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Is Your Water

Leaving Stains?

Mysterious stains on your bathtub, toilet, or laundry may indicate a problem with your water.
 

Is Your Water

Leaving Stains?

Mysterious stains on your bathtub, toilet, or laundry may indicate a problem with your water.
 

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Staining Could Be a Symptom of Water Issues

Does it seem like your sinks and bathtubs are constantly stained no matter how often you clean them? Or, do your clothes somehow look less clean after going through your washing machine? If mystery stains are a common occurrence in your house, your water may be the culprit.

What Causes Water to Leave Stains?

Iron & Manganese

Depending on where you live, your water might contain high amounts of iron or manganese, which can cause rusty orange or black staining. You’ll see these stains on clothes, sinks, tubs, toilets, and water-using appliances like dishwashers.

Acidic Water

When water has a low pH, it often leaves behind telltale blue-green stains. These stains are most noticeable on lighter-colored surfaces that your water comes in contact with, such as sinks, tubs and showers, toilets, and even white fabrics.

Which items can be stained by water?

Fixtures

Water with high iron content can cover fixtures like tubs and sinks in an orange film.

Appliances

Washing machines, water heaters, and other appliances can be stained by water that’s acidic or rich in minerals.

Laundry

High levels of manganese or iron can leave stains on your freshly washed sheets, towels, and clothing.

Eliminating Water Stains

A water analysis can reveal the source of your staining. If your water contains high levels of iron or manganese, a Kinetico Water Softener or a Kinetico Water Filter can help eliminate water staining problems. If the test reveals that you have acidic water, a Crystal Clear Acid Neutralizer will treat your water and eliminate unsightly stains.

What Your Neighbors Are Saying

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Colby Stichter profile picture
Colby Stichter
7 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Kervin installed our new water softener system today and did a great job!
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Bill Phillips profile picture
Bill Phillips
7 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Duane G was very good about communicating his arrival time. His service was excellent. He also made some good suggestions about ways to improve our drinking water quality
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Patrick Mcgee profile picture
Patrick Mcgee
8 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
​We have been using Martin Water for years to maintain our water filtration system, and they are truly great. Duane came over recently—he is always nice, professional, and takes the time to explain everything he’s doing so we know exactly what to expect. I highly recommend Martin Water for all your water needs!
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Pete Scarano profile picture
Pete Scarano
9 days ago
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Good work!
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Jeff Lotz profile picture
Jeff Lotz
11 days ago
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Kervin was awesome! Very experienced, talented, and skilled. Super clean job. Great with our dogs, too. Definitely recommend!
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Kelly Smith profile picture
Kelly Smith
14 days ago
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We had a great installation experience. Kervin was knowledgeable, worked efficiently and with excellence. He explained everything we needed to know very well and left everything in even better shape than he found it. We are highly satisfied with the system and the service we received.
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Tim Stahl profile picture
Tim Stahl
15 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Very impressed with Martin Water Conditioning! From Loren coming out to test our well water and walking us through and educating us about our options to Kelton and Jaishun handling the installation, the entire process was smooth and easy. The installers were polite, professional, and great to work with. Our well water is no longer acidic, and we finally have soft water again! We’re very happy with the results and highly recommend their team. Amazing job from start to finish, save yourself the trouble and headache and just call these guys.
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David Anderson profile picture
David Anderson
17 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Another year has past and we just had our yearly Kinetico Water System serviced, that makes 20 years of fantastic water ! Thank you Zach for the professional service you provided.
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Laura Wozniski profile picture
Laura Wozniski
17 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Very efficient. My house had no mess. KERVIN WAS POLITE AND EFFICIENT. THANK YOU.
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Andy LaFaver profile picture
Andy LaFaver
18 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Eric from Martin Water came to our home and installed a new water softener system. He was fantastic. Got the job completed. No issues and it looks great. He instructed us on how to do basic servicing. I highly recommend this company for your plumbing needs.
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Trisha Fittipaldi profile picture
Trisha Fittipaldi
21 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Duane is our Martin tech every year. He explains in easy to understand terms how safe our water is, what the filtration system is doing and how much life is has left, as well as what each filter can do to keep our drinking water safe. As someone who never has well water before I greatly appreciate his clear explanations and thorough work. If you can choose a check choose Duane!
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Carl Deitrich profile picture
Carl Deitrich
22 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
All of the Martin businesses are run extremely well and for a few years now we have been using them exclusively for our water conditioner, flooring, and furniture needs. They are very professional and courteous to a fault. Today Kervin came and installed a new neutralizer, softener, salt tub, and RO system. Our previous system was installed by Martin's and we decided to replace it under a deal they were running. They called it an out of warranty replacement. It came with an over $2,000.00 discount / rebate for the old equipment, 0% financing for a year, a 1 year labor warranty, and a 10 year parts warranty. Kelvin was very friendly, efficient, and did a very nice clean install.
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Tom Bird profile picture
Tom Bird
22 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Dwayne was a great salesman. He explained everything thoroughly and gave us some discounts. Eric and Jason did an excellent job with the installation of the system. Upon completion they reviewed all the components of the system with me. They were very effective, efficient, courteous, and polite.
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Nate Snyder profile picture
Nate Snyder
23 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Kevin was awesome. Pipe cracked and there Was water going everywhere the guys over the phone helped me troubleshoot, initial steps and then Kevin swing by and got everything in tiptop.
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Mark Devlin profile picture
Mark Devlin
23 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Outstanding communication. Duane was very friendly and informative. He explained what he was doing, and why, status of system, and each piece of equipment, and made recommendations based on his observations with proof to substantiate his statements. All with a smile.
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Bruce Gaston profile picture
Bruce Gaston
23 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Zach completed our water system maintenance in a professional manner. Zach detected issues with the home water system that needed immediate attention. Zach scheduled a service appointment to correct the issues. Zach represented Martin Water Conditioning in a very professional manner.
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Bob Holland profile picture
Bob Holland
24 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Quick and professional service. Very happy with the service provided.
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Dennis profile picture
Dennis
25 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Very good installation. The only thing I wished they had done was test rhe water pH after install.
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Randy Ringler profile picture
Randy Ringler
25 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Always exceptional service from Martin Water. Zach and Jonny were excellent. Very grateful for a company you can trust.
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Cathy Witmer profile picture
Cathy Witmer
25 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Zach arrived in the alloted time frame & called before coming. He was very polite & efficient.
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Gordon Hammond profile picture
Gordon Hammond
36 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Excellent consultation and service from Duane.
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Terrence Breslin profile picture
Terrence Breslin
37 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Luke's exceptional technical service was complimented by his demeanor in providing the best customer service possible. He handled the entire workload himself efficiently & thoroughly and the cleanup afterwards. This is a reflection of all the Martin's techs showing consistency in providing high-quality service. I welcome Luke's service response to any & all future technical service calls.
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Lindsay Groves profile picture
Lindsay Groves
45 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
From the initial phone call to the installation, this company shines with professionalism and care. Eric installed our system; he was kind, professional, efficient in his skill, and even paused his work to kill a spider on my front porch for me. If I could give him 1000 stars I would (just for the spider killing.)
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Mark Fink profile picture
Mark Fink
47 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
They installed a Kinetico water softener and K5 RO unit in our home + bypassed the outdoor hose bibs. They did a great job -- clean and thorough. System is working great. Highly recommend. The entire experience was smooth and easy; they did everything they agreed to do.
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Jewel Greenberg profile picture
Jewel Greenberg
48 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
After purchasing our new home which is on well water, I took water samples to Martin Water Conditioning. Dave (David?) answered many questions for me by phone and in person, then Loren came out to assess our current system and walk us through it since it was new to us, followed by John that same week who came out to update some of our filters and add a UV light. From start to finish, every single person we worked with was fantastic. Dave, Loren, and John were all wealths of knowledge, amenable to answering questions, and thoroughly explained the parts of the system we have, how they work together, and how to maintain them. If you're looking for a company full of knowledgable, professional, and genuinely nice people, Martin Water Conditioning is a great match. Thank you, everyone! We really appreciate the time you took with us. :)
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Frequently Asked Questions

