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This article was co-written by Anthony “TC” Williams. Anthony “TC” Williams is an Idaho professional horticulturist. He is the President and Founder of Aqua Conservation Landscape & Irrigation, an Idaho-based Landscape Business. With over 21 years of landscape experience, TC has undertaken projects such as the Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise, Idaho. He is an Idaho Certified Contractor and was a licensed gardener in the State of Texas.
There are 15 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 3,120 times.
Hard water contains minerals, usually calcium and magnesium ions, that reduce the effectiveness of soap and leave residue on dishes and in pipes. There are many methods of determining hard water, from simple ones you can test quickly to more accurate test kits. If you find that the water you are using is hard water, there are many ways to minimize the impact of this condition.
Steps
How to test hard water fast
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Find a transparent bottle. This test will give only a very rough estimate of the water’s hardness, but it will only take a few minutes to perform. First, find a bottle with a capacity of about 360 ml, the bigger the better. If you can’t find a bottle with a lid, you can use a transparent container. [1] X Research Source
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Pour water into the bottle. Measure 360 ml of tap water and pour it into the container.
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Add 10 drops of liquid soap to the water bottle. Different soaps can react differently to hard water, and that’s one reason this test isn’t always accurate. Many dish soaps don’t react strongly with hard water, so liquid hand soap is probably best. [2] X Research Source Castile soap is a popular choice, as the simple ingredients in this soap ensure that other chemicals are not mixed in to distort the test results. [3] X Research Sources[4] X Research Sources
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Shake the water bottle. Cover the water bottle and shake it for a few seconds. If the water container does not have a lid, you can stir vigorously until the soap is evenly dissolved in the water.
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Observe the soap bubbles. Open the water bottle and observe the soap bubbles on the surface of the water. If there are a lot of soap bubbles, your tap water is probably quite soft. [5] X Research Source If only a few bubbles appear, move on to the next step.
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Gradually add soap to the water bottle and shake. Add 5-10 drops of soap at a time to the water bottle and shake. The number of drops of soap added to foam will help you estimate the water’s hardness: [6] X Research Source
- 20 drops: slightly hard
- 30 drops: pretty hard
- 40 drops: hard
- over 50 drops: very hard
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Observe soap scum. Fully soft water will foam on the surface but the rest of the water will remain clear. The minerals in hard water will react with the soap and form “soap scum.” In addition to reducing foam, this residue also makes the water cloudy. If there is a thick soapy residue in the water, it is almost certainly hard water.
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Determine whether to soften the water. Water that is “relatively hard” or less hard generally does not pose any major problems for domestic use. [7] X Trusted Source Penn State Extension Go to the source If the water you’re using doesn’t seem too hard but you notice a problem, see the following for home solutions or key tests more precise.
Recognizing and dealing with hard water problems
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Check for white deposits. The minerals in hard water can leave a white residue on the sink, shower or tub. If the phenomenon occurs in those areas, it is probably present in the plumbing as well. This is a problem that you cannot solve with a homemade solution, but perhaps install a water softener system. If left untreated, hard water will gradually clog water pipes, reduce water pressure and shorten the life of appliances. [8] X Research Source However, if the white residue is not much and the pipes seem to be in good working order, you can solve the problem with the following inexpensive solutions.
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Check clothes when washing. Soap residue that forms in hard water can stick to fabrics, causing them to become stiff and rough. In some cases, clothes will not be washed, causing white fabrics to turn gray and dull bright colors, even leaving an unpleasant smell on clothes. [9] X Research Source You can apply one or more of the following solutions: [10] X Research Source
- Increase water temperature.
- Use more soap.
- Add a non-precipitating fabric softener to the washing machine before adding soap.
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Look for white spots and scratches on glassware. A clear sign of hard water is the white spots left on the glass after washing. There are two types of damage that hard water can cause: [11] X Research Source
- Hard water spots are surface stains that you can clean by scrubbing with vinegar or an abrasive cleaning material like baking soda.
- “Scratches” cause permanent damage to glass, although scratches can be removed with a glass polishing product. Light scratches look like a rainbow, but heavy scratches will make the glass opaque.
- To limit the risk of damage, reduce the temperature of your dishwasher or rinse dishes thoroughly before putting them in the dishwasher.
