How to Remove and Prevent Hard Water Deposits
Q. We have a terrible problem with hard-water deposits in our ceramic tile shower. We were told that installing a water softener would solve this problem. What is your recommendation?
A. I definitely agree, that a water softener will resolve the problem. A water softener will remove most of the minerals that cause hard-water deposits, and you will probably use less soap and shampoo, avoiding soap build-up as well. If you choose not to install a water softener, a solution of vinegar and water will help remove the spotting on your ceramic shower, but the permanent fix would be to install a water softener.
Please note: This is definitely not the solution for a marble or natural stone shower. You never want to clean natural stone with vinegar, because the acids will react with the calcium in the stone, resulting in etch damage.