If you've ever questioned whether the clothes coming out of your washer are actually clean, you're not alone. Laundry issues such as stiff towels or yellowing or greying clothing are not uncommon, and are likely caused by hard water. Fortunately, this is a water issue that can easily be rectified. In this week's blog, Lindyspring Lake of the Ozarks is sharing with you some information on how hard water affects the cleanliness and life of your clothing, and how a water softening or conditioning system can help.
Laundry & Hard Water Doesn't Mix
To understand why hard water is so tough on clothing, you first need to know that hard water contains dissolved compounds of calcium and magnesium. These minerals don't mix well with laundry detergents. The harder the water, the tougher it is on your laundry.
Hard water prevents water from mixing with detergent to form an effective cleaning agent. So, basically the calcium mineral bonds with the soap to create a curd that sticks to fibers and draws in more dirt, leaving your clothes dirtier than before you washed them. Over time, the residue can cause your clothing to turn a greyish or yellowish color, and make them feel stiff and crusty.
Studies have shown that clothing washed in hard water wear out 15% faster than clothing washed in soft water. However, rather than fixing the true issue at hand, most homeowners resort to using more detergent and hotter water, resulting in added expenses. This doesn't really fix the problem, and ultimately, you end up having to replace damaged clothing more often.
Fixing the Problem with Soft Water
If you suspect that you have hard water, you can do a simple DIY test to determine whether you have hard or soft water. While this test will be a great indicator of hard water, it will not tell you the hardness of your water. You'll need to have a professional test the exact hardness of your water. Follow these steps to put your water to the test.
1. Fill a Clear Container with Water
Fill your container about a third of the way to the top with water from your faucet. For our test, we have both hard water and soft water so you can see the difference in the end.
2. Squeeze in Some Pure Liquid Soap
Next, squirt about 10 drops of soap into your container. Pure liquid soap is best. Don’t use soap labeled as detergent because it is formulated with additives that will skew results of the test.
3. Shake Vigorously!
Shake your container for at least 10 seconds to mix up the soap and water in an attempt to make soapy bubbles. Don’t forget to put the cap on first!
4. Look for Suds and Water Clarity
If your container has a good amount of suds at the top, and the water underneath the bubbles becomes nice and clear, then you likely have soft water. However, if you don’t get many suds after shaking, and your water looks cloudy, that is a good indication you have hard water.
Once you've determined that you have hard water, and have contacted a professional water treatment company to test the hardness of your water, you can start looking at your options.
Water Softener & Conditioning
At Lindyspring Lake of the Ozarks, we have options that can help battle your hard water problems.
Water Softeners - LCR Series II
An Advanced Water Conditioning System that Can Be Tailored to Fit Your Needs and Water Conditions
The 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. Our water softeners come in different sizes to conform to anything from a condo which is a mini sized unit all the way up to the large units.
Lindyspring Impression Series RC Conditioners
A Single System Used to Effectively Treat Municipal Water
Getting a water softener at the Lake of the Ozarks can help you save money and preserve your clothing, home appliances and plumbing. Don't wait until your hard water problems get worse, it's time to make a call. Contact Lindyspring Systems, the best water treatment company at the Lake of the Ozarks, to get your water source tested. Not only can we test your water, but we can also recommend and install the best water treatment system to match your specific water needs. Give us a call at 573-348-5044!
To understand why hard water is so tough on clothing, you first need to know that hard water contains dissolved compounds of calcium and magnesium. These minerals don't mix well with laundry detergents. The harder the water, the tougher it is on your laundry.
Hard water prevents water from mixing with detergent to form an effective cleaning agent. So, basically the calcium mineral bonds with the soap to create a curd that sticks to fibers and draws in more dirt, leaving your clothes dirtier than before you washed them. Over time, the residue can cause your clothing to turn a greyish or yellowish color, and make them feel stiff and crusty.
Studies have shown that clothing washed in hard water wear out 15% faster than clothing washed in soft water. However, rather than fixing the true issue at hand, most homeowners resort to using more detergent and hotter water, resulting in added expenses. This doesn't really fix the problem, and ultimately, you end up having to replace damaged clothing more often.
Fixing the Problem with Soft Water
If you suspect that you have hard water, you can do a simple DIY test to determine whether you have hard or soft water. While this test will be a great indicator of hard water, it will not tell you the hardness of your water. You'll need to have a professional test the exact hardness of your water. Follow these steps to put your water to the test.
1. Fill a Clear Container with Water
Fill your container about a third of the way to the top with water from your faucet. For our test, we have both hard water and soft water so you can see the difference in the end.
2. Squeeze in Some Pure Liquid Soap
Next, squirt about 10 drops of soap into your container. Pure liquid soap is best. Don’t use soap labeled as detergent because it is formulated with additives that will skew results of the test.
3. Shake Vigorously!
Shake your container for at least 10 seconds to mix up the soap and water in an attempt to make soapy bubbles. Don’t forget to put the cap on first!
4. Look for Suds and Water Clarity
If your container has a good amount of suds at the top, and the water underneath the bubbles becomes nice and clear, then you likely have soft water. However, if you don’t get many suds after shaking, and your water looks cloudy, that is a good indication you have hard water.
Once you've determined that you have hard water, and have contacted a professional water treatment company to test the hardness of your water, you can start looking at your options.
Water Softener & Conditioning
At Lindyspring Lake of the Ozarks, we have options that can help battle your hard water problems.
Water Softeners - LCR Series II
An Advanced Water Conditioning System that Can Be Tailored to Fit Your Needs and Water Conditions
The 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. Our water softeners come in different sizes to conform to anything from a condo which is a mini sized unit all the way up to the large units.
Lindyspring Impression Series RC Conditioners
A Single System Used to Effectively Treat Municipal Water
- Removes hardness
- Removes chlorine and associated odors
- Softens household water using minimal salt and water