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Bath water treatment. Especially hard water can irritate the skin, make hair stiff and dull, and even leave a soapy film on the skin. If you don’t want to install a home water softener system, try the following solutions:
- Install a water softener in the shower and add salt from time to time. (The “water softener” without the addition of salt is actually a water purifier and has no effect on softening the water. [12] X Research Source )
- To improve hair texture, you should wash your hair with a chelating shampoo once a week and use a moisturizing conditioner. Chelating shampoos are formulated to help wash away minerals from the hair and often contain the ingredient “EDTA” (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). [13] X Research Source
Accurately test water hardness
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Understand the unit of measurement for water hardness. Official reports or scientific experiments will give you exact measurements. These units of measure are commonly used in most regions, so you should learn how to read the results: [14] X Research Source
- Granules/Gallon (or “grain”): 3.5 – 7.0 means medium hardness water. Hardness higher than this can cause problems.
- ppm, mg/L, or hardness in US units: 60–120 indicates medium hardness.
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Contact your local water company. Your water company can tell you about the hardness of the water you are using. [15] X Research Source
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Ask the water softener company to test the water hardness for free. Many companies will help you test your water for free in the hope that you will use their service. They may ask you to send in a water sample and will send you the results back, or they may send you a water hardness test kit. Read the instructions on how to use the test kit.
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Test with water hardness test paper. You can buy these test strips online or from places that sell water softeners. Usage is very easy: you just need to dip the test paper in water and watch the paper change color. The product label or accompanying instructions will tell you the hardness of the water based on color.
- This test method is accurate enough for household water, but you should not rely on it to adjust pools or other systems that require precise hardness. [16] X Research Source
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Test the water hardness with a titration test kit. This test kit is more accurate and is available online or at some pool equipment stores. Normally you would fill a bottle as small as the mark marked on the side of the bottle, then add one of the reagents drop by drop to the water bottle. The number of drops of chemicals added to discolor the water will tell you how hard the water is.
- Other devices with digital displays are often used in special cases, such as extremely soft water. These devices are more expensive and not necessary for home water testing. [17] X Research Source
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Send the water sample to a specialized laboratory. You should only consider this expensive option if more detailed water analysis is required, such as finding contaminants or precise minerals. If you use well water or your own water source, you should have your water sample tested at least once a year, although testing for contamination is more important than measuring water hardness. [18] X Trusted Source University of Kentucky Cplege of Agriculture, Food, and Environment Go to the source You should probably test the water if you own a spa or run a business that relies on clean water.
- If you do not know which laboratory to send water samples to for testing, you can consult the Agricultural Development Institute.
Advice
- According to the World Health Organization, water hardness is not considered a health hazard. It is associated with some effects, but studies are inconclusive and the risk does not appear to be significant. [19] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source
- Unusually high water heating bills can be a sign of hard water, as mineral deposits can get trapped in the system and reduce the unit’s efficiency. Some kettles are labeled with the average household energy consumption. Multiply this by the amount of electricity you pay per kW/hour to estimate the cost.
- The aquarium will require more minerals than the household water source can provide. Ask your aquarium store staff or aquarium enthusiasts if you don’t know how to measure water hardness or how to add minerals to meet the needs of your fish.
Warning
- Water softening systems can pose serious health risks to people requiring a low-sodium diet. [20] X Trusted Source Penn State Extension Go to Source If you are on a special diet to regulate your mineral intake, ask your doctor for more information before inserting a softener water into the drinking fountain.
- Don’t rely too much on maps that identify hard water areas across the country or an entire region. These maps only show you the average water hardness in your area and may not match local conditions. [21] X Research Source
Things you need
- Bottle of soda or bottle of beer
- Dish soap
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This article was co-written by Anthony “TC” Williams. Anthony “TC” Williams is an Idaho professional horticulturist. He is the President and Founder of Aqua Conservation Landscape & Irrigation, an Idaho-based Landscape Business. With over 21 years of landscape experience, TC has undertaken projects such as the Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise, Idaho. He is an Idaho Certified Contractor and was a licensed gardener in the State of Texas.
There are 15 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 3,120 times.
Hard water contains minerals, usually calcium and magnesium ions, that reduce the effectiveness of soap and leave residue on dishes and in pipes. There are many methods of determining hard water, from simple ones you can test quickly to more accurate test kits. If you find that the water you are using is hard water, there are many ways to minimize the impact of this condition.
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