Are your eyes playing tricks, or does your favorite white shirt look a little dingy? If you question whether your clothes look and feel clean coming out of the washing machine, you’re not alone. Issues with laundry such as yellowing or graying clothes and stiff towels are not uncommon. If you’re experiencing any of the following issues at home, you are likely dealing with a hard water problem.

Why Hard Water and Laundry Don’t Mix
Hard water contains dissolved compounds of calcium and magnesium – and, simply put, those minerals do not play nice with detergents. The greater the mineral count, the harder the water and the larger the impact could be on laundry. In fact, a study by Purdue University found that clothing washed in hard water wears out 15 percent faster than clothing washed in soft water.

Hard water prevents water from mixing with detergent to form an effective cleaning agent. The calcium minerals bond with the soap to create a detergent curd that sticks to the fabric fibers, drawing in more dirt than before you washed your clothes. Over time, detergent residue can turn your white clothes gray or yellow, and you may even discover white or gray streaks on your colored clothes. This buildup is also what makes laundry feel stiff and crusty. When this happens, fabric is less likely to flex, creating more friction that causes unnecessary wear-and-tear on your laundry.

Common concerns associated with hard water include:

• Laundry grays or yellows easily
• Fabric is stiff and not fluffy
• Clothes are weakened or tear easily
• White or gray streaks appear on colored clothes

To combat this issue, homeowners resort to using even more detergent and hotter water, resulting in additional expenses. At the end of the year, your bills have increased, you’ve spent more in detergent, and you’ve ultimately had to replaced damaged, worn clothing.

Better performance and savings can be found using softened water. That means buying less laundry detergent, saving on utility bills, and clothes last longer and look better. Not to mention, soft water allows appliances to last longer. Moral of the story, if you want cleaner clothes, sheets, and towels, get a water softener.

Fixing the Problem with Soft Water
If you suspect hard water is causing a toll on your clothing, you should begin by determining if you truly have hard water. Start with a simple home test. This soap test will tell you if you have hard water or not; it will not tell you the approximate level of hardness, which is measured in parts per million (ppm).

First, fill a clear container with water. Add approximately 10 drops of soap into your container and shake vigorously. If the container has a good amount of suds at the top and the water below is clear, you likely have soft water. On the other hand, if your water is cloudy and doesn’t have a thick layer of suds on the top, you have a hard water problem. What occurred during this test occurs on a larger scale in your washing machine.

Now that you’ve confirmed you have hard water, you’ll want to call a water treatment professional to determine the exact hardness of your water. They will also test for contaminants which may be resulting in other water problems throughout your house.

With soft water you’ll likely notice other benefits around your house, including:

• Less soap scum in bathrooms
• Cleaner, less-slimy feeling hair
• Softer, less-dry skin
• Longer lasting appliances
• More efficient dishwashing sessions

Time to Call Lindyspring Lake of the Ozarks!
Stop replacing your wardrobe so often and learn more about the difference between hard and soft water. Then talk to a water treatment professional to discuss options tailored to your specific needs. The Lindyspring LCR Series II water softener removes unwanted hardness or minerals from your household water - whether from municipal sources or private wells. Used alone or in combination with Lindyspring filters and neutralizers, this system can meet the most challenging water problems existing today. Count on Lindyspring Systems, the best water treatment company at the Lake of the Ozarks, to provide you with the best possible water quality for your home or business!

For All Your Household Water Conditioning and Treatment Needs Count on LINDYSPRING!