Signs You Have Hard Water and What to Do About Them

Perhaps you’re noticing that your skin is drier than normal, your clothes seem dull after washes, or tons of spots are appearing on your clean dishes. These seemingly unrelated issues may have something in common—they could all be caused by hard water. Keep an eye out for these signs you have hard water so that you can nip those pesky problems in the bud.

Spots on your dishes

When you pull your dishes out of the dishwater, do they almost seem dirtier than they were before you washed them? A ton of white spots on your dishes could be signs of the presence of too many minerals in your water—in other words, hard water.

Dull clothing

Hard water won’t just make your dishes unsightly—it’ll do a number on your clothing’s appearance, too. Since the water contains so many minerals, it won’t be able to provide your clothing with that same soft, shiny appearance you usually get. Hard water and soap simply don’t mix well, making laundry a much more difficult—and less rewarding—chore.

Mineral buildup

Mostly manifesting around bathroom fixtures and sinks, mineral buildup is an unsightly reminder of hard water. This buildup will vary slightly in appearance depending on which minerals are present in your water, but blue, green, red, or black stains are surefire signs of hard water.

Soap scum

When hard water mixes with soap, it leaves behind an unsavory residue known as soap scum. If you’re noticing this buildup, the culprit behind it is most likely hard water. You’ll mostly spot this in your bathtub or shower, in shower curtains, or in the windows or doors to your bathrooms. Wiping it away is simple enough, but to banish it for good, you’ve got to eliminate your hard water.

Strange taste or smell

Few senses are as adept at noticing something is wrong as our taste buds. If you notice that your water tastes a bit off, trust your gut; hard water is very likely the cause behind it. A dirty or sulfurous taste or a metallic tinge to your water is a sign that points to the possibility of hard water.

Dry skin

Few things are quite as luxurious as a long, hot shower, but when you have hard water, you’ll leave that watery oasis feeling worse for wear. One huge sign of hard water is if your skin is drier than usual. Furthermore, if your skin is irritated, red, or itchy, that only makes it even more likely that you have hard water issues.

When you look at just one or two of these signs on their own, the issue would probably just seem like a blip on the radar. As you look at the whole picture, however, it becomes clear just how many signs of hard water there actually are. Luckily, there are solutions for hard water, including installing a water softener or water conditioner into your home. Water treatment companies in Maryland like Delmarva Water Solutions is here to nip that problem in the bud.