How to Soften Hard Water for Bathing?

Is Hard Water Good for Bathing?

Hard water is not as good as soft water is for bathing, but unfortunately, most households in Canada have hard water. The reason is that hard water has a high mineral content, of calcium and magnesium ions, whereas soft water contains less of these minerals. Calcium and magnesium ions in the hard water react with the soap, forming an insoluble conjunction, called soap scum, that prevents a clean lather. This means you need more soap to get clean and the bathtub gets a white grimy stain around it from the leftover soap scum.

One temporary solution to soften hard bath water is to add bath salts. The calcium and magnesium ions in the water are replaced with sodium and potassium ions from the salt, allowing the soap to lather much more easily. In addition, the salt and essential oils will still have a beneficial effect on your skin.

If you're in search of a more long term solution, consider installing a whole house water softener to truly enjoy the benefits of soft water throughout your home.

Why Bathing in Soft Water Is Better

For most, bathing in soft water can be a relaxing experience. A long soak in a warm tub can be the perfect end to a stressful day, a way to relax your muscles after a tough workout or a method to warming up your body after being out in the cold.

While essential oils, bath salts or bath gels are typically used as a way to soften skin, there may be something preventing these things from bubbling and doing their job – your hard water!

If you find yourself pouring more bath soap into your tub in order to get the adequate amount of bubbles, you’re not alone! An overwhelming 85 percent of Canadian homes have hard water, so the likelihood that you live with hard water is high. Not only can hard water start costing you more, but it can also contribute to dry skin, brittle hair and clogged pores.

When you have hard water, calcium and magnesium react negatively with the ingredients in your products, such as bath gels, leaving fewer bubbles in your tub.

There are a variety of quick fixes you can try to get your bubbles back, but the problem will never be solved completely until you get a proper water softener.

A water softener will not only generate more bubbles, but will maintain the softness of your water throughout the day and night. Hard water can stain your toilets, sinks and water-using appliances as well generate scale in your plumbing and pipes. This slows the performance of water in your home.

How do you reduce the hardness of water in a bath?

So you’re experiencing skin that feels dry, hair that appears dull, and frustratingly low shower pressure, yup, you're suffering from the effects of hard water in your home. Don't worry, you aren't alone. Here are some of the quick-fix solutions people normally try

1. Bath salts – Wondering how do you soften hard water naturally? Bath salts don’t only perfume bathwater, they also soften it by releasing sodium and potassium ions that replace the calcium and magnesium that cause water hardness.

• Baking soda – While adding baking soda to your bath won’t chemically soften the water, it will make it feel slicker and cause your skin to feel softer. To try this method, add ½ a cup of baking soda to a tubful of water and soak in the bath for about 15 minutes.
• Install a shower filter – Some shower filters claim to make your skin and hair feel softer by removing chlorine from your water. While this might help offset some of the drying effects of chlorine, keep in mind that faucet filters cannot truly soften bathwater.

You might find that some of the methods above will help your skin and hair to feel less dry. But keep in mind they are only temporary remedies. Do you really want to have to add bath salts or baking soda to your bath every single time just to avoid hard water? If the answer is “no” and you're looking instead for a long-lasting solution that will soften your water in your entire home, as well as potentially increase your water pressure, then Aquatell can help you.

What is a water softener?

The solution to the problem is to get rid of the calcium and magnesium.  Softening water for your entire household will increase the quality of your baths. Whole-house water softeners come in a variety of sizes and styles to accommodate the size of your home and family. The softener is installed in the basement, garage, utility closet or wherever water enters the house. All water softeners use the same operating principle: They trade the minerals for something else, in most cases sodium through a process is called ion exchange.

Investing in a water softener saves you time, energy, and money, and protects your home and your property. If you want to learn about how an Aquatell water softener can permanently soften your bath water and all the other water in your home, contact Aquatell today!