Attention Homeowners: Learn Why Hard Water Makes Chores Harder

Drain

February 02, 2013

Life is tough enough without our everyday chores being, well, a chore! 

And believe it or not, hard water makes your cleaning chores even more of a pain because of how it interacts with your soaps and detergents. 

But before we get into those details, let’s talk about what hard water is.

What is hard water, exactly?

Hard water is water that has a lot of dissolved calcium and magnesium. 

See, when rainwater falls, it’s naturally “soft” (meaning it does not contain dissolved minerals.) But as it makes its way through the ground and into our waterways, it picks up a variety of minerals like lime, chalk, and mostly calcium and magnesium. 

According to the U.S Geological Survey (USGS) a large portion of Florida has a high concentration of calcium carbonate, one of the key ingredients in hard water. 

So how does this calcium and magnesium affect how you do your chores?

Hard water makes chores harder and increases your costs

Hard water is the reason you:

  • Need to use more soap and synthetic detergents to get things clean. 
  • Have unsightly soap scum rings in the bathtub.
  • Have leftover annoying spots and streaks on your glassware and dishes after they are washed.

Without getting into too much detail, the reason for these problems is how the magnesium and calcium in the hard water reacts with your soap and detergent to hinder their cleaning power.

The result is that you need to spend more time cleaning, and more money on detergent and rinse cycles to get things clean.

Hard water can also shorten the life of your water-using appliances because of how the minerals clog pipes and cause excessive wear on moving parts.

For example, according to the Water Quality Association, “Washing machines used with hard water can wear out up to 30 percent faster. A washing machine, which might otherwise last 10 years, will likely last as few as 7 years where hard water deposits can be formed.”

The soft water solution

So, what’s the solution to hard water? To soften it up, of course! You can do this by installing a water softening system to rid your water of the calcium and magnesium.

The benefits of softer water include:

  • Forming better soap lather for easier dishwashing (and thus reducing leftover amounts of “soap scum”)
  • Having sparkling glasses with less spots.
  • Having scum-free shower curtains and bath tubes.
  • Saving more money saved since you will use less soap and detergents.
  • Prolonging the life of your washing machine, dishwasher, and water heater.

Make life easier

If you’re interested in making life easier by reducing the pains of washing related chores and want to save money in the process, contact Plumbing Today to get your own water softening system. We serve communities throughout Florida and have locations in Sarasota, Tampa, Naples, and Orlando.

Posted in: Tips

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