Hard Water Stains: Causes, Signs & How to Remove Them

What Is Hard Water and What Causes It?

Hard water is water that contains a high amount of dissolved minerals such as calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium. The high concentration of these minerals can cause a host of problems, including hard water stains or deposits in your sinks, tubs and showers. At Kinetico, we offer a free water analysis to assess the minerals present in your water and help you choose the best solution for your home or business.

Hard water is found all across the United States, with most states having moderate to very hard water. Continued exposure to hard water can result in a variety of symptoms in your hair and skin. Other signs of hard water include stains on your faucets, toilets and other water using fixtures. Here is everything you need to know about hard water stains and how to eliminate this problem altogether.

How to Remove and Prevent Hard Water Stains

With a water softener installed, the hardness minerals in your water are removed before they can cause scaling and related issues — reducing the need for consistent cleaning and maintenance. Most hard water stains are not permanent and can be cleaned with white vinegar or specially formulated cleansers that are available in most stores. For more severe staining, scaling or build-up of minerals in pipes, you may see a drop in water flow and pressure.

In this case, professional services may be necessary, as for industrial operations and businesses which rely on descaling, jetting and other services for cooling towers, boilers and other equipment.

Ion Exchange (Water Softeners)

The easiest way to get rid of hard water is with a water softener through ion exchange. Water softeners are connected to the main water supply and can remove excess calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium and other minerals from all water being used in your home or business.

They do this by trapping minerals and metals from your water in negatively charged resin beads inside the water-softener tanks. The resin beads are then flushed of these minerals in a process called regeneration so the process can start all over again.

Manual Cleaning Methods

Hard water stains can often be removed with simple acidic cleaners like vinegar or lemon juice, as well as store-bought de-scalers. Using baking soda pastes with gentle scrubbing also can lift tougher mineral spots on glass, tile and fixtures.

Commercial Cleaning Methods

Homeowners may need to hire cleaning services that employ stronger specialty products or acid-based de-scalers to remove mineral scaling from fixtures, glass and water-using appliances. Plumbing professionals also may flush or descale plumbing lines to address issues like reduced water flow.

Similarly, many businesses and commercial operations rely on professional cleaning services for industrial descaling, jetting or circulated acid cleaning. This helps clear scale from boilers, pipes, cooling towers and production equipment, restoring efficiency and preventing costly downtime.