White stains & muddy deposits in stainless steel pots
I use stainless steel pots on an induction cooker for boiling water for preparing food for an infant. I use bottled and supposedly clear and soft water.
When I pour the water into the pot it is crystal clear. I noticed that after boiling it's not that clear anymore. It's somewhat muddy and has visible whitish deposits.
I also noticed that there are white round spots on the bottom of the pot. When the water is boiling, apparently those spots are where the bubbles appear. I bought a brand new and not-so-cheap pot today and after the first use the same spots appeared.
I am not absolutely sure, but I think the two issues are related.
What is happening? How to prevent it? All I'm interested in is boiling water that is as clear after boiling as it was before.
Best Answer
Boiling water leads to evaporation, which leads to concentration of anything dissolved in the water (and there will, unless your water is distilled, always be something dissolved in it); that concentration can lead the water to be supersaturated and for trace minerals to precipitate out of solution. If you are getting water from your municipal mains, chances are it's perfectly safe either way.
The appearance of 'muddiness,' however, seems very weird to me. Water can't become muddy on its own; by 'muddy' do you mean 'cloudy'?
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Quick Answer about "White stains & muddy deposits in stainless steel pots"
However, stainless steel can be susceptible to white residue building upon it over time due to water activity. The white residue you see on your pots and pans is actually water. This occurs when food sticks to the pan, then drys while still hot. The harder the water, the more likely it is to leave a white film.What is the white residue on stainless steel?
In nearly all cases, the white residue is from calcium and magnesium-containing minerals that are found in tap water. The minerals build up on pans when water boils, evaporates, and leaves them behind. If the mineral deposits have "baked on," a normal dishwasher cycle typically won't be enough to remove them.How do you get white residue off stainless steel pans?
If your tap water has a high calcium content (hard water), you'll probably notice chalky white residue on the cookware. To remove this residue, fill the pot or pan with one part vinegar to three parts water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then take it off the heat and let it cool to the touch.Why do stainless steel pans get cloudy?
The insides and even the outsides of stainless steel pans can develop white, cloudy spots, like the well-used All-Clad\xae saucepan shown below. These spots come from mineral deposits left in the pan after boiling water, and the white spots can come from both salt and/or calcium deposits.Why do my stainless steel pans look dirty?
The surface of your pan may have a strange cloudy-looking substance that forms, and it's all because of your tap water. Hard water, which contains heavy amounts of calcium, are the result of your chalk residue and the cleanup is even more simple than cleaning stuck-on food bits.WHITE STAINS - \
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Answer 2
Your bottled and supposedly soft water isn't soft. Perhaps the manufacturer even adds Calcium to it? Some brands are high in Calcium.
Those white round spots where bubbles appear are likely mineral deposits. They form nucleation sites for boiling. A dishwasher may not remove them, but a soak in vinegar, followed by a scrub with steel wool will. Calcium in water is not a problem, but it's odd that you get cloudyness after a short(?) boil. What kind of jars does this water come in, plastic?
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