Water becomes “hard” when too much calcium, magnesium, and other minerals dissolve in it as it moves through soil and rock before ending up in municipal water supplies. That’s the basic science—but you don’t need a degree in geology to know if your home has hard water. There will be plenty of signs, which our experts in the Good Housekeeping Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab say can trigger a litany of problems, from bad hair days to a leaky water heater.
Here are the biggest warning signs to watch for, along with tips for dealing with the situation.
1. Cloudy spots on dishes
If every time you open the dishwasher, your glasses and utensils are covered in cloudy spots, hard water is likely the culprit. Mineral deposits tend to be even worse in hot water, which most dishwashers use to clean dishes.
What you can do: Always keep your dishwasher’s rinse aid dispenser filled. This will allow water to run off dishes cleanly, instead of clinging in droplets that leave cloudy deposits. It’s also a good idea to run the dishwasher's cleaning cycle at least once a month.
2. Low suds in the shower
No matter how much shampoo you use, it never seems to create a thick lather in your hair. Ditto with the bar soap. While you might think the products are to blame, in fact, it’s the high concentration of calcium in the water that reacts with soap and shampoo to create an insoluble substance (commonly known as “soap scum”) that adheres to your hands and prevents the formation of bubbles and suds.
What you can do: Install a shower filter. After testing a dozen of these devices, our experts found many that do a solid job removing minerals from hard water, resulting in a sudsier shower experience. A shower filter can also help reduce soap scum buildup in the tub or shower stall.
3. Stiff clothing out of the washer
Hard water also reacts with laundry detergent, preventing it from rinsing properly. The result is clothing that feels stiff coming out of the washer. Minerals also reduce detergents' cleaning power, so you might notice clothes not getting as clean, even after multiple washing cycles.
What you can do: Clean your washing machine regularly. Many newer models have a special cleaning cycle that controls the time, agitation, and water temperature, so all you need to do is add bleach. If you have an older unit, our cleaning experts recommend adding 1/2 cup of liquid chlorine bleach to the dispenser and running a normal cycle with hot water.
4. Odd sounds coming from the water heater
Minerals from hard water accumulate over time in your water heater, leading to a slew of issues. That includes loud popping noises, as sediment buildup at the bottom of the tank traps water, causing it to boil and pop. The sediment can also accelerate erosion within the tank, leading to leaks and premature equipment failure.
What you can do: Drain the water heater annually to flush out sediment. Most units have a draincock at the bottom of the tank that a hose attaches to, allowing you to run water to the nearest drain. Check the user manual for specific instructions.
5. Water that tastes a little off
Dissolved minerals can give tap water a metallic or chalky taste. While these minerals do not cause harmful health effects, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, you and your family are more likely to stay well hydrated throughout the day if the water from your tap tastes good. Plus, hard water can affect recipes by altering the taste, texture, and cooking time of food.
What you can do: Install a water filter at the kitchen faucet. Our experts like under-sink filters because they live out of the way in the cabinet under the kitchen sink, and many models we test do an excellent job capturing a wide range of contaminants, including lead and other minerals.
The facts about water softeners
If your home has extremely hard water, to the point where you’re dealing with all the problems above, it’s worth looking into a whole-house water softener. These systems, which are about the size of a standard water heater and typically live in a basement or utility room, remove hard minerals from household water through a process called ion exchange. As water flows through a tank filled with resin beads, the beads capture minerals and replace them with sodium ions. Most water softeners automatically regenerate by flushing the trapped minerals away with a salt solution, recharging the resin beads for continued use.
Water softeners are effective, but putting one in is a big investment, with the average household spending around $1,500, according to Angi, the home services marketplace. The systems need to be professionally serviced, which will add a few hundred dollars to annual operating costs. But a water softener can extend the life of your appliances and give you healthier hair and skin, so it may well be worth the investment.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
