Examine your kettle or coffee pot. Do you see a white, chalky film inside? That’s scale. It’s a hard water calling card.
4 ways to measure water hardness _ how to check water hardness – PBFF
Take a peek at your shower head, too. Those little nozzles clogged with white gunk? That’s also scale. Your appliances are literally crying for help.
If you see scale, your water is definitely hard. No test needed. The evidence is right there, waving at you.
The DIY test strip method (sciency but easy)
You can buy water test strips at any hardware store. They’re cheap. They look like little white plastic tabs.
Dip one in a glass of tap water for a second. Wait a few seconds. The strip changes color. Match the color to the chart on the bottle.
It tells you exactly how hard your water is in grains per gallon. Super precise. But honestly? The soap shake is way more fun.
