On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 18:20:06 -0600, No wrote:

I have a shut of valve that has built up a bunch of blueand white gunk
around the neck of the shut off handle. Is this something that can be
cleaned off or is this a sign that it should be changed very soon?

That sounds like mineral deposits from a very slow leak around the valve
stem. The water is evaporating about as fast as it oozes out, so you don't
see the leak.