And so the cycle continues, if you desire truely clean laundry, you must use softened water. A study conducted by the American Institute of Laundering determined that detergent and laundering costs are twice as high in even moderately hard water compared with soft water. A Purdue University study found that fabrics washed in hard water wear out up to 15 percent quicker than fabrics washed in soft water. This is probably due to the presence of hardness residues in the fabric, making it stiffer and causing increased friction and wear on the fabric as it flexes. The study also found that colors fade and whites darken more quickly in hard water.
Hardness minerals affect laundry gradually.
Most household budgets don't leave a lot of room for unnecessary waste. A penny wasted here or a nickel wasted there can add up to hundreds of wasted dollars during the course of a year. When it all adds up, hard water is an economic waste that can be done without. Hard water can cost you hundreds of dollars in extra detergent, extra hot water, unnecessary rinse cycles, fabrics that lose their usefulness, and washing machines that wear out before their time. You'll get to carry those 40 to 80lb.