Water reaching the washing machine is cooler than in the water heater. For very hot water in the washer, it may be necessary to set the water heater temperature on high. When using soap rather than detergent, soft water cleans clothes better than hard water. Hard water, which contains mineral deposits, requires more soap or detergent, and clothes don't get as clean as they do in soft water. Minerals in hard water combine with soap to form a scum, which causes laundry problems.
Detergents work well in soft or hard water unless the water is especially hard.
Water Softeners Packaged powders can be purchased to soften water, or a water softening machine can be purchased or rented. Figure out how much the powders would cost and compare that with the price of a machine. Water softening machines use salt to remove minerals from the water, so the salt content of household water is increased by the softening process. Persons who are on low sodium diets may prefer to use packaged water softeners. Precipitating water softeners settle out the minerals that make water hard.