How to convert hard water to soft water?

Water, with its mineral supplements, for consumption purposes can be described as either hard water or soft water.  Hard water has high amounts of supplementary minerals and soft water has a negligible amount of dissolved minerals in it. 

Hard water is a result of the percolation of minerals when it passes through rocks made up of limestone, gypsum or dolomite and gets collected as a groundwater source. Depending upon the geographical area which may have solubles like calcium and magnesium.

The chemical difference can be observed in the pH levels of the water as well as its temperature. The physical attributes that separate hard water from soft water are calcium, Ca, and magnesium, Mg which are alkaline earth metals lowering the pH and most likely to form an ionic bond.

Hard water containing calcium and magnesium can be healthy to the body as the minerals needed for the growth and function of bones and muscles and for regulating blood pressure and enzyme actions. 

However, they include a high amount of sodium too which may have a negative impact on an otherwise healthy person’s body. It may also leave behind damage to water pipes, damages the washing machines, and residues on dishes after washing or make the skin itchy from the strong mineral deposits.

The soft water is a safer choice to make as it does not have the negative effects of mineral deposits. Soft water won’t harm household appliances and plumbing pipes. It has a milder taste than that of hard water and does not leave residues on dishes, skin, or other surfaces.

Here are the ways you can convert hard water to soft water:

• Boiling
• Adding baking soda or vinegar
• Using a hard water softener
• Ion-exchange softeners.
• The most economical option is to install a RO water purifier.

Boiling

Boiling can remove the temporary hardness from water. You can do it by simply boiling it and then allow it to cool down for a few hours. Boiling helps to settle the minerals present in the water at the bottom layer of the utensil. 

In this method, you will have to slowly transfer the cooled water to another vessel while leaving the bottom layer of water behind. However, boiling does not precipitate out the permanent hardening species hence sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, would need to be added.

Using Baking Soda or Vinegar

Vinegar is acidic, and baking soda is alkaline. Baking soda or vinegar are natural disinfectants; they are alternatives of each either of converting hard water to soft water. They remove the scaly buildup in hard water which is caused by the mineral deposits present in it.

To use baking soda use a tubful of water, half a cup of baking water that will suffice to fulfill the requirement. Using distilled white vinegar is important. Adding one tablespoon of vinegar for every three cups of water is required to remove the temporary hardness from the water.

Using chemical cleaners

This method is strictly used for laundry purposes and not for drinking 

Hard water can damage clothes by leaving them splotchy. It also reduces detergent efficiency and deteriorates cloth softness making them stiff. For this, using water conditioner liquids that aren’t precipitating or by using a hand water softener.

Using a Hard Water Softener 

A permanent hard water softener may be the most effective solution for kitchen taps as well as bathroom taps. The hard water softener can be attached to a kitchen faucet or bathroom tap. The hard water softener attached will remove the minerals from the water before releasing the water from the tap.

This will filter out only the deposits in the water but will not make it good enough to drink. A secondary filter in the tap must be attached along with the generic one to make it drinkable.

Ion-Exchange Water Softening

This technique is the most precise method of converting hard water into soft water. The ion-exchange water softener exchanges alkaline minerals like calcium and magnesium with sodium minerals. The ion-exchange water softener runs through the hard water over resin beads which are negatively charged.

Hence when calcium and magnesium get in contact with the resin beads they get replaced with sodium ions, thus removing the hardness from the water.

Using an RO water Purifier

Drinking vast amounts of hard water may lead to a negative impact on your body. It may cause stomach problems like diarrhea. It is important to make hard water potable. Using a good quality RO water purifier can be an effortless solution. 

The RO water purifier will easily convert hard water into soft water. And it is very cost-effective as well. It also helps in removing the excess impurities from the water making it potable and harmless.

If you are getting hard water then it is necessary that you find a solution to it as fast as you can. Having hard water daily can lead to dry skin and hair, faded clothes, and damage to the water pipe.

Hard water is not only bad for health but also can cause damage to many home appliances. It can cause frequent clogging, reduce water flow, damaged water pipes, and even affect water-using appliances like a washing machine.

It is important to convert that hard water into soft water. For an easy and fast solution, install a water purification system. Once the hard water goes through the water purifier all the filtration will leave you with safe drinking water. 

For other uses like cleaning and washing clothes you can opt for water softeners, this will filter out the hard water just enough so that it won’t damage the clothes or the appliances. Although you may want to frequently check the water pipes.

I hope this article helped you with finding a solution in converting hard water into soft water.