You probably use water softener in your home, but you might not be aware of just how many benefits you get from it. Softer water requires less soap for the best cleaning effects of washing clothes or dishes, and it usually looks clearer than its hardened counterpart. It’s never fun to have to replace the water softener in your home, but understanding a few of the extra benefits it provides might make the task less of a hassle for you.
Better Personal Hygiene
Once it is hard, you’ll notice slight changes in how your water feels when you bathe. While this is fine for a few days, it can cause some hygiene issues if it goes on too long. Hard water tends to leave a film on the surface of your skin that can feel slimy and unpleasant. In addition to this, it dries out your hair and skin faster than soft water does. Adding some softener to your water will make it easier for you to moisturize and stay clean.
Improved Plumbing Health
Hard water differs enough from the soft stuff that it can lead to issues with your pipes. The composition of hard water can lead to a buildup of residue called scaling. This scaling can lead to slower or clogged pipes eventually, necessitating a plumbing expert’s visit in order to fix things. In addition to making it harder to use water in your sinks, showers, or tubs, you’ll end up going through more water just to get the job done. Using as little water as possible is helpful for you and great for the environment.
Nicer Clothes
Soft water might not make your clothes look like new, high-end garments every time you wash them, but it will still improve them. Water that is too hard has minerals in it that can be problematic for your clothes. If you notice that all of your clothing feels scratchy on your skin, it could be a water hardness issue. In the same way that hard water dries you out, it produces similar effects on your clothes.
More Stain-Free Surfaces
Water softener works by taking out some of the minerals that are present in the stuff that gets pumped into your home. One of the issues caused by these minerals is stains that can appear on the surfaces hit by the water. Bathtubs, showers, or sinks can develop unsightly brown or yellowish tinges after some time with hard water. Your cutlery and dishes can also look or feel less clean than they are thanks to hard water. Some softener might not eliminate this issue completely, but you should see fewer problems in this area once you add some.
If you’re asking yourself whether you need to use a water softener at all, the answer will usually be yes. The precise hardness of the water you get can vary from one region or city to the next. However, most places need occasional softening to give you the results, look, and feel of the water you are used to.