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If you find yourself spending too much time on household chores, there's a simple solution that may help make your life easier: use softened water.
Tasks such as washing dishes, doing laundry and cleaning the bathroom and kitchen are easier and less time-consuming with softened water - and softened water brings added benefits such as softer skin and shinier hair.
Hard water forms when naturally occurring minerals enter water sources. It is also very common in this country. Eighty-five percent of the U.S. geography has hard water, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. As our population grows and becomes more diverse, many homeowners may be feeling the effects of hard water without even realizing it.
The naturally occurring minerals in "hard" water make it difficult for soaps, detergents and shampoos to lather, which in turn forces you to scrub harder when cleaning your home. In fact, the term "hard water" originally referred to water that was difficult or hard to work with.
Installing a water softener in your home can greatly reduce the natural hard minerals found in water. Inside the water softener, salt pellets are used to charge thousands of tiny resin beads with sodium ions. As hard water moves over the resin beads, the minerals are replaced with sodium ions, creating soft water.
Other benefits:
Make Clothes Last Longer. According to one estimate, clothes wear out 15 percent faster when washed in hard water. Softened water is gentler on your clothing.
Keep kitchenware looking new. Hard water can create film buildup on dishes and glassware. Softened water keeps kitchenware looking new longer.
Clean with ease. Hard water can create hard filmy soap rings on bathtubs and sinks. Softened water helps keep fixtures clean and shiny.
Makes appliances last longer. The American Water Works Association has found that washing machines used with hard water can wear out up to 30% faster than machines used with soft water. Softened water reduces wear on your washer.
Use less soap, detergent and shampoo. Hard water inhibits soaps and shampoos from lathering, so you may be using more soap and shampoo than necessary. Save money by using soft water, which requires less soap to get things clean.
Enjoy softer skin. When you bathe or shower in hard water, mineral deposits are left behind on your body, which may dry out your skin. These minerals are removed from softened water to make your skin feel softer and smoother.
Keep hair shiny and clean. Hard water mineral deposits can also leave your hair looking dull, while shampooing in softened water can reveal your hair's natural shine.
