Hard Water Stains on Granite - How To Remove Them...

Many people these days have new kitchens with lovely granite countertops only to see them develop those ugly hard water stains we all know about.

I receive some really frustrated emails from people who have just installed a new granite countertop only to see it be ruined by the hard water stains. don't let this happen to you - there are some tried and tested methods for removing them.

It is advisable not to use acid cleaners on granite. Granite is acid resistant but not acid proof – the top layer can be gradually dissolved and expose the surface underneath and cause a lot of damage. A proven, step by step method is using baking soda and water - see the method below...

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 granite 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 and advice on hard water stain removal, go to http://www.hardwaterstainstips.com/ for a step by step guide.

Do you have a granite countertop? What methods have you used to remove hard water stains? Leave a post and let me hear your thoughts...

Hard Water Stains - What Does The Terminator Have To Do With Them?

I never though I would do a blog post and mention Arnold Schwarzenegger, but here goes... California has recently passed laws giving local officials more power to remove water softeners from peoples homes.

These devices can help to remove minerals that cause the ugly hard water stains that form around the home.

SACRAMENTO, CA — In what one newspaper called “a jab at the Culligan Man,” the California Assembly this week passed a bill, known as AB 1366, that will give local government agencies more power to ban residential water softeners and remove existing ones, The Los Angeles Times reported September 10.

AB 1366, sponsored by Assemblyman Michael Feuer, D-Los Angeles, was among “a flurry of measures” that state lawmakers were trying to push through before the end of the legislative session at midnight on September 11, the newspaper said. It could not be determined immediately how the state Senate was acting on the bill. Passage in the Senate would mean it would go to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for his signature.

The measure has been opposed vigorously by the water treatment industry, represented by the national Water Quality Association, the regional Pacific Water Quality Association, and dealers, suppliers and manufacturers of softeners.

It has been supported by California’s municipal water and wastewater agencies, which insist that the chlorides discharged by water softeners in their regeneration cycle make wastewater more difficult and expensive to treat and pollute downstream water sources.

Opponents said the bill unfairly singled out residential water softeners as sources of salinity in wastewater. They also tried to persuade lawmakers that a more reasonable solution was to work with the industry in changing consumers’ softener equipment to more salt-efficient designs, and to identify large institutional salinity sources.

The industry sought to persuade the public that AB 1366 was an unwarranted intrusion of state regulation that would only result in hard water for the estimated one-quarter of Californians who now have residential softeners. The Times article said executives of Culligan International, the Rosemont, IL-based manufacturer of water softeners that also maintains a large dealer network, criticized the bill, according to the newspaper, as being “a Big Government grab at private property.”

A similar measure passed both the state Senate and Assembly last fall, but it was vetoed by the governor and never became law.

A few local governments and water agencies in California and across the nation have instituted softener bans or restrictions that apply only to softener owners in those areas.

Source: http://www.watertechonline.com/news.asp?N_ID=72562


If you are affected by these recent laws, do not worry. There are plently of other devices available these days that are just as effective at removing hard water minerals as well as eliminating other potentially harmful toxins.

For more information, see my blog post link below on the different types of water filters and softeners currently on the market, and how they can improve your water supply.

http://hardwaterstainstips.blogspot.com/2008/12/hard-water-stains-water-filters.html

If the recent ban affects you tell me what you think about it? Leave a blog post below, I love to hear your thoughts!

California Considers Water Softener Legislation

If you live in California the law may be changing soon regarding water softeners. This is because lawmakers will be discussing future legislation that could affect how homeowners use traditional water softeners.

Traditional water softeners use salt to replace the calcium and magnesium in the water with sodium. This effectively prevents the calcium and magnesium causing hard water stains around the home, however when the softeners are recharged, the salt is flushed out and can cause significant damage to the environment.

A recent report on California's 10News.com website says that the legislation would encourage homeowners to replace their traditional water softeners with models that do not use salt and would also compensate those who do replace their old systems.