The most common water stains are orange or rust-colored stains and blue-green stains. The color of the stain is often the first and most helpful clue in identifying what’s in your water.

Orange and brown staining is typically caused by iron or manganese, naturally occurring minerals that are especially common in well water throughout the Mid-Atlantic.

Blue-green stains usually indicate acidic water, which corrodes copper pipes and leaves deposits on sinks, tubs, toilets, and even white laundry.
Usually both. While stains are frustrating to clean, they also point to an underlying water quality issue that can cause long-term damage. Iron and manganese can build up inside pipes, coat appliances, and dull laundry over time. Acidic water is more aggressive — it slowly corrodes plumbing, which can lead to leaks and costly repairs. If your water is leaving stains, it’s a sign that something in your water should be addressed, not just cleaned up.
Staining does not automatically mean your water is unsafe, but it is a sign that something in your water should be identified. In many cases, minerals like iron at low levels are more of a nuisance than a health risk.

However, staining can also point to conditions, such as corrosion, that may introduce metals like copper or lead into your water over time. Because there’s no way to know the cause based on staining alone, testing your water is the safest way to determine whether it’s appropriate to continue drinking it untreated.
As soon as possible. Staining is a visible sign that your water is already affecting your home, and the longer it goes unaddressed, the more damage can occur. Iron and manganese can accumulate inside pipes and appliances, reducing efficiency and lifespan. Acidic water continues to corrode plumbing over time, even if you do not see the damage right away. A prompt water test gives you a clear picture of the issue before it becomes more costly to fix.
It depends on the cause. A water softener can remove lower levels of iron and manganese, which helps eliminate orange and brown staining. Higher concentrations may require a dedicated iron filtration system. If the staining is blue-green and caused by acidic water, a softener will not solve the problem — an acid neutralizer is the appropriate treatment instead. Since the solution depends entirely on the cause, testing your water is the first and most important step.

Contact Us

When you need water conditioning services, trust Martin Water. For your no-obligation water analysis or for more information about our premium products, industry-leading warranties, and reliable service, contact us today!

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