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Cleaning Crusty Shower Heads and
Faucets
Introduction: If your
water supply is from your own well it is not uncommon that
the water contains a lot of minerals which make cleaning
crusty shower heads and faucets difficult.
For the most
part the minerals are harmless to your health but they
frequently causes stain and crust build on shower heads in bathrooms
and kitchen faucets that are unsightly and difficult to
clean. Of course this can be prevented if you install a
water conditioner or filter system, however, if your mineral
problem is not serious I would avoid a water conditioner
system.
Water
conditioners and softener systems reduce the hardness of
water and / or filter out minerals. They soften the water by
replacing the hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium ions)
with another ion, frequently sodium.
Salt-softened water feels mushy and has a slippery or slimy
feel when bathing with soap. Many people do not like the
feel of the water treated with a water softener, because it
feels as if they can't ever completely rinse off the soap –
your skin feels like it has a slippery coating.
In addition it give beverages, especially coffee, an
odd taste.
Hard water creates unsightly
scale (crust) on water fixtures and coats water heating
elements causing a decrease in efficiency. Water is
considered hard if it has between 1 and 10 grams per gallon
of water of calcium and magnesium, 10 being very hard. If
your water isn’t very hard, less than 3 grams per gallon of
calcium and magnesium, but contains other minerals such as
hematite (an iron oxide) your water will have a rusty
collar.
This is common in areas where there is a lot of
decomposing rock in the location of the well. Unfortunately
you will need a water conditioner to deal with this problem.
A high content of hematite in water will stain clothes and
have a poor taste.
If you have just installed a well or are
buying a new property that has its own well and are curious
if it the water has a high hematite content, simply cook
some pasta in it. If the pasta turns a reddish tone rather
than the normal collar of white you can be assured that it
has a high amount of hematite (iron oxide) in the water. To
remedy this problem you may want to contact a plumber or a
water conditioner specialist.
Installing a water filter
rather than a conditioner
system will physically filter out mineral contaminates.
Filters are very
inexpensive to install. Essentially they are placed in your
water supply line just after the storage tank. The filters
require replacing periodically but that too is an easy job.
If you
can avoid installing a water conditioner or filter system
you still may have a crusty mineral build up on shower heads
and faucets to deal with. Cleaning crusty shower heads and
faucets is easily to remedied by
filling a plastic bag about half way with white vinegar and
place it over the shower head or faucet fixture. Tie it
around the shower pipe or faucet fixture and let it sit for
about two hours. Remove the bag and turn on the water to
flush out the vinegar.
More cleaning projects:
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