If your kettle furs up fast, your shower screen is covered in white marks, and your skin feels tight after washing, there is a good chance you live in a hard-water area. More than 60% of the UK does. This guide explains what hard water is, which parts of the UK are worst affected, and how to check your own area in seconds.

What is hard water?

Hard water is water with a high level of dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium, picked up as rainwater filters through rock like chalk and limestone. The more of these minerals your water contains, the "harder" it is.

Hard water is not harmful to drink, but it is tough on your home and your body. It leaves limescale on taps, kettles and shower screens, stops soap lathering properly, and can leave skin dry and irritated and hair dull and harder to manage.

Which parts of the UK have the hardest water?

Water hardness follows geology, so it varies a lot across the country. As a general guide, the hardest water is found across the south and east of England, where the ground is rich in chalk and limestone:

• London and the South East (including much of Greater London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex)
• The East of England (Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire)
• Parts of the Midlands and Lincolnshire
• Central southern England, including areas around Reading, Oxford, Luton and Milton Keynes

Cities such as London, Ipswich, Norwich, Cambridge, Peterborough, Chelmsford, Southampton and Brighton are commonly among the hardest-water areas in the country.

Which areas have soft water?

Softer water is more common in the north and west, where the underlying rock is harder and less soluble:

• Scotland (largely soft water)
• Wales (mostly soft to moderate)
• North West England, including Manchester, Liverpool and the Lake District
• Parts of the South West and North East

If you live in these areas you are less likely to battle limescale, though water quality can still vary street to street.

How to check if your water is hard

Geography gives you a rough idea, but the only way to know for sure is to check your specific postcode, because supply areas and treatment vary. Use our free water report tool to check your area in seconds, no sign-up needed.

You can also spot the everyday signs of hard water at home:

• White, chalky limescale on your kettle, taps and shower screen
• Soap and shower gel that will not lather well
• Skin that feels tight, dry or itchy after washing
• Hair that feels dull, rough or hard to manage

What to do if you live in a hard-water area

You cannot change your water supply, but you can change the water you shower in. A whole-home water softener removes the minerals entirely, but it is a costly, plumbed-in system. For most people, the quickest and most affordable step is a shower filter.

The Clossyo Original shower filter screws onto your existing shower in about five minutes and uses KDF-55 and activated carbon to reduce chlorine by up to 99% along with heavy metals and sediment, helping your skin feel softer and your hair healthier, and reducing limescale build-up on your fittings. There is also a Lavender Scented version if you like a calming aroma.

The bottom line

Most of the UK, and almost all of the south and east of England, has hard water that is tough on skin, hair and home. Check your own area with the water report tool, and if you are in a hard-water zone, a shower filter is the easy, affordable way to make your daily shower gentler from day one.

Not sure about your area? Check it with our free water report, then explore the Clossyo Original and Lavender Scented filters, both with a 30-day money-back guarantee and free UK delivery over £35.