OUC reports Orlando water at 129 parts per million of hardness, about 7 grains per gallon. Here is what that means for glass, chrome and tile, who supplies the rest of the area, and how to keep fixtures clear.
Orlando water comes up from deep in the Floridan Aquifer, and it carries dissolved minerals with it. Every drop that dries on a shower door or faucet leaves a little of those minerals behind. Over weeks, the spots join into a haze. This guide explains the local numbers, which utility supplies which part of the area, and how to clean mineral film without damaging the surfaces underneath.
The Orlando Utilities Commission draws its water from the Lower Floridan Aquifer and uses an ozone treatment process to remove unpleasant tastes and odors. OUC reports an average hardness of 129 parts per million, which it also expresses as 7 grains per gallon.
Winter Park runs its own utility. Its four interconnected plants supply about 24,000 connections, and its treatment includes chlorination, ozonation and sodium hydroxide added for corrosion control of copper piping.
Lake Mary pumps from six groundwater wells in the upper Floridan Aquifer and treats with an ultraviolet light advanced oxidation process, granular activated carbon and chlorination.
Toho Water Authority, the largest water provider in Osceola County, where Kissimmee sits, draws from the Floridan Aquifer and runs 17 water treatment facilities. Each utility publishes a yearly water quality report, and it is worth reading yours for its own hardness figure.
Mineral film shows up first where water sits and dries. In an Orlando home that usually means the lower third of a glass shower door, the base of the kitchen faucet, the rim of the sink drain, showerhead nozzles and the inside of an electric kettle. Dark tile shows white spots; chrome turns dull; the dishwasher leaves a light film on glasses.
Humidity plays a part. Morning humidity averages 88 percent in Orlando, so a wet shower dries slowly and water stays on the glass longer. The longer it sits, the more minerals settle out in one spot.
Mild acids dissolve mineral deposits, which is why diluted white vinegar or a commercial hard water cleaner works on glass and chrome. The care is in where you use them.
A One-Time Deep Clean treats shower glass for hard water spots and details faucets, including the bases and the area behind the handles, where film collects unseen. The same work is part of the Initial Deep Clean that starts every recurring plan. After that, regular Recurring House Cleans keep fixtures wiped and glass clear so the film never builds back to its starting point. See the deep cleaning guide for the full list.
Some glass cannot be fully restored. Years of minerals can etch the surface, leaving a permanent cloudiness that no cleaner removes. Catching spots early is the only real fix for that.
About 14 percent of homes inside Orlando were built before 1960, and older fixtures with worn finishes need gentler products than new ones. In the newer suburbs, where about 43 percent of Orange County housing dates from 2000 or later, the concern flips: matte black and brushed fixtures show mineral spots quickly and scratch easily, so soft cloths and mild cleaners matter just as much.
The questions Orlando homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Orlando and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
