How To Convert Hard Water Into Soft Water (w/o WATER SOFTENERS)

Almost 85 percent homes in the United States have hard water supplies, whether it is from the city water supply or from a well. However, there are many benefits of having soft water at home. Here is a look at three such benefits.

1. Reduces damage to plumbing and water based appliances

Hard water leads to mineral deposits and scale build-up in the plumbing, which can clog the pipes and cause damage to your overall plumbing.
Over time, this can reduce the efficiency of these products, especially the ones that require the use of water, such as coffee pot, hot tub, humidifier, kettle and so on.

2. Better skin

When you wash yourself with hard water, it leaves your skin feeling greasy and soapy, no matter how much you clean up. Not just that, hard water makes it difficult for your products to lather, which means you may end up using more than you actually need.
Over time, using too much of product and having a greasy residue on your skin can damage and dry your skin, making it more prone to itching, redness, rashes and so on.

3. Less chances of razor burn

Using hard water to clean your face can increase your chances of razor burn, because it makes it difficult for the razor to glide on the skin. This can also increase your chances of a cut.
Even for women, using a razor on other parts of the body can be difficult when you regularly use hard water.

How can you soften your tap water without having to spend a lot on a home water softening system?

1. Using the boiling method

Even though this is one of the easiest and cheapest methods you can try to soften the tap water, remember that this will only work on water that has temporary hardness.

How to use boiling method to turn hard water into soft

Fill the pot with water and put it on for boiling. As the water boils, you will notice the impurities forming around the top sides of the pot. You can gradually scoop these out of the water.
After the water has boiled, remove it from heat and place it aside. You will see the impurities settle down at the bottom of the pan. You can now strain it through a cloth so that the impurities of the hard water get separated and you get clean and soft water.

2. Using vinegar

While this is also a very easy to use method to turn your hard water into soft, it will only work for laundry and dishwasher.

To make sure that your clothes are safe from hard water in the laundry and there is no mineral build up in the machine, you can add a cup of vinegar to the last cycle of the wash. In addition to removing the mineral build up, it will also soften the fibres in the towels. If you are worried about the vinegar smell in the clothes, add a bit of fabric conditioner.
When using the dishwasher with hard water, add vinegar in the rinse-aid dispenser section of the dishwasher. Alternatively, you can add a cup of vinegar at the bottom of the dishwasher when the final rinse cycle begins.

3. Using a water filter pitcher

Not all pitcher filters will have water softening abilities, so make sure you check it out beforehand.

A water filter pitcher is a simple device that is shaped like a pitcher, as the name suggests. While it is a very convenient and cheap way of removing some of the impurities from hard water, it is not meant to remove any toxic or biological impurities.
You can fill up the water filter pitcher with regular water from the tap and let it sit for as long as it is mentioned in the instruction of the particular product. By the end of this time, the impurities from the water will settle down, so that you get filtered water that is softer.

3 Water Filter Pitcher products that help convert hard water into soft water

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Adagio Teas Gravitea Water Filter

Aquaphor Water Pitcher Ideal

MAVEA Elemaris XL 9-Cup Water Filtration Pitcher,...

1. Aquaphor Water Pitcher Ideal

The Aquaphor Water Pitcher Ideal comes with filter cartridges that will reduce a lot of the harmful impurities that are present in tap water, such as rust, sediments, phenols, mud and even pollen. In addition, it can also remove chloroform, organic chlorine compounds and chlorine. This filter cartridge can also remove metals such as mercury, lead, aluminium, iron and copper. The pitcher is good for 1.2 litres of water.

Pros

Cons

Remove rust, sediments, phenols, mud and pollen.
Remove chloroform, organic chlorine compounds, chlorine, mercury, lead, aluminium, iron and copper.
Good for 1.2 litres of water.

None as yet.

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2. Adagio Teas Gravitea Water Filter

The Adagio Teas Gravitea Water Filter works at twice the speed of other competing water filters that are available. It comes with double life filters that help you save money while giving you the best results. This water filter comes with a digital cartridge life indicator that will ensure you know when to replace the cartridge so that your water is always safe. It is safe to be used in the dishwasher and filters up to 50 ounce of water.

Pros

Cons

Twice the speed of competing water filters.
Double life filters and digital cartridge life indicator.
Dishwasher safe. Up to 50 ounce of water.

Securing the lid in place can be a challenge.

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3. MAVEA 1005772 Elemaris XL 9-Cup Water Filtration Pitcher

The MAVEA 1005772 Elemaris XL 9-Cup Water Filtration Pitcher is BPA free and uses an advanced filtration system. It does not require pre-soaking and prevents the growth of bacteria. The filters come with micro-screen that reduces any black particles that are released in the pitcher. It can help to significantly bring down chlorine levels along with any other impurities and improves the overall taste and quality of water. The water filtration pitcher also has a smart meter that can measure the amount of hardness in the water, the volume of water and the amount of time for which the filter is being used.

Pros

Cons

BPA free, no pre-soaking, prevents bacteria growth.
Reduces black particles released in the pitcher. Reduce chlorine and impurities.
Measures amount of water hardness and water volume.

Does not have any replacement parts available.
The lid can break off.

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Are these methods of softening water actually effective or are you still better off investing in a proper water softening system?

As with most of the water softening methods mentioned above, you can use these devices to soften the hard water in your tap as long as the water is somewhat good for drinking. If you are not sure about the source of your water and feel it may have a lot of impurities or even toxins, it is best to go for a proper water softening system.

Additional Research:

https://www.budgetwater.info/softwateradvantages.htm
http://www.ewaterpurifier.com/guide-how-to-soften-hard-water/
http://www.veribestcleaners.com/node/126
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/home-remedies-washing-dishes-hard-water-104984.html

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