With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley.
Many people have heard the terms “hard water” and “soft water,” and they may not fully understand what they mean. When we refer to hard water, we’re talking about water that has a higher concentration of dissolved mineral content. These minerals include calcium, magnesium, and, in certain areas, iron too. Soft water has these dissolved minerals present in very low concentrations, and this is rare in nature these days. For this reason, many people install a water softener in their homes to make the water soft. After they make the switch to soft water, people are often surprised at the slippery feel, and the reason for this feeling will be the focus of this article.
How Does an Ion-Exchange Process Work?
The dissolved minerals that make water hard are not removed by the water softener. A more accurate way to explain this process is that those ions are exchanged with ions that don’t make the water hard. The incoming water passes through a media tank filled with resin beads that are charged and coated with a brine solution. The hard water minerals also have a charge, and they are attracted to the salt ions on the resin beads. Over time, the resin beads are coated with too many mineral ions, and they become less effective. The system runs a regeneration cycle to flush the resin beads clean with a brine solution, and this recharges the beads for future softening.
Why is Soft Water Desirable?
Hard water causes a lot of problems; it forms scale inside plumbing pipes, fixtures, and water using appliances. This increases heating times; pipes are narrowed, the water pressure may drop, and appliances need more frequent repairs or replacements. These problems can be expensive to fix, but hard water has a negative effect on our quality of life, and this should not be underestimated. Hard water minerals are left behind on skin and hair after showering, which can clog skin pores, cause breakouts, tangle in hair, and even make our nails feel brittle. Another annoying characteristic of hard water is that it inhibits the formation of soap suds which reduces the efficacy of soap, detergent, and other cleaning products. The unused soap is formed into soap scum which is hard to clean, and it’s a breeding ground for bacteria. For these reasons, people prefer soft water, but the slipperiness can be surprising, and it takes some time to get used to it.
Why is Soft Water Slippery?
When you take your first shower or bath using soft water, you will notice that it feels very different from hard water. The sensation left behind on the skin is often described as silky or slippery, and this can be disconcerting for new users. In fact, many people that are unaware of this characteristic of soft water come to the conclusion that something is wrong with their new water softener.
The reason why soft water feels slippery is that it doesn’t have those hard water minerals present. The dissolved minerals are added to the water after it falls as rain as the water soaks into and through various strata of sand, soil, and rock. Water is a highly effective solvent; it can partially dissolve many materials that it comes into contact with. These minerals and certain other contaminants are then added to the makeup of the water. If you receive your water from a private well, the water will contain more dissolved minerals. But, your water will still be hard if you receive public water because hard water minerals are not removed at the water treatment plant. This is why hard water leaves behind a hard and white scaly residue when it dries.
When you shower or bathe in soft water, your skin will not dry out. The soap and shampoo that you use will be thoroughly rinsed away when you’re done. You will notice that you need less soap to get clean, and it’s easy to create a lather. Over time, it will become obvious that you’re spending less on soap, shampoo, and even detergent. When you add too much soap to soft water, it will feel slippery, and people are accustomed to using too much soap. The water will feel smoother; it doesn’t contain minute pieces of rock that are rubbing together on your skin, creating friction and abrasions.
Although it may feel that the soap is not rinsing off your skin, this is not the case. The silky or slippery feeling on your skin is not the soap residue because you didn’t rinse properly. That feeling is the natural hydration of your own skin, which has been suppressed during hard water showering and bathing.
3 Ways to Eliminate or Reduce the Slippery Feeling
It can take a long time to become used to showering or bathing in soft water. After a short time, many people start to enjoy the feeling because their skin is truly clean. But, if you’re struggling to become accustomed to soft water slipperiness, there are three approaches that you can try:
1. Switch to Pure Soap
Many soaps contain dyes, perfumes, and other additives that are not a great option for clean and soft skin. Some soaps and shampoos even contain softening agents because they are designed for use with hard water. Because soft water improves the cleaning power of soap, you don’t need these extra additives to get truly clean. Make a switch to a pure soap with minimal ingredients, no perfumes, and no dyes, and your skin will feel natural.
2. Use Less Soap
When you’re using better quality soap with soft water, you will find that the soap is more effective, and you don’t need much of it. So, it’s easy to moderate using soap and shampoo because it lathers quickly and easily with little effort. Soap suds are essential for cleaning power to scrub the dirt and grime from your skin and hair. And when it’s time to rinse the soap away, you should notice that your skin feels less slippery.
3. Learn to Love it
As we mentioned earlier, many people learn to love the silky and slippery feeling on their skin. It takes a short while to make the adjustment, but the natural lubrication of your skin when it’s truly clean feels great.
If you want to learn more about a water softener for your home, contact your local water treatment specialist today.