How to Clean the Worst Hard Water Stains From Your Sink, Tub, and Shower
Hard water stains are a reality for people living in 85% of the United States, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, so chances are you’ve dealt with them yourself.Read more...
Photo: spyarm (Shutterstock)
Hard water stains are a reality for people living in 85% of the United States, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, so chances are you’ve dealt with them yourself.
The good news is that this annoying white residue isn’t unsafe, or going to make us sick (which is a good thing, given that a lot of people drink it). But the bad news is that the longer we put off removing hard water stains from our bathroom and kitchen fixtures, the harder they are to get rid of—at some point, becoming permanent.
Instead of letting that happen, try these methods for cleaning even the worst hard water stains from your sink, tub, and shower.
What are hard water stains?
When we talk about water being “hard,” we’re really referring to the concentration of dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium in the water. And when hard water is left to dry on a surface like a sink faucet or shower door, the minerals are left behind in the form of white, brown, or rust-colored deposits (depending on the mineral content in the local water).
How to remove hard water stains from the sink, tub, and shower
Hard water stains can show up in various parts of your bathroom, including the shower door, sink and tub, metal fixtures, and tile surfaces. (We covered how to clean hard water stains from toilets last week.)
Here are a few ways to get rid of these stubborn bathroom blemishes: