How To Soften Hard Water Naturally
Time immemorial and irrespective of the area, undesirable unsightly lime scales, irritated dry skin, dry hair and a multitude of other complaints generate a great deal of concern.
This is a particularly common problem caused by the presence of hard water in the water supplies to the home.
The good news is that there are a few simple things that you can do to make things much better.
If you have a similar complaint, well you would be interested to know that there are ways to deal with this problem, perfectly restoring your peace of mind.
These methods are not only safe, widely available, cost-effective but are quite easy for you to do conveniently at home.
You can naturally soften hard water without utilizing any complicated scientific procedure or in-depth mechanical installations with confusing calibrations in absolute confidence, once you choose from the variety of effective solutions summarized below.
How To Make Hard Water Soft Naturally
Placing a peat moss in the aquarium
Surprisingly, nature had always had a way of handling all its problems.
Peat moss is one of nature’s brilliant solutions to a frustrating situation. It naturally filters and purifies the hard water gradually over time due to some minerals within it.
Peat moss contains humic acid and tannin agents.
These two are filtration powerhouses in nature. All you need to do is to purchase peat moss at a garden store or from a reliable vendor online.
Gently place it at the bottom of your aquarium.
Alternatively, you can wrap the peat moss in a clean cloth and hang it inside the aquarium.
The minerals in peat moss purify the water, softening it with time as it does in the wild.
To maintain a favorable environment in the aquarium, you would have to replace the peat moss after a reasonable length of time or add an extra layer of peat moss to the layer of peat moss placed earlier in the aquarium, to ensure a continued softening of the hard water.
This method is not a fast conversion process by any means.
Noteworthy is the fact that the peat moss gives a slight though harmless yellow-green color.
The yellow-green water is soft water, so the aquatic life would definitely thrive.
Place a log of driftwood in your aquarium
Naturally, driftwood can be found floating in the sea or littering the beach. There are different kinds of driftwoods but all can be used for the softening of hard water.
Driftwood is naturally rich in tannin agents, which is acidic in nature making it ideal for softening of hard water in an aquarium.
To get started, a log of driftwood can be picked on the beach.
Boil the driftwood for 15-20minutes for pieces that are less than a foot long and 1-2 hours for pieces larger than afoot.
Let it cool down to room temperature and completely submerge it in your aquarium.
The driftwood will gradually change the chemical nature of the hard water, from alkaline to acidic over some time. This process gradually softens the hard water.
For an artistic appeal, the driftwood can be carefully positioned to enhance the decor of the aquarium pop. Driftwood does change the color of the water to a light reddish-brown appearance.
This is absolutely normal and harmless.
It is particularly important to note that no matter the type of driftwood you obtained for this method, extreme care must be taken to sterilize the driftwood before using it.
Hence the boiling to prevent contamination and spread of diseases in the aquarium.
Boil the water you want to use
Hard water is not generally considered to be particularly detrimental when consumed.
It is a frustrating nuisance with an odd taste and a peculiar smell.
By boiling the water you intend to use, the heating process converts the hard water to soft water through a simple chemical process, with some noticeable tiny white particles floating about in the hot water.
This heating conversion process is called precipitation.
The hard water becomes softened after it has been cooled down and the minerals deposits responsible for the hard nature finally settle to the bottom of the kettle used.
First, bring the water to a boil for a few minutes.
Set it aside and let it cool down, the cooling typically takes more than an hour.
After it’s been sufficiently cooled, carefully siphon the water to a different container and gently try not to disturb the tiny white particles settled at the bottom.
It’s particularly important to note that this method alters the taste of the water.
This can be improved by repeatedly pouring the water from a container to another, to restore the air lost during the boiling stage.
This method is an instant fix for a small amount of water in a relatively short time without any elaborate procedure or technique.
It is convenient for softening water for consumption in an easy and uncomplicated way in the comfort of your home. It’s giving the water a better quality instantly.
All you need is just the water, a source of heat, and a pot or kettle or pan. The boiling method is most suitable for softening temporary hard water.
Laundry with washing soda
Unfortunately, in all situations, when doing the laundry with hard water, the soaps and detergents become noticeably less effective with a less desirable lather and always create a soap scum that always requires extra scrubbing to clean off.
To get your clothes clean, the cleaning agent has to be able to lift the dirt off the cloth by penetrating the cloth and cleaning the fibers.
Hard water makes the cleaning agent way less effective thereby damaging the quality of the fabric over time. To get a good cleaning when using hard water, you need washing soda to soften the hard water.
Washing soda is not what you would generally expect when it comes to softening hard water but it gets the job done quickly. Plus, it softens both temporary hard water and permanent hard water.
