White water deposits. Help!

Question

This faucet is only about a yr old. We live in the Florida panhandle. We have well water but we have a water softener system. All of my faucets look like this with this being the worst. It's the fartherest set from the softener system, meaning the salt/softener has to travel the length of the house to get to this bathroom. It's driving me crazy. I clean it constantly. I've even worn the finish off the countertops from cleaning it. We will be replacing it again but I can't replace faucets yearly..... Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. (Oh, vinegar will take the deposits off but it also takes the finish off, so I still would have to replace because the vinegar will ruin the faucet also). Other then drilling a new deep water well, which is about $5000+, I need advice. Thanks.

Shari · Answer

Let me say up front that I'm no water expert but you may need more than a water softener. We have well water too and when we moved into this house 4 1/2 years ago, we had all kinds of problems with the water, even though our well is 255 feet deep. It smelled bad (not the rotten egg smell but a different kind of stinky). It left the rust colored stains in the sinks, toilets and bathtubs. Sediment would also periodically clog up my washing machine filter and all of my white laundry was dingy no matter how much bleach I used. I am NOT a country girl and this was just driving me absolutely nuts so I can empathize with you. We finally got a whole house water purification/chlorination system and a water softener and things are far better. Still not as good as the city water I used my whole life but certainly tolerable. You may have stuff in your well water that the water softener alone does not address. That's why we had to put in the purification/chlorination system in addition to the water softener. 
 If you haven't done so already, I would recommend you have your water tested to see what it contains and then consult with several companies that sell purification systems. Those companies will test your water for you but I question how valid their test results are since their goal is to sell you a system.

98466 · Answer

Shari, thank you so much for the info. I will def look into a purification/chlorinator system. We had the water tested when we bought the house so I think I can call the company that did the tests for the results. It must not have been anything harmful, FHA didn't scream and holler when we closed. Haha.

Shari · Answer

Yes, we had the well water tested before purchase too because we are in an area that is mostly agricultural. Our 30 acres is bordered by orange groves, strawberry and blueberry fields on 3 sides so the possibility of pesticides in the ground water was a huge concern to us. Testing didn't reveal any problems there (or obviously we would not have bought the property) but other (non-harmful) things in the water became a problem for us later. Good luck. I hope you find a solution.

Morella · Answer

Have you tried CLR ???? It's simple but it works 99% of the times !! Good luck !

Amanda Gleckler · Answer

I have really bad hard water too. CLR works great. I know it takes a lot of work but if you unhook the water lines and soak the faucet hardware in a bucket it cleans it right up.

98466 · Answer

Thanks morella and Amanda. CLR takes the finish off the bronze fixtures. They end up looking pinkish brass :(

Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com · Answer

I agree with Shari on this. Get a professional water treatment company in to test the water and suggest the necessary equipment to prevent this. While there will always be a very slight salt residue in the water after leaving the softener. This appears that the unit is not flushing properly or its being recharged to often. 
Water testing for home sales will not tag issues that you are having, They are looking for bacteria only. 
Instead of using CLR, try vinegar, Its a bit safer and will remove those deposits without harming the fixture.

3KsMom · Answer

Have you tried vinegar? Cheap so worth the try. Soak a cloth in cider vinegar and lay against the faucet overnight if possible. Vinegar removes all kinds of mineral deposits if that is what is  what is causing the problem.

Adrianne C · Answer

You don't need a deep well. I've lived about 30 miles away from Panama City most all my life, and had a state licensed community well. My well man put it about 90 feet into coral. Huge difference. I also had a Culligan system on it. Salt is cheaper at Walmart BTW. The old 450' well put in back in the 60's had turned to salt. That same aquifer runs east and west along the coast, and it effects everyone there with a well. I found a well man that was very knowledgeable, and of good reputation, who's father had put in wells for my dad's houses.

Wanda.ll · Answer

Go to www.happyhandyman.com and see What Johnnie Chuoke has to say.He can  get you the right stuff to take care of this problem.

Hope Williams · Answer

We have a home in South Georgia.  For each test performed, a different sample bottle must be collected.  Our well contained arsenic.  Please, please, PLEASE, contact a professional water testing facility.  Not a treatment company.  You live in the same 'arsenic reef' that we do.  I can not stress enough that the water you are drinking comes from way north of you, not just from your immediate area.

Betty · Answer

Hot vinegar works great.,

Rosemary Kelly · Answer

It could be the plating on the faucet too. We got some inexpensive bathroom fixtures that were made in China and the plating is corroded. Never has happened before. We have city water.

