For people who have never lived in an area with hard water, it’s hard to imagine what a big issue it can be. I’m someone who lived most of my life in areas that we’re blessed with soft water, so I was certainly shocked when I first moved to an area with a lot of deposits.
Defining Hard Water
It is defined as water with significant limescale deposits – that’s calcium minerals dissolved in the water. Why does this matter? Wherever you leave water to dry it leaves a white film that can make you feel everything is unclean. Also, these deposits build up over time, wreaking havoc on things that come in contact with water for long periods of time. I had to google how to remove a tub spout that’s stuck and several other plumbing solutions when a few weeks after moving into an area with hard water. Limescale tends to build up more in areas where the water is heated, such as your water heater, and it can cause a lot of damage.
Hard Water Is Safe To Drink
Despite the fact that the white film I saw in my glasses and countertops worried me about the water, I was reassured by the locals (and a bit of online research from reputable sources) that it is perfectly safe to drink hard water. For some people, it can even have some health benefits because it will help replace any calcium deficits you may have. The white film is simply limescale, which is composed of calcium salts – and calcium ions play an important role in various systems in the human body. Many people take calcium supplements to remedy any calcium deficit they have – this has the same effect.
Hair Doesn’t Like Hard Water
A few months after moving in to this house, I started to notice that my hair was significantly drier and brittle. No matter how much conditioner I put in my hair, or how long I stopped using heat styling tools – it seemed my healthy mane was a thing of the past. One day I decided to get a haircut and the hairstylist told me that I should be removing limescale from my hair using a vinegar water rinse every week or so. Apparently hard water can cause limescale to build up on your hair as well – and your hair doesn’t like it. Luckily, the vinegar water solution was a quick fix to what I thought was a permanent problem.
You Don’t Need Harsh Chemicals To Clean Most Limescale Deposits
Unless the limescale has been left to build up for a really long time, you can easily get rid of the white film you find everywhere with a solution of vinegar and water. The rinse I was told to use on my hair turned out to be a popular solution for many areas of the house. A great example is to boil a little vinegar and water in your kettle to clean it up – it will be shiny new in no time!