All you need to do is to add a little washing soda to the laundry water. You will notice that the detergent lathers better, cleans the clothes more efficiently.
It is also good to know that the clothes will retain their great color and quality longer without the harsh stiffness that is synonymous with hard water use.
This method is an instant fix that is cost-effective, saves valuable time, and is most suitable for a large amount of water needed for everyday laundry.
You need to be aware is, that washing soda should never be used to soften hard water for consumption in any way but only to be used for laundry purposes for the softening of hard water.
A little baking soda to the bathtub
Hard water does tend to leave the skin itchy, the hair is dry and annoyingly dull in appearance.
It comes with an accompanying brown unsightly limescale glued to the surface of the sanitary fittings and clogging the pipes along the way.
For someone with sensitive skin, this is a disturbing recurrent nightmare.
It causes skin irritations and an increase in the overall severity of certain skin conditions with bothersome uncomfortable sensations.
A little baking soda is highly recommended as a natural remedy for effectively softening hard water right in the tub before a refreshing bath.
The steps you need to follow to achieve a favorable result are quite straightforward.
All you need to do is to dissolve a quarter of a cup of baking soda in the bathwater.
The minerals in the baking soda undergo a relatively rapid but harmless chemical reaction which softens the water.
This process also gives the water a smoother sensation on the skin.
The fact that baking soda has antimicrobial effects makes it an excellent choice for a relaxing soak in the tub. It is a perfect remedy for a refreshing rinse after a bath.
Baking soda can best be described as a convenient, affordable solution. It requires little effort to give the required result of naturally softening hard water.
Baking soda can be purchased online and in retail stores hereby quite easily. Basically, baking soda softens the hard water and prevents mineral build-up.
Get a tap fitted water filter for all your taps and faucets
This method can soften a large amount of water in an instant with amazing convenience.
Tap water filters are available in a wide range of sizes, designs, filtration rates, and prices.
Once a water filter is perfectly fitted onto the taps and faucets, the hard water is softened naturally by filters before it flows out of the tap through a series of filtration processes.
You will immediately notice a clear and refreshing difference in the flavor of the water when this little improvement is made in the home.
Everyday chores and routine activities that require the use of water become easier and less stressful.
This is an item that can be purchased and fitted successfully by anyone in the home without any specialized training.
The water filter does take the “hard” impressively out of hard water.
The plus side of this method is its reliability and its long-term effectiveness and low maintenance solution to a prevalent problem. This is also one of the best natural options available to prevent further damage in the home.
Apple cider vinegar for hair care
Lush, soft, bouncy, and shiny are the characteristics of healthy hair. Hair is normally washed at least once a week. If the individual is more active then a more frequent hair wash schedule is required.
Ironically, with every wash with hard water, mineral deposits are left on the hair.
Over time this causes the hair to become dull, dry, brittle, and unhealthy. Defeating the whole aim of washing the hair. Apple cider vinegar can be used to soften the hard water used in the hair care regime.
A few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar added to the hard water before use; typically does the trick.
Apple cider vinegar is acidic and when added to hard water, it changes the alkaline state of the water to slightly acidic.
It’s also beneficial for shiny, healthy hair because of its vitamin and mineral composition.
It can readily be purchased from food and retail stores and used with relative ease.
Lemon juice for a refreshing drink of water
If the taste of hard water puts you off and you need a drink of water urgently, then lemon juice will provide an instant solution.
Due to its acidic content, a few drops of lemon juice can soften the hard water quickly. It has a refreshing lemon flavor suitable for consumption.
Lemon juice is a natural solution for softening hard water in small quantities especially for drinking.
You can purchase lemons or lemon juice from grocery shops or retail stores at an affordable rate.
Conclusion
Generally speaking, the choice of which natural method to use to soften the hard water, really does come down to a few factors; the overall cost, the volume of water to be treated, convenience, frequency of treatment, the overall treatment time, and the effectiveness of a chosen method over the other options.
Hard water causes a lot of damage to a lot of household items from clogged pipes to stains on surfaces and everything in between.
A relatively significant percentage of homes across the globe have hard water running through their pipes every single day.
These methods are easy-to-do, always give you a better quality of water in your home. Also prevent a lot of the problems that hard water causes over time.
Your fabrics, appliances, and household items can be used longer without the effects of long-term damage.
You can always switch in between any of the methods, as none of the methods explained is a permanent long-term solution for softening hard water.
So, you would have taken into cognizance the long-term repeated applications.
Relatively speaking, you can effectively soften hard water naturally without any difficulty in a few easy steps.