Karen · Answer

As well as being on the faucets, fixtures and drains, this residue is all over my dishes in the dishwasher, is that common? I've had city water all my life and this is new to me, I'm in an apartment complex now (Norristown, PA), also new to me. Can anyone comment on apartment water supply systems? I'm in a basement apartment and don't know if that has any impact on the situation. Not sure but I think the problem is becoming progressively worse. Thanks for any input.

DJJASON · Answer

See if you can find white plastic faucets. They look great and are unaffected by vinegar or toilet bowl cleaner.

Karin From B'ham · Answer

Cola products (diet or regular) will clean rust from patio furniture and corrosion from car batteries, so you might give that a shot. Cheap, off-brand soda is about 69 cents for 3 liters. (A reason I don't drink soft drinks! Anything that will dissolve rust doesn't need to go into my body!)

Jeanette S · Answer

My sister lives on the gulf coast and all her faucets are a mess...well water too. My question to her is always, 'don't you know your insides look like that too?' I keep telling her to have her water tested but she doesn't! I have trouble even drinking coffee at her house! I would NEVER have well water without having it tested regularly. There is a difference between treated and filtered water!

Linda · Answer

You may not need a softner, just a rust and sediment filter. Have your water checked by the county, or someone independent first. This problem is totally avoided with the rust and sediment filter and you are not adding unneeded salt to your water

Dana J Grant · Answer

Mix equal parts vinegar and Dawn dish soap. Mix and put a little in one of those hands wand dish soap dish washers, Keep it by the sink. For the first time leave it on for two hours with out being disturbed, then take a none abrasive pad and wipe it. It should come off.

Marlene · Answer

I can't believe all you people! You obviously can't read! She stated very plainly, vinegar also ruins the finish on her faucets! SHISH!!!

Tess · Answer

LOL...vinegar ;) I don't think anyone is reading...

Susan Alkire · Answer

If you live in FL, it will not take you very long to know that the salt air as well as the water is very corrosive. You may fix the problem temporarily but unless your home is totally air tight you will always have corrosion due to the salt in the air.

Pat · Answer

Could you ask a plumber? One that is from your area and see what they say. The big box stores that sell faucets should be able to tell you what to use. I am guessing it is the salt air that is corrosive and adding vinegar to the mix would not be good. I am sure a plumber would have some ideas.

Sue Dunlap · Answer

I clean houses for a living. I have seen a lot of corrosion. I like to use Comet Bathroom cleaner. Not the powder, the spray. It has citric acid in it. It works great ! I don't know if it will hurt your faucets, though.

Susan S · Answer

White vinegar...soak a towel with white vinegar and wrap it securely around the faucet and or any other mineral deposited fixture.  White vinegar brought to a boil in a wide mouth pot left in a closed room with cigarette smoke will neutralize the smell of the smoke.  White vinegar put into the electric coffee pot and allowed to go through the cycle several times will help to remove hard water deposits and then put clear water through it a few times.  Putting a good amount of vinegar down a drain will help keep a drain do what it is a drain does best.  And for the best of the rest...soak your feet in white vinegar for 20 or 30 mins and then you can easily rub calluses of your feet.  A money saving treatment for toe nail fungus which I have tried and it worked for me...soak your feet in white vinegar for 20 to 30 mins. Be sure to carefully cut the toenail/s as short as you can without harming you toenail.  I never had a problem like this until I went to have a pedi.  It has taken 2 years and a lot of vinegar but the nails are healthy and all but one has grown to the 'clear of fungus' stain but, it is well on its way.  Keep the nail as short as possible, again be carefully not to cut the nail below the quick where it might hurt.

Maggie Bancroft · Answer

A white vinegar soaked rag or face cloth wrapped around the faucet for a couple of hours. Wipe dry and apply mineral oil.let dry and buff. I have used this method on my bronze faucet and it works just fine and will not eat the finish.

Bridget · Answer

Have you tried CLR? It's suppose to be non-corrosive and I use it the clean stainless steel and my shower head once a year. It works great. It's available at the home improvement stores and even in the grocery store cleaning aisles.

Morgan · Answer

I've used Bar Keeper's Friend cleanser with great results for hard water stains on our chrome and stainless finish faucets.  Only thing that's removed the rust stains from the porcelain too, it's strong and very versatile.  Not sure if it would work on your finishes or not, I'd test it in back first.  Frustrating problem, I know, good luck with it!

Adrianne C · Answer

It isn't necessarily the salt in the air, it's the moisture from the ground and air. It's Florida.

Wanda.ll · Answer

Why not contact the company who made them? Ask them what to use they made them and I'm sure they tried out all kinds of stains. Monen is a great company by the way. They have replaced faucets for me due to lifetime warranty they have.

White water deposits. Help!

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White water deposits. Help!

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