Orange stains in your shower are likely hard water stains caused by excess minerals like magnesium and iron in your water. Even if your water appears clear, the minerals will oxidize with air and stick to soap scum in the shower. They are not harmful to your health but can be unsightly.
While city water may contain some levels of iron, well water is especially likely to have a problematic amount. Iron will eventually stain appliances and clothing an undesirable orange or brown color. Such water often appears clear as it first comes out of the pipes.
Iron in the water.
Your household water supply might contain high levels of iron, which combine with leftover soap scum to form a rusty orange deposit on plumbing fixtures, tubs and sinks.
Hydrogen peroxide can also be mixed with Borax for a tough treatment for orange water stains. Products like Iron Out, available in a powder form or spray, are specifically made to remove difficult rust stains.
Hard water stains are known by many names – limescale, mineral deposits, mineral buildup, hard water deposits – but the meaning is the same. Hard water stains appear as chalky white residue that results from buildup of excess minerals present in hard water.
Baking Soda and White Vinegar
For any area that's a tougher stain, sprinkle some baking soda on the area or create a baking soda paste with the vinegar and allow it to sit on the stain for an hour before scrubbing and rinsing. Repeat as necessary.
Calcium deposits are denser than efflorescence and will usually appear as white streaks running down a material's surface. Because the calcium forms right below a material's surface, water will not affect its appearance.
One of the main causes of orange stains in showers is iron in the water. If your water supply contains high levels of iron, it can react with the oxygen in the air and create orange rust stains. This is especially common in older homes with outdated plumbing systems.
These hard water stains are not permanent; however, if they're allowed to build up over time, you could end up with layers of scale in your bathroom plumbing or around the valves of your dishwasher which could lead to costly repairs down the line.
Additional Tips for Handling Orange Juice Stains
You can use chlorine bleach to remove the stains from cotton white garments and linens (follow the product directions carefully). Alternatively, for items that are not colorfast, mix a solution of oxygen-based bleach in cool water following package directions.
A Rusty Water Heater or Heater Parts
Replacing them should clear up your water supply. The tank itself may have rusted, or the dip tube that injects cold water into the hot tank may be damaged — causing it to mix water with mineral deposits already there.
Iron in water does not usually present a health risk. Your body needs iron to transport oxygen in the blood. Most iron comes from food, since the body cannot easily absorb iron from water. Iron may present some concern if harmful bacteria have entered a well.
Water described as “hard” contains high amounts of dissolved calcium and magnesium. Hard water is not a health risk but is a nuisance because of mineral buildup on plumbing fixtures' and poor soap and or detergent performance. Water is a good solvent and picks up impurities easily.
Hard Water Stains Look Like White Scale Buildup
For example, you might notice some cloudy or foggy stains on your shower doors, bathtubs, and faucets. If you have ever seen calcium or magnesium in their solid states, you will know that they are white.
Vinegar. Vinegar is a safe, all-natural household cleaner with the amazing ability to combat hard water stains. Pour some in a spray bottle and squirt any surface where you find hard water stains. Let it sit for five to 15 minutes to give the vinegar time to break down the minerals in the chalky, white stain.
Soap scum is commonly a whitish color, but can also appear as an orange, yellow, or gray film in your shower area. This waxy film will continue to build up over time, and can harbor mold and mildew, so removing soap scum regularly will make it easier to manage and prevent additional issues.
The EPA doesn't force testing for secondary pollutants. This means rusty water may find its way into your home water supply, but bathing in rusty water isn't dangerous.
If you're wondering if rusty-colored water is safe to bathe in, the answer is usually yes. A slight discoloration in water does not indicate a health risk.
If a sample of calcium chloride is introduced into a nonluminous flame, the color of the flame turns to orange ('flame test'). The light is emitted because calcium atoms become excited; their return to the ground state results in light emission.
Many experts agree that the bacteria that causes these pink stains is most likely Serratia marcescens, a bacteria which is found naturally in soil, food, and in animals. Serratia, which produce a characteristic red pigment, thrive on moisture, dust, and phosphates and need almost nothing to survive.
White vinegar is a natural solution that can be utilized to dissolve calcium buildup. Sitting overnight, you will be able to remove lime buildup from the drain while avoiding the harsh chemicals in traditional drain cleaners. Avoid putting any store-bought chemicals down the drain.