Since the water is already soft, the cleaning agents have no hardness minerals to react with and overcome, lather more readily and work more effectively. Since such chemicals are not necessary for cleaning with soft water, less soap is required. Soft water households experience considerable savings on laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, bath soap, hand soap, shampoo and many other cleaning products. Many soft water users purchase pure soaps, products that do not contain additional chemicals or perfumes. Since soft water contains no scale forming minerals, it leaves the inside of plumbing and water using appliances free of solidified rock.
Appliances operate more efficiently and last longer when using soft water.
Leading appliance manufacturers including Maytag have recognized the problems that hard water causes and recommend the use of home water conditioners to help their own products operate more efficiently. Sodium and potassium do not cause the problems that are associated with calcium and magnesium. The process is the basis for most water softening equipment on the market today. Water enters a water softener where it comes in contact with a bed of tiny beads that hold sodium chloride or potassium chloride ions. Since the beads are chemically more attracted to calcium and magnesium ions, ion exchange occurs.