Unfortunately, no water softener will magically wash, dry, and fold your laundry for you. But it can solve the other big issue concerning your laundry, the look, and feel of clothes that did not get genuinely clean. After all, it is tough enough to carve out time to handle the chore of laundry. But when your clothes and linens come out looking dingy and feeling crusty, it appears that you just wasted your time. Fortunately, the solution could be as simple as a professionally installed water softener in your Austin home.

If your household has hard water, you could be noticing some concerns with your laundry that include:

• Dingy whites that look almost yellow or grey
• Stiff fabric and towels that are no longer fluffy and soft
• Your clothes tear and split easily
• There are white or grey streaks on your brightly colored clothes

Why Hard Water Is Hard On Your Clothes

Hard water is water that has a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium in it. And unfortunately, those minerals do not work well with detergents. In fact, they can actually work against your detergent and cause your clothes and other laundry to wear out 15% faster than items washed in soft water. The minerals in the water mix with the detergent to create a curd-like solid that sticks to the fabric and actually traps more dirt. Over time, that residue alters the color of the clothes and accounts for the crisp or hard feeling of the materials.

Your Big Mistake

Often, when consumers see that their clothes are looking dirty and crusty, they add more detergent to overcome the issues. But that only creates more residue and compounds the problem. In addition, some people will begin washing all of their laundry in hot water. This step does little to help the residue issues. The only thing it accomplishes is added wear to the fabric and increased utility bills to cover the cost of the hot water consumption.

When A Water Softener Is Added

After a professional water softener installation, homeowners report remarkable changes in the appearance of their laundry. Even in cold water, stain removal was significantly increased when washing in soft water. Many also found that they could reduce the amount of detergent they were using per load by as much as 50% while still getting superior cleaning and softness.

The long-term results and satisfaction were all very positive. For example, consumers were spending less on detergent and their utility bills washing in cold water. In addition, they discovered that their clothing was more durable and less likely to tear or split. And the appearance was more visually attractive and comfortable to wear.

Some Other Great Benefits

When you have a water softener installed in your home, you will discover that many other issues disappear. There will be a significant decrease in the soap scum buildup in tubs and sinks. Your dishes will have fewer spots and streaks. And your skin and hair will feel cleaner and less coated in residue. Finally, you will have fewer issues with mineral buildup on fixtures and in water lines. Who knew that all you needed to do was eliminate a few minerals from your home’s water to enjoy all of these great benefits?

To have your water tested by a Parobek Water water quality expert, call (512) 233-6308. We will come to your home and perform the water test and then explain the results to you. In addition, if you do have hard water or other contamination issues, our pro will explain your options for a water softener or combination of water softener and filtration system to correct any problems.