Did you know 90% of households have hard water issues? Hard water can be difficult to live with. Depending on where you live you may have heard the terms ‘hard water” and “soft water.” If you are afraid you have hard water you’ll want to recognize if you have the following issues in your home in order to fix them:
- Faded, stained, or damaged clothing
- Low water pressure
- Appliances break down often
- Dry hair and skin
- White spots/stains on dishes and plumbing fixtures
In certain areas, hard water is very common and many people see it as a ceaseless issue. You may be delighted to hear that hard water is not completely untreatable! Hard water can have devastating effects on plumbing, household appliances, your skin, clothes, and more but you can test to see if you have hard water, and treat the effects it has on your home simply! Here are 5 hard water solutions for your home!
- Boiling Water- This is a temporary solution but it works if you are in a pinch! Boiling your water before you use it removes the water’s calcium content, which results in softer water.
- Vinegar- The majority of hard water is calcium, so it is highly reactive with acids like vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Place your small fixtures that are covered in buildup into a bowl of hot, all-natural vinegar to dissolve the calcium deposit in about an hour.
- Washing Soda In Laundry- Washing soda gets rid of the dissolved calcium and magnesium. The removal of these mineral ions from the water results in softer water. This helps make it easier for soaps to lather up.
- Pipe Cleaning- Clean your pipes using a hard water cleaning aide to remove limescale buildup inside your pipes. If you don’t feel comfortable being a plumber for the day, call a professional!
- Install a Faucet or Invest In a Whole-House Water Softener- All of the prior tips can be quick fixes which are great but you may be looking for long-term solutions instead! A faucet softener is a convenient and cheap way to soften your water. There are sodium softeners and salt-free softeners that you can choose from. The whole-house water softener is a bit more expensive but worth it if you want soft water throughout your whole house! Check out our recommendation for a water softening treatment company to take care of this for you on our website!
These are all good temporary or permanent fixes! Depending on your situation, you may not need to make permanent changes but they never hurt. Make these fixes a priority!