One of the largest manufacturers of the traditional water softeners is said to be waging a heavy lobbying effort against the bill, and it remains to be seen if Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would be willing to sign it if it passes.

Some oppose the bill because they are concerned about untreated hard water, which can also be wasteful because it makes it more difficult for soap and shampoo to work properly.

The controversy is particularly relevant in California because the state is grappling with chronic water supply issues and has faced rising treatment costs in part because of the salt that is released by many traditional water softeners.

Do you live in California, or know someone who lives there? What do you think about the new leglislation - do you think it will help the environment by using softeners that don't use salt? I'd love to hear what you think, why not leave a blog post and tell me your thoughts.

Hard Water - Discover Its Impact on Your Heart Health

The World Health Organization says, "There does not appear to be any convincing evidence that water hardness causes adverse health effects in humans." I may even have a positive health effect and help to reduce heart attacks according to some recent studies.

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 - ie: the more calcium in the water the more it could stop heart attacks, up to 170mg!. 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 Frantisek Kozisek, 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.

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.

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 which can also cause very stubborn hard water stains.

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. Some typical values are: Calgary 165 mg/L, Saskatoon < 140 mg/L, Toronto 121 mg/L, Vancouver < 5 mg/L, Charlottetown PEI 140 - 150 mg/L

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.

So living in a hard water area may actually help to reduce your risk of a heart attack. Obviously there are a number of other factors that need to be taken into account, but hard water does at least have some positive aspects!

What do you think about hard water and the risk of heart attacks? Why not leave a post here or you can contact me at support@hardwaterstainstips.com.

Hard Water Stains Explained

A few people have asked me recently what hard water actually is, and what the stains are made of. So, I thought I'd lay out exactly what they are, and why they can be such a problem for us around the home.

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 waters 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.

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 it in the first instance, however there are some easy ways to prevent it.

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. Hard water stains occur when the water evaporates leaving behind the mineral deposits causing unsightly stains around taps, faucets, sinks, showerheads, tiles and on carpets.

To check whether the area you live in has hard water, check out your local regional information.

If you have any questions about the hard water in your area, drop me a line at support@hardwaterstainstips.com, or post a blog comment here and I'll get back to you asap.

4 Quick and Easy Tips for Hard Water Areas

For some quick and easy tips to combat hard water problems around the home, see below for some tried and tested methods that could save you hundreds of dollars!

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

Hard Water Health Benefits - Discover the Secrets to Why it May Improve Life Expectancy

Hard water has some fantastic health benefits that seem to encourage longer life expectancy and improved health. In this article we'll discover why this is so and what areas of the world have some of the longest life expectancy.

An episode of Oprah recently looked at some of the so-called blue-zones around the world. These are places in the world where people live the longest and are the healthiest anywhere on earth. If we can take some of what they do and make those healthy moves a consistent part of our own lives, perhaps we could live a little longer (and be healthier in our old age) as well.

The first stop was the Nicoya Peninsula in the rain forest of Costa Rica. There are lots of very healthy centenarians there, possibly because of the excellent hard water, which is full of calcium and magnesium, keeping their bones and muscles strong throughout their lives.

A lot of physical labor still goes into food production there, from clearing fields to raise crops to picking fruit and grinding corn for tortillas, which is a great upper-body workout. In fact, people who live in this region have some of the best physical stamina in the world because they are always on the move. People eat lots of corn, beans and squash, and there is fresh fruit almost year-round.

Another important piece of the longevity puzzle in Costa Rica and elsewhere is a sense of community and family ties. Older people live with their younger relatives, and those connections help keep people feeling young and in touch with their surroundings.

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. So again a small amount of these calcium and magnesium minerals can actually be helpful for improved life expectancy. 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 Frantisek Kozisek, M.D., Ph.D. National Institute of Public Health, Czech Republic he 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.

Hard water is not a health hazard. In fact, the National Research Council 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.

So although hard water can cause those annoying hard water stains around the home we all know about, the minerals contained in it may also be helpful to build strong bones and may improve cardiovascular disease.

What do you think of this post, let me know what you think by posting your own comment!