you choose the correct detergent for your area; you may also need to use slightly more detergent than the manufacturers recommended amount to compensate for the hard water. In many cases the manufacturer will give specific instructions on how to use the product in hard water areas, look out for these labels on your product.

Reduce the temperature of your boiler

As the water temperature increases, the more mineral deposits will appear in your dishwasher, water tank and pipes. By reducing the heat of your boiler to about 55ºC, you will have enough hot water for your shower and you will reduce the amount of mineral build-up in your pipes and tanks.

Use rinse agents to remove mineral deposits

There are many rinse agents available to remove mineral deposits from crockery and dishwasher.

Alternatively, you can use white vinegar by using the dishwasher dispenser or placing a cup of vinegar on the dishwasher rack. Boil some white vinegar in your kettle as a useful way of removing hard water deposits.

Regional Information

Hard water in the US

According to the United States Geological Survey, 89.3% of US homes have hard water. The softest waters occur in parts of the New England, South Atlantic-Gulf, Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii regions. Moderately hard waters are common in many of the rivers of the Tennessee, Great Lakes, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska regions. Hard and very hard waters are found in some of the streams in most of the regions throughout the country. Hardest waters (greater than 1,000 mg/L) are in streams in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Arizona, and southern California.


Hard water in Canada

Prairie provinces (mainly Saskatchewan and Manitoba) contain high quantities of calcium and magnesium, often as dolomite, which are readily soluble in the groundwater that contains high concentrations of trapped carbon dioxide from the last glaciation. In these parts of Canada, the total hardness in mg/L calcium carbonate equivalent frequently exceeds 200 mg/L, if groundwater is the only source of potable water.


Hard water in England and Wales

Information from the British Drinking Water Inspectorate shows that drinking water in England is generally considered to be 'very hard', with most areas of England, particularly the East, exhibiting above 200 mg/L as calcium carbonate equivalent. Wales, Devon, Cornwall and parts of North-West England are softer water areas, and range from 0 to 200 mg/L. In the brewing industry in England and Wales, water is often deliberately hardened with gypsum in the process of Burtonisation.



Hard water in Australia

Analysis of water hardness in major Australian cities by the Australian Water Association shows a range from very soft (Melbourne) to very hard (Adelaide). Total Hardness as Calcium Carbonate mg/L are: Canberra: 40; Melbourne: 10 - 26; Sydney: 39.4 - 60.1; Perth: 29 - 226; Brisbane: 100; Adelaide: 134 - 148; Hobart: 5.8 - 34.4; Darwin: 31.

Health Benefits of Hard Water

Hard water is not a health hazard. In fact, the National Research Council (National Academy of Sciences) states that hard drinking water generally contributes a small amount toward total calcium and magnesium human dietary needs. They further state that in some instances, where dissolved calcium and magnesium are very high, water could be a major contributor of calcium and magnesium to the diet.

The World Health Organization says, "There does not appear to be any convincing evidence that water hardness causes adverse health effects in humans." Some studies have shown a weak inverse relationship between water hardness and cardiovascular disease in men, up to a level of 170 mg calcium carbonate per liter of water.

Other studies have shown weak correlations between cardiovascular health and water hardness. The World Health Organization has reviewed the evidence and concluded the data were inadequate to allow for a recommendation for a level of hardness.

In a review by František Kožíšek, M.D., Ph.D. National Institute of Public Health, Czech Republic gives a good overview of the topic, and unlike the WHO, sets some recommendations for the maximum and minimum levels of calcium (40-80 mg/L) and magnesium (20-30 mg/L) in drinking water, and a total hardness expressed as the sum of the calcium and magnesium concentrations of 2-4 mmol/L.

Fixed Showerheads

Natural Formula to Use:

½ liter of white vinegar, ½ liter of water, squeeze of lemon juice (with bits removed)

Method to Use:

1.Fill any type of plastic bag large enough to cover the showerhead with equal parts water and white vinegar and the lemon juice.

2.Fasten the bag over the showerhead with duct tape, rubber bands, hardware clamps; whatever you can find around the house that will hold it tightly.

3.Let the showerhead soak in the solution overnight or for a few hours.

4.Remove the bag and repeat if necessary.

5.Rinse and replace the showerhead

Plastic Showerheads

It is the build up of lime and mineral deposits that can cause the problems on showerheads. Here is how to tackle these deposits on plastic showerheads.

Natural Formula to Use:

½ liter of white vinegar, ½ liter of hot (not boiling) water



Method to Use:

1.Add the white vinegar and hot water in a small bowl

2.Remove the showerhead from the unit

3.Soak the showerhead in the natural vinegar/water solution for about 1 hour

4.Rinse and then replace the showerhead back onto the unit.


Tips:

Allow the hot solution to cool down completely before removing the showerhead.

To learn more about a top quality showerhead filter (as shown on the left) that was recently voted product of the year by Amazon customers...and will save you hundreds of dollars and alot of shower cleaning time, click here.

Metal Showerheads

Natural Formula to Use:

½ liter of white vinegar, 1 liter of water


Method to Use:

1.Find a small sized saucepan

2.Add the white vinegar/water mixture

3.Heat to bring the mixture to the boil

4.Carefully rest the metal shower head in the mixture and allow to boil for around 15 minutes

5.Allow the mixture to cool down - you don’t want to burn your fingers

6.Remove the showerhead from the mixture and replace back on the shower unit.


Tips:

1.Allow the boiling mixture to cool down completely before removing the showerhead.

2.If the showerhead cannot be removed use same method as above and secure a plastic bag around the showerhead with tape or rubber bands and leave overnight if possible.

Taps and Faucets

Natural Formulas to Use:

1.Equal parts water & white vinegar plus a squeeze of lemon juice
2.Mixture of a small amount of white vinegar and baking soda (for scrubbing)

Method to Use:

1.Fill any type of plastic bag large enough to submerge the faucet with the water, white vinegar and lemon juice mixture.

2.Fasten the bag over the faucet with duct tape, rubber bands, hardware clamps; whatever you can find around the house that will hold it tightly.

3.Let the faucet soak in the solution overnight or for a few hours.

4.Remove the bag, repeat as necessary.

5.Rinse and wipe dry with a paper towel to restore the sparkle.

Tips:
For the area around the edge of the sink a towel soaked in the vinegar solution to dissolve any hard water stains works fantastically well (or see alternative method below). Stubborn stains or deposits of dirt under the edges of the faucet can be scrubbed with an old toothbrush using a mixture of vinegar and baking soda (just enough vinegar to make a paste).

How To Remove Them Cheaply!

The SIMPLE ways to remove hard water stains:

There are some simple ways to remove hard water stains quickly and easily that will remove even the most stubborn stains and make your fixtures and fittings literally sparkle like new!

One of the most overlooked factors when dealing with hard water stains is realizing that they contain either calcium or magnesium. Therefore, they can be tackled by using a completely natural acid that is found all around the home and is totally safe to use and will save you hundreds of dollars on expensive cleaning products!

……white vinegar and lemon juice!

•White vinegar, a weak acid, is about 5 percent acetic acid. It may remove hard water deposits from glass, rust stains from sinks, and tarnish from brass and copper, and works perfectly all around the home when combined with the correct ingredients.

•Lemon juice, another weak acid, contains citric acid, which can be used in much the same way as vinegar.

Watch the video below for more top tips on how to use vinegar...

Hard Water Stains - How They are Formed.

Water is a precious resource. Roughly two thirds of the Earth's surface is water; however, less than one percent of that water is fresh, usable water. Water is often referred to as the universal solvent because it dissolves virtually everything it touches.

Water exists on earth as a solid (ice), liquid or gas (water vapour). Oceans, rivers, clouds and rain, all of which contain water, are in a frequent state of change (surface water evaporates, cloud water precipitates, rainfall infiltrates the ground, etc.)

However, the total amount of the earth's water does not change. The circulation and conservation of earth's water is called the "hydrologic cycle". Water starts out in the clouds as soft and of high quality. As water precipitates in the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail, it begins to pick up dust, pollen, chemical pollutants and carbon dioxide.

In fact, as water absorbs carbon dioxide, it forms carbonic acid. As this slightly acidic water reaches the ground, it picks up decayed vegetation, farm fertilizers, urban runoff, and bacteria as well as herbicides and pesticides. Then, when water percolates through the ground, it dissolves calcium, magnesium, iron and metals that may be present such as lead, mercury or cadmium. So by the time the water reaches your tap, it can contain some elements that may create problems in the home such as stubborn hard water stains.

What is Soft Water?

Soft water is essentially free of dissolved calcium or magnesium. A small percentage of homes are supplied with naturally soft water. But since naturally soft water usually has not been neutralised by passing through mineral layers in the ground, it can be quite corrosive. Softening water mechanically, such as with a home water softener, does not make it corrosive, however.

Since calcium and magnesium are not present in soft water, no adverse reaction with soaps and detergents occurs. The result is the virtual elimination of soap scum and the corresponding reduction in time spent cleaning. Hair and skin can "breathe" more readily. And the School of Consumer & Family Sciences at Purdue University conducted a study which proved that the life of clothing and household textiles was prolonged up to 15 percent when they were washed in conditioned water.

Soap usage can be dramatically reduced with soft water. Since the water is already soft, the cleaning agents have no hardness minerals to react with and overcome and lather more readily and work more effectively. In fact, a large proportion of the ingredients in most soaps and detergents consist of chemical "water softeners" added to prevent the reaction between the detergent and the hardness minerals present in most water (the reaction that forms a sticky residue or soap curd).

As such chemicals are not necessary for cleaning with soft water, less soap is required. Soft water households experience considerable savings on laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, bath soap, hand soap, shampoo and many other cleaning products.

Since soft water contains no scale forming minerals, it leaves the inside of plumbing and water-using appliances free of solidified rock. Appliances operate more efficiently and last longer when using soft water, and of course soft water does not cause any of those unpleasant hard water stains.

What are Hard Water Stains?

Hard water contains dissolved calcium and magnesium ions. Commonly referred to as "hardness minerals," dissolved calcium and magnesium can cause numerous problems when present in a water supply.

As water falls from the sky in its various forms, it absorbs carbon dioxide in the air and becomes slightly acidic. Water in this weak acid state reaches and enters the ground. Since it is acidic, it absorbs calcium and magnesium, among other things, from the layers of rock through which it passes.

The minerals neutralize the water's acidity but also make it hard. Then the water finds its way into larger bodies of water both above and below ground, and eventually into our homes.

Water hardness is typically measured in "parts per million," an indication of the quantity of dissolved calcium and magnesium the water contains. In amounts as small as one part per million, water is classified as "hard" to a certain degree. Most homes use water that is considerably harder. Hard water stains occur when the water evaporates leaving behind the mineral deposits - causing a hard water stain.

While many families choose to soften their water by removing the calcium and magnesium with home water treatment equipment, many don't even realise they have hard water.


Hard Water Facts

Studies indicate that 85% of US homes and 60% of homes in the UK are supplied with hard water. Hard water costs you money, causes soap scum and scale, and reduces the efficiency of water-using appliances.

Welcome to the Hard Water Stains Tips blog!

I would love to hear from anyone that has anything to contribute to our discussions.

Bye for now,

Patrick