The water in Israel is said to be hard to very hard. A strange concept for a liquid. I am not sure how a fluid equals hard but there you have it. Actually the water does contain certain minerals including calcium and magnesium, it also has certain chemicals added to it.
Calcium crystallizes into hard stone (calcite) at temperatures above 57º C, and is better known as limescale. Why is this fact important to Olim?
The effects of limescale are of practical importance.
Have you ever noticed that the sinks if left develop a brownish tinge? A negel vasser (washing cup) if not cleaned regularly develops a grey to brown ugly look to it. The inside of a kettle develops a sediment that does not taste pleasant and if you pour the end of the water from the kettle, the result is white flakes in your cup of tea / coffee or other hot drink. Other pipes, washing machines, faucetes even our washing becomes affected by the hard water, especially the limescale.
To assist with much of this problem, many will install a filter to their pipes, under the sink. I am not an expert on water filters. However, I would like to share here a useful tip regarding your kettle.
Check the inside of your kettle regularly. When you notice a sediment forming, place a tea spoon of "evental" אבנטל into hot to nearly boiling water and the sediment will fizzle and dissolve. You can then pour out the water and start a fresh with a nice clean kettle.
This product is great and a must for any Israeli kitchen. It can also be used to clean irons, washing machines and dishwashers. It is inexpensive and found in a regular supermarket.
wouldn't baking soda do the same?
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