How to Wash Your Clothes After Installing a Water Softener

It is hard to make your home sparkling clean if you’re cleaning with hard water. This is especially true when it comes to laundry. The minerals in hard water can build up in your fabrics, making them look dull and feel scratchy. 

A water softener solves the problems created by hard water but can affect your laundry routine. For San Antonio residents, after installing a water softener, you may notice a change in how your laundry feels. Follow this guide from Kinetico SA for tips on how to wash clothes with soft water.

What is Hard Water

Hard water contains more minerals – like calcium and magnesium – than soft water. These elements cause build-up on surfaces when the water dries. Hard water deposits manifest throughout your home.

• Foggy shower doors
• Cloudy glassware
• Buildup around faucets
• Limescale deposits in bathtub
• Toilet rings

The same thing happens to your laundry. Without a lot of soap and fabric softener, your clothes can feel crunchy or scratchy. Over time, your laundry habits will develop to combat the effects of hard water. 

This often means using more laundry detergent and fabric softener with each load. With all these added products and extra effort, you may notice your clothes wearing out faster than expected. 

What Makes Water Soft

Soft water contains less calcium and magnesium than hard water. It often rinses cleanly with no build-up. Also, a house water softener can prevent plumbing issues and slow down appliance wear and tear, since there are fewer mineral deposits. Soft water can make clothes and linens last longer, too.

Soft water rinses cleanly with less soap, increasing the lifespan of your fabrics. Also, because of the low mineral content, your fabrics stay looking brighter for longer. Once you choose to install a water softener, your laundry routine will change for the better.

Soft Water Requires Less Soap

With hard water, you need to use lots of soap to clean your clothes. Usually, soap clings to dirt and grime and suspends it in suds, allowing water to wash it away. Hard water prevents lots of suds, as soap clings to what’s in the water not what’s on your clothes. You may have to wash your belongings multiple times in hard water just to get them to feel and look clean.

On the other hand, soft water doesn’t contain minerals that prevent soap from making suds. So you can use less soap for the same job and get better, cleaner results. Investing in a water softener can save you money on laundry expenses and save you time during your daily routines.

Soft Water Outperforms Fabric Softener

Hard water deposits can build up on the fibers of your fabrics, making them feel stiff. Also, static electricity commonly affects homes with hard water. Stiff fabrics and static electricity combine to make your clothes feel very uncomfortable. A common solution is to use a lot of fabric softener and dryer sheets. Over time, though, waxy substances in these products will build up on your clothes, resulting in a slick texture.

Laundry washed in soft water doesn’t attract as much static electricity. So you can use up to 50% less fabric softener with each load. Also, soft water is more effective at rinsing clean, resulting in softer, less static-ridden clothes. Using a home water softener keeps your clothes from feeling waxy and can save you money on your monthly expenses.

The Temperature of Soft Water

With hard water, the hotter the better. Soap residue rinses better with hot hard water. But hot water wears your fabrics out faster. Also, the high demand for hot water puts a toll on your water heater and can drive up your monthly utility bills. 

Soft water doesn’t need to be hot to rinse effectively. Even heavy items like bedding and towels rinse well with warm soft water. Washing clothes in soft water makes your clothing last longer and gets your items cleaner than hard water.

House Water Softener

While it does require a change in laundry habits, soft water is worth the effort. Using less laundry detergent and fabric softener can save you money on your monthly expenses. Also, using less hot water can cut down on utility costs. With a home water softener, your clothes will be soft and clean and last much longer.

Trust Kinetico SA

Investing in a water softener is a smart move for your household. Benefit from cleaner, softer laundry and save money on your monthly expenses.

If it’s time to make the switch to soft water, contact Kinetico SA. We understand the importance of a job done well, and we guarantee to do it right!