Do you need a washing machine water softener? Hard water pumping through your washing machine will negatively affect your clothes and towels. As a result, you should consider adding a water softener to keep your clothes looking and feeling fresh.
1. How hard water ruins your laundry
2. Water softener vs. fabric softener
3. Additional benefits of installing a water softener
WaterSmart has over 25 years of experience working with water softeners, and we'd love to share our expertise with you!
Washing Machine Water Softener: Hard Water and Laundry Don’t Mix
Have you ever wondered why your clothes have lost their colour, or feel stiff? Chances are your washing machine isn’t being complimented by a water softener. As a result, hard water is negatively impacting your clothes and linens.
1. How hard water ruins your laundry
Hard water contains calcium and magnesium and these minerals don’t mix well with laundry detergents. They actually prevent water from mixing with detergent, creating an ineffective cleaning agent.
A study by Purdue University found that clothes washed in hard water wear out 15 percent faster than clothing washed in soft water.
How does that happen you may ask?
The calcium minerals bond with the soap to create a detergent clump that sticks to the fabric, 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 coloured clothes.
This buildup is what makes laundry feel stiff and crusty. When this happens, the fabric is less likely to flex, creating more friction and causing unnecessary wear and tear on your laundry.
Clothes washed in hard water wear out 15 percent faster than clothing washed in soft water.
2. Washing machine: Water softener vs. fabric softener
You might think that using even more detergent, fabric softener, and hotter water will combat this issue. However, these will only result in additional expenses.
In the end, your water bill increases, you spend more money on fabric softener, and you continue to damage your clothing.
Let’s quickly look at the options and whether fabric softeners are a viable option:
Liquid softeners are effective at removing odours and softening clothes, but it’s the most expensive option per load, and they’re often made with chemicals that can easily irritate sensitive skin.
You can try dryer sheets as well, but they’re not great for the environment and can clog your filter.
Dryer balls have environmental upsides, but they too can leave clothes feeling stiff or scratchy.
“The Environmental Protection Agency says the average family washes nearly 400 loads of laundry a year – more than load a day – and Americans spend more than $3 billion on detergent,” according to a CBS News article.
Research also demonstrates that the average American household spends close to $500 on laundry per year, including electricity, water, and laundry supplies.
That cost can be reduced by cutting fabric softeners and hot water loads and choosing to invest in a water softener.
Washing Machine Water Softener: Fabric softener might help but the extra cost adds up
3. Additional benefits of installing a water softener
On top of preserving the look and feel of your clothes and linens, a water softener can solve a wide range of hard water problems in your home including:
Residue buildup
If your water is hard, then the soap will not be able to dissolve and rinse away as well as it does if your water is soft. Similar to how it reacts to clothing, it will leave a residue that will adhere to surfaces like tiles, bathtubs, sinks, faucets, shower curtains and doors, and tub surrounds.
Dry and itchy skin and hair
Soap film will not properly rinse away from your skin and hair after bathing or showering. It will leave a film on your skin that will make both your skin and hair look dull and feel dry.
If you suffer from sensitive skin, then this film can also make your skin feel itchy. If you have skin problems such as psoriasis, then it could make it worse.
Spotty dishes and flatware
Your dishes and flatware that go through your dishwasher or that air dry after handwashing will develop cloudy spots.
Shorter lifespan for your water heater and other appliances
Limescale from hard water will build upon the heating element of your hot water heater over time making it less effective for heating your water and reducing its lifespan from 8-10 years to only 4-6 years.
Mineral deposits will settle on the bottom of your tank reducing the space that the tank has for holding hot water which means you will have less available hot water.
Other appliances that use hot water such as your dishwasher, electric kettle, and washing machine will also develop mineral build-up which will reduce their effectiveness and lifespan.
Need A Washing Machine Water Softener
WaterSmart has been serving the Waterloo region including, Kitchener, Cambridge, Guelph, Brantford, and surrounding areas since 1994.
We are committed to helping you improve the quality of your home's water. If you’re undecided about water softener rentals vs. buying your own unit, we can help.
WaterSmart is partnered with Financeit to help your next big purchase be more affordable. We invite you to take a look at our financial options through Financeit; find out if you’re approved in seconds with no obligation and no commitment!
We live and work in the Kitchener-Waterloo region so we understand the hard water challenges of this area.
We know how to install and program your water softener for maximum efficiency and are familiar with the types of water softener repairs that you might need.
Contact WaterSmart today to talk to one of our water systems experts.
“Best value in KW and excellent installation service. Our installer not only did a great job putting in the water softener, he also improved furnace condensation drainage and pointed out an issue with a water line going to the fridge.”
