Hard water can leave spots and film on dishes and bathtubs and be more damaging to household appliances. It can leave deposits, called “scale,” that clog plumbing and impair the flow of heat in boilers, leading to overheating.
In such instances, water softening methods are used. When water is softened, metal cations are exchanged for sodium ions.
Hard water causes:
How is water softened?
Hard water can be “softened” by reducing the concentration of calcium, magnesium and other minerals. Permanent hardness of water can also be treated with ion-exchange resins in which hardness ions (Ca, Mg and other metallic cations) are exchanged for sodium ions. Chemicals such as (chelators) may also be used as water softeners. Citric acid is used in soap, shampoo, and laundry detergents to soften water.
How a water softener works
(Salt is typically used in the regeneration process and restores the resin to a "clean" state so the ion exchange process can begin again.)
| Hard WaterSoft Water | |
| Minerals such as calcium and magnesium | Sodium |
| Film | Suds |
| Leaves deposit called “scale” | None |
| Doesn't form lather with detergents | Forms lather with detergents |
| permutit process, by exchange of ions | none |
Product Pictures
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