Now that you’ve installed a water softener, you’re enjoying all the benefits that come with soft water. You prefer the taste of your water, you have cleaner dishes, and you aren’t experiencing any mineral buildup in your pipes or plumbing fixtures. However, on the downside, your soft water feels slimy in the shower. What is this slimy sensation and how can you get rid of it?
What a Water Softener Does
A water softener helps remove the minerals in water that contribute to the water’s hardness, namely magnesium and calcium. These minerals aren’t harmful to your health, but they can wreak havoc on your plumbing fixtures by causing mineral buildup. In addition, these minerals often leave your dishes looking spotty. Some people also complain that it can be difficult to make soap lather well when they use hard water.
Water softeners soften your water via a process known as ion exchange. When hard water flows through the softener’s resin beads, the resin beads attract the calcium and magnesium ions and replace these ions with sodium ions. The soft water that results then flows out of your taps.
Why Your Soft Water Now Feels Slimy
Many people who install a water softener in their homes report that their water now feels slippery or slimy. There’s a scientific explanation for this slimy feeling.
When your water softener replaces calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions, the result is soft water that reacts differently with soap. When you wash your body with hard water, the soap binds to the minerals, and the resulting residue feels somewhat dry. However, when you wash your body with soft water, there are no minerals for the soap to bond to. As a result, soaps lather very well as the bond between your skin and the soap is enhanced rather than the bond between the soap and hard water minerals. This means the soap won’t rinse off as easily, leaving that slimy feeling. You’re also feeling more of your skin’s natural moisture, which isn’t being washed away like it would be with hard water.
While this slimy or slippery feeling may feel a bit strange at first, you can have peace of mind that your skin is actually getting cleaner and keeping more of its natural moisture.
Ways You Can Reduce the Slimy Feel
While the slimy feeling isn’t a problem, some people prefer to experience less of it. Here are some ways you can reduce the slimy sensation while still reaping the benefits from soft water.
Adjust Your Water Softener Settings
Many water softeners have settings that you can use to control how soft you want your water to be. If the slimy sensation is too much, simply dial back the water softener level. This will give you a balance of soft water and a less slippery sensation.
Use Less Soap
You may notice that soap lathers very well when you have soft water. To minimize the slimy feeling, use about 50% less soap and shampoo. It takes longer for soap suds to form when you wash yourself with hard water. Since you don’t have that problem with soft water, you can use less and still get clean.
Use Soaps That Are Designed for Soft Water
Try to find soaps that are designed for soft water, such as potassium-based soaps. These soaps contain fewer additives, like dyes and perfumes.
Install a Shower Filter
Another way to reduce the slimy feeling is by adding a shower filter to your shower. A shower filter can filter out some of the sodium ions so that your water feels more “balanced.”
Our Plumbers at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
The water in Gainesville, FL, is quite hard, and it may be frustrating to see a continual mineral buildup in your pipes and plumbing fixtures. Need your water changed from hard to soft? Turn to the professional plumbers at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing.
We’ll install a water softener in your home within one day, barring any hiccups. We typically provide the make and model so we can be sure the size and model are appropriate for your home. However, if you prefer to supply your own model, you can schedule an installation appointment only. Once we install your water softener, it should last between 10-15 years.
To find out more about water softeners and their benefits, contact our team at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing today!