Those murky-looking stains on the faucet, drinking glasses, or shower doors can be frustrating to deal with. It feels like no matter how much you scrub, the hard water stains are still there. We tapped experts for advice on the best way to remove hard water stains from various surfaces, including glass, tile, metal showerheads, and more.
Cloudy spots on dishes are just the beginning. Hard water can cause other frustrating household problems, like clothing that comes out of the washer with detergent still on it, funny-tasting tap water, and a buildup of soap scum in the shower. Using the right products—like rinse aid in the dishwasher, water filters, and water softeners—can help minimize the impact of hard water in your day-to-day life.
Hard water stains can make a space feel dirtier than it really is. Luckily, tackling them doesn't have to be hard. In many cases, you can banish hard water stains using things you already have on hand, like vinegar and baking soda. Below, our experts explain how to use these household ingredients to get rid of these chalky spots. Plus, they offer tips on how to prevent hard water stains from happening in the first place.
What is hard water and why does it leave stains?
When water contains high levels of minerals such as magnesium, calcium and iron, it’s considered "hard." The unsightly stains are caused when droplets of hard water dry and leave behind deposits of those minerals. Usually, these stains are chalky white but can also be brown or rust-colored depending on which minerals are in the water.
The best ways to remove hard water stains
There are various methods and cleaning products that you can use to easily remove hard water stains and buildup. Depending on the surface, you can use vinegar, a combination of baking soda and vinegar or cleaning products specifically designed to eliminate hard water stains.
How to remove hard water stains from glass shower doors and tiled shower walls
To clean your shower walls (and bathtub), grab a spray bottle and mix equal parts of water and vinegar. Spritz the solution onto affected surfaces, let sit for at least 15 minutes, then wipe clean.
For glass shower doors, follow these steps:
- Combine ingredients: Add equal parts distilled white vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
- Add dishwashing liquid: Pour 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid into the spray bottle.
- Let sit: Spritz solution onto shower door and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Wipe clean: After 15 minutes, use a microfiber cloth to wipe clean. For heavy build-up scrub with a delicate scrubber or eraser-type sponge like Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
- Dry: Rinse and buff dry.
For stubborn spots on shower glass doors and tile, CLR Brilliant Bath Cleaner, a top-tested product that won a previous Good Housekeeping Cleaning Award, can also work wonders. It's specifically formulated to dissolve the mineral deposits that cause hard water stains.
How to remove hard water stains from showerheads
If your shower stream doesn’t feel as strong anymore, it could be a sign of the minerals in hard water jamming your shower head and nozzle. To clean your shower head, dip a toothbrush in white vinegar and scrub the water jets, then wipe it clean and turn on the jets to blast out the clogging minerals. (While you can soak the showerhead in vinegar, be wary that doing this could damage some finishes.)
How to remove hard water stains from sinks
Make your chrome sink fixtures shine again by using a solution of 50/50 water and vinegar.
- Wrap the fixture: Dip a cloth into the mixture, wrap it around the stained item and leave it for up to 10 minutes.
- Scrub and rinse: After letting it sit, give it a scrub, then rinse and buff dry. Repeat if needed.
- Soak the aerator: If your sink has an aerator (a removable screen), unscrew it, soak it in vinegar and scrub with a toothbrush to remove the mineral build-up.
How to remove hard water stains from the toilet
The easiest way to get rid of yucky residue is to use a toilet cleaner made specifically for hard water stain removal, like Scrubbing Bubbles Power Stain Destroyer. Simply apply the product around the inside of the toilet bowl, let it sit for 15 minutes and scrub your way to a sparkling bowl. In our Cleaning Lab tests, we found this product easy to use thanks to the curved-neck bottle. For tough hard water buildup, a second application may be necessary.
Toilet Cleaning Stone Method
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, hard water deposits still settle inside a toilet, especially along the water line. For these tough-to-remove stains, try a toilet cleaning stone, like the Powerstone Pumice Stone Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Made of crushed and compressed glass, these stones scrub away deposits without scratching porcelain fixtures. Simply wet the stone and the bowl, then gently scrub the line of hard water deposits to loosen and wipe them away. The stones can be used over and over again and gradually wear down over time.
If you prefer to use items that may already be in your home, a DIY cleaning solution of vinegar and baking soda is a suitable alternative:
Vinegar and Baking Soda Method
- Pour in vinegar: Measure one cup of vinegar and pour it around the inside of the toilet bowl, making sure to cover the hard water stains with vinegar. Swish it around with a toilet brush and let it sit for a minute.
- Add baking soda: After letting the vinegar sit, sprinkle a cup of baking soda around the toilet bowl. The mixture should fizz. Let this sit for approximately 10 minutes.
- Add more vinegar: Pour another cup of vinegar into the bowl, swish and let the solution sit for 30 minutes.
- Scrub: Use the toilet brush to scrub the stains away, then flush. Repeat as necessary for stuck-on stains.
How to remove hard water stains from glasses
To remove hard water marks from drinking glasses, you’ll need a basin that’s large enough to submerge your glassware in vinegar.
- Warm up vinegar: Heat some white vinegar in the microwave until it’s warm, and pour it into the basin.
- Let sit: Immerse the glasses in the vinegar for 10 minutes, turning them to cover all sides.
- Add baking soda: After 10 minutes, remove the glasses and sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda directly onto the glass.
- Rinse: Rub the baking soda gently with your fingers to remove the stains, rinse and buff dry.
Hard Water Stains FAQs
Are hard water stains permanent?
Hard water stains can become permanent if left too long. It’s best to remove hard water stains as soon as they appear. While it may be tempting to let a mild stain sit until cleaning day, the longer it sits the harder it is to remove.
How to prevent hard water stains
To combat those cloudy stains from happening in the first place, Carolyn Forte, former executive director of the Home Care & Cleaning Lab, says, "It's important to keep fixtures dry. Wipe down any wet surfaces such as glassware, faucets, sinks and shower doors with a soft cloth." We love the Maker's Clean Waffle Weave Cloth, winner of a previous Good Housekeeping Cleaning Award, for its softness and ability to soak up water. Wiping up excess water will prevent it from drying on surfaces and leaving minerals behind. As for your toilet, it helps to regularly clean the bowl (though even with frequent cleanings, hard water stains can still appear).
If wiping down fixtures and frequent cleanings are too much of a chore, the easiest way to prevent hard water stains from happening everywhere in your home is to get rid of the problem altogether by consulting a plumber about installing a whole-home water softener, which requires professional installation to your home's water lines. Most water softeners work with salt — which needs to be replenished — to filter the water and remove the calcium and magnesium minerals, preventing the stains from happening in the first place.
Jamie Ueda (she/her) is a contributing writer and analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab, where she has tested coffee and espresso machines, baking gadgets, dinnerware, ice cream makers, and other kitchen products since 2021. She has completed Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) coursework to further her expertise in coffee evaluation and brewing science.
With a background in engineering and design, she spent more than a decade developing consumer products in senior roles at both mid-sized companies and global brands before bringing that expertise to product testing and reviews. Her work has appeared in Forbes, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
