Cleaner, Softer Clothing with Soft Water

Premium filtered water: Your clothes will hug you for it.

Do you have hard water? No, we don’t mean ice. Hard water is mineral-rich tap water that is entirely safe to drink but can spell trouble for your plumbing, fixtures, and appliances.

You can see the trickle-down effects of pipes filled with hard water in washing machines, the clothes in your closet, and even on your skin. Today we’re going to shine a spotlight on hard water’s relationship with laundry and how you can soften hard water for that fluffy, fresh, right out of the dryer feel.

One of the more annoying aspects of hard water is how it reacts with soaps and detergents in the washing machine, dishwasher, and shower. This leads to another frustrating problem: dingy, stiff clothes that don’t want to seem to get clean.

Why is that?

Well, because of hard water. Let’s start at the beginning.

The water in your home could come from multiple sources. It might come from an underground water source - like a well. Or it might find its way into the world above through rock or soil. Along the way, minerals – usually calcium and magnesium – are deposited into the water at high concentrations. While the presence of these minerals does not make the water dangerous, it can still do some serious damage. For example, when that water combines with laundry soap, it forms a substance known as ‘curd.’

The presence of curd in the clothes washing process makes getting your clothing truly clean- much like the water itself - harder. Because hard water causes soap curd and detergent deposits to cling to fibers. This can affect the texture of your clothes, making the fabric feel rougher, while also dulling colors and even giving the white fabric a grey or yellow tinge. The stress this puts on the garment can dramatically shorten its lifespan. So long, favorite sweatshirt - loved you long time.

Other cleaning problems hard water can cause include:

• Wasting soap and detergents in the washing machine (and dishwasher)
• Bathing and cleaning are tougher on hair and skin
• Scale deposits build up over time in all appliances that use water (including washing machines, dishwashers, and hot water heaters), reducing their effectiveness over time

How to Solve Your Hard Water Problems in the Laundry

So, what to do about eliminating the bad deeds hard water does?

Your best plan of action: install a water softener or water softener alternative system from Pentair Water Solutions. Our water softeners use salt to replace the hard water causing mineral ions with sodium before backwashing them down the drain and out of your water for good. On the flip side, our industry-leading Water Softener Alternative with NaturSoft Salt-Free technology conditions your water without the use of salt, making virtually maintenance-free. Both options will give you the water you desire, leaving you with softer, cleaner clothes and longer lasting, more efficient appliances.

At Pentair, we use our unrivaled expertise to help you move, improve and enjoy water throughout your home. So here’s to outfitting your clothing with an extra layer of comfort and vibrancy that lasts.  With conditioned water in the house, minerals can no longer hamper your laundry from looking and feeling its